The shortlist of nominees for the EDF Energy South West Media Awards 2005 has been announced.

It reveals that more than 20 different publications are in with a chance of scooping a win at the inaugural awards.

And – courtesy of the sponsors – all the nominees and their guests can enjoy a meal and drinks at the British Empire and Commonwealth Museum in Bristol on Thursday June 16. Olympic gold medallist Jason Gardener will present the awards at the ceremony.

The afternoon event will be the culmination of regional journalists’ efforts during the past year.

The popular contest, in its first year, is being organised in association with HoldtheFrontPage and attracted more than 200 entries.

Andrew Brown, chairman of the judges and head of media relations at EDF Energy said: “It is very encouraging to see so many high quality entries which demonstrate the real dedication and commitment of journalists and media professionals across the South West.

“We really did have a tough job on our hands whittling down the entries to come up with the shortlist.”

The full shortlist of nominees for the EDF Energy South West Media Awards is:

Community Campaign of the Year:
Bath Chronicle (Julian House);
Weston and Somerset Mercury/North Somerset Times;
Express & Echo (Shockwaves);
The Citizen (UNICEF/Tsunami appeal).

Business Journalist of the Year:
Robert Buckland, Western Daily Press;
Chloe Rigby, Bristol Evening Post;
Paul Matthews, Express & Echo;
Emma Corlett, Western Morning News.

Environmental Journalist of the Year:
Bob Beale, Bristol Evening Post;
‘The Eco Report’ team, Western Daily Press;
Colin Gregory, The West Briton;
Brian Carter, Herald Express.

Sports Journalist of the Year:
Andy Stockhausen, Bristol Evening Post;
Chris Rogers, North Devon Journal;
Danny Hall, Western Daily Press;
Andy Phelan, Evening Herald, Plymouth.

Newcomer of the Year:
David Edbrooke, Express & Echo;
Robert Preece, Evening Herald;
Charlie Webb, Gloucestershire Echo;
Steve Swinford, Western Daily Press.

Feature Writer of the Year:
Tim Davey, Bristol Evening Post;
Cris Warren, Bristol Evening Post;
Ruth Kelly, Wellington Weekly News;
Becky Moran, Express & Echo.

Website of the Year:
thisiswiltshire.co.uk
bbc.co.uk/bristol

Front Page of the Year:
Tiverton Gazette;
Western Daily Press;
Cornish Guardian;
Western Morning News.

Entries for Front Page of the Year

Newspaper Photographer of the Year:
Gareth Williams, Express & Echo;
Matthew Austin, Express & Echo;
Lewis Whyld, South West News Service;
Paul Gillis, Western Daily Press.

Print Journalist of the Year (Daily):
Tamash Lal, Swindon Evening Advertiser;
Ben Norman, Express & Echo;
Victoria Temple, The Citizen;
Simon Peevers, Bristol Evening Post.

Print Journalist of the Year (Daily) entries

Print Journalist of the Year (Weekly):
Paul Armstrong, Packet Newspapers;
Ruth Kelly, Wellington Weekly News;
Tom Shepherd, Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard;
Adam Stones, Western Gazette.

Weekly Newspaper of the Year:
Gazette & Herald;
Cornish Guardian;
News and Journal (Stroud);
Weston and Somerset Mercury.

Daily Newspaper of the Year:
Western Morning News;
Bristol Evening Post;
Express & Echo;
The Citizen.

Sean and Tim plough through the entries

The judges included EDF Energy’s head of media relations, Andrew Brown, former journalism lecturer and editor Gerry Kreibich, Sentinel editor Sean Dooley, accomplished press photographer Doug Marke, and Lincolnshire Newspapers’ managing editor Tim Robinson, himself a former weekly newspaper editor.

Doug and Gerry in lively
discussion on the photo section

BBC television and radio journalist Kate Squire, now managing editor at BBC Radio Leicester, is judging the broadcast entries, with winners to be announced on the day.

Andrew ponders the ‘online’ category