A long-running regional press awards scheme has been postponed until the autumn, partly as a result of the economic downturn.

Entries for the Tom Cordner North East Press Awards normally open in February with the prizegiving ceremony held in April.

But journalists in the region have been told that the awards, now in their 28th year, are switching to an autumn slot.

Organisers say the move is partially due to the economic climate and the “pressures and uncertainties” this is creating for journalists.

Two of the region’s biggest publishing groups, Trinity Mirror and Newsquest, have recently been forced to make major cutbacks as a result of the downturn.

Trinity has made 23 people redundant at its Newcastle titles, while Newsquest North-East, publishers of the Northern Echo, has axed 17 jobs in Darlington.

In an email to North-East journalists yesterday, awards organiser Keith Seacroft said: “This is the time of year when we usually make the call for entries for the Tom Cordner North East Press Awards. After making small adjustments to the format in the last couple of years, we are working on some further changes and plan to make the 2009 presentations in the autumn.

“The Cordners’ organising team is, of course, aware of pressures and uncertainties in the economic climate, and within individual publications. This means the awards are getting under way against a very different background from usual and we are adding these to the factors already under review.

“But the original grass-roots spirit of the Cordners will carry on. They started when journalists set out to reward skill and achievement by individual newspaper people in the region. They began as a tribute to Tom Cordner, remembered as a great colleague and an inspiring mentor.

“That kind of commitment and professionalism is carried on by a new generation – so let’s prepare again to toast the best of them with a good night out together.”

The Journal, Newcastle, will be going for an unprecedented hat-trick of awards this year after becoming the first title to retain the North-East Newspaper of the Year title last year.

More details of the awards can be found at www.northeastpressawards.org.uk