Journalists from newspapers, magazines, websites and agencies all over the North East have been named in the shortlist for the latest Tom Cordner North East Press Awards.

Reporters, specialist writers, sub-editors, photographers and their editors, from North Yorkshire to Northumberland, sent in 230 entries for the 27th annual contest, which for the first time this year included a prize for the best North East News Website.

Two of the region’s leading daily papers, the Evening Gazette in Middlesbrough and the Darlington-based Northern Echo, go head-to-head as nominees for the first website title.

Journalists from more than 20 different publications or media operations share the nomination honours across 18 categories.

The individual winners – plus the North East Journalist of the Year title and Newspaper of the Year – will be named at the ceremony on 24 May at Newcastle Civic Centre.

Chairman of the judges, Rod Sibbald, said: “People in the North East have a very vibrant press, linked with extensive online news coverage and other community features.

“The judges have been impressed by the quality of writing, photography and design which keeps competition for the awards at a very high level.”

The Campaign for North East England is the main sponsor of the Cordner event with a ‘Passionate about the Press’ theme.

The North East Press Awards began as a tribute by fellow journalists to Tom Cordner who was news editor of the Hartlepool Mail when he died, aged 38, in 1976.

The Cordner shortlists
(shortlisted names are in reverse alphabetical order)

Tom Cordner Quill: Trainee journalist
Sponsor: Northumbria University

Kerry Wood, Evening Chronicle
Mark Tallentire, Northern Echo
Ross Robertson, Sunderland Echo
Lauren Pyrah, Northern Echo

North East News Website of the Year

www.gazettelive.co.uk
www.northernecho.co.uk

North East Weekly Newspaper of the Year

Teesdale Mercury
Hexham Courant
Durham Times
Darlington & Stockton Times

Weekly Newspaper Journalist of the Year

Brian Tilley, Hexham Courant
Kaye Jemmeson, Teesdale Mercury
Helen Compson, Hexham Courant

Mike Gilligan Prize: NE Magazine of the Year

David Whetstone, Culture
Colin Tapping, Tynedale Visitor
Sally Proud, North East Lifestyle
Sue Fox, Living

Jim Merrington Prize: Photographer of the Year

Mike Urwin, Evening Chronicle
Owen Humphreys, Press Association
Craig Connor, North News and Pictures
Christopher Booth, Northern Echo

Ian Weir Memorial Award: Picture of the Year
Sponsor: Northern Echo

Mike Urwin, Evening Chronicle – Girl with bubble shower
Tim McGuinness, The Journal – Red Arrows fly-past
Raoul Dixon, North News and Pictures – David Abrahams event
Craig Connor, North News and Pictures – Train crash scene
Christopher Booth, Northern Echo – Horse at water jump

North East Business Prize

Nick Whitten, Evening Chronicle
Graeme King, The Journal
Sarah Judd, Evening Gazette
Alastair Gilmour, The Journal

North East Health Prize
Sponsor: Northumbrian Water

Jane Picken, Evening Chronicle
Barry Nelson, Northern Echo
Helen Compson, Hexham Courant
Audrey Barton, The Journal

Thomas E Bergman Prize for arts reportage

Sam Wonfor, The Journal
David Whetstone, The Journal
Steve Pratt, Northern Echo

Phillip Hickey Trophy: North East Columnist of the Year
Sponsors: Northeast Press Ltd and Northern Echo

Brian Tilley, Hexham Courant
Richard Ord, Sunderland Echo
Sharon Griffiths, Northern Echo
Ian Galletley, Teesdale Mercury

Steve Jones Prize for Community Journalism
Sponsor: Go Warm

Reader Content Team, Evening Gazette
Julie Martin, Evening Gazette
Adam Jupp, Evening Chronicle
Amy Hunt, Evening Chronicle
Myles Hodnett, Hexham Courant
Brian Aitken & Reporters, The Journal

Jeremy Bennington Prize: Scoop of the Year
Sponsor: The Journal

Ross Robertson, Sunderland Echo – Teenager’s party trashes family home
Chris Lloyd, Northern Echo – Tony Blair on his final day as PM
Adam Jupp, Evening Chronicle – Interview with Tyneside crime boss
Helen Compson, Hexham Courant – Shop staff sacked in car park

ABC Spike for overall newspaper page design

Susan Taylor, The Journal
Babette Decker, The Journal/Culture
Gary Beckwith, Evening Chronicle

Splash Award for front and/or back page design & the Tony Dumphy trophy
Sponsor: Evening Gazette

Paul Woods, Shields Gazette
Colin Patterson, Sunday Sun
Gazette Subs Team, Evening Gazette
Sean Collins, The Journal

Fred Hurrell Prize for feature writing

Chris Lloyd, Northern Echo
Lindsay Jennings, Northern Echo
Kaye Jemmeson, Teesdale Mercury
Jane Hall, The Journal
Alastair Gilmour, The Journal

Maurice Brady Award for Hard News reporting

Ian Willis, Hartlepool Mail
Liz Walker, Evening Chronicle
Sarah Robertson, Sunday Sun
Olivia Richwald, Northern Echo
Adam Jupp, Evening Chronicle
Paul James, The Journal

Durhams Sporting Plate for NE Sports journalism

Scott Wilson, Northern Echo
Brian Tilley, Hexham Courant
Luke Edwards, The Journal
Mike Amos, Northern Echo

Eric Dobson Scroll NE Trainee with highest NCTJ exam marks
No shortlist. The winner will be announced at the awards ceremony.