The EDF Energy South West Media Awards 2009, in association with HoldtheFrontPage, are about to launch.

Invitations will go out next week to journalists from across the region, including writers, photographers, radio and television staff, to send in their entries.

Check your cuttings, footage and files from the past year – 1 February 2008 to 1 February 2009 – to see if you’ve got what it takes to be a winner.

Individual award winners will receive a £100 cheque, as well as a certificate and trophy, and all those short-listed, along with their guests, will be invited to a celebration presentation event, courtesy of EDF Energy.

EDF Energy’s Head of Regional Media Relations Claire Byrd said: “The South West was the first region in which we staged our media awards and there has been terrific interest from all the major titles and stations in the area.

“The number of entries has grown year on year and the high standard of journalism in the region should make for a great competition again this time.”

The awards, now in their fifth year in the region, honour the best in journalism across the South West. Judges sifted through a record number of 250 entries last year and competition was fierce.

There are now 20 categories to choose from with Designer of the Year making its first appearance in the line-up. The full list of categories, which cover daily and weekly newspapers, magazines and broadcasters in Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Bristol, Bath, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, comprise:

Print Journalist of the Year (Daily)

Print Journalist of the Year (Weekly)

Radio Journalist of the Year

Television Journalist of the Year

Newcomer of the Year

Daily Newspaper of the Year

Weekly Newspaper of the Year (Paid-for)

Weekly Newspaper of the Year (Free)

Front Page of the Year

Designer of the Year

Radio News/Current Affairs Programme of the Year

Television News/Current Affairs Programme of the Year

Website of the Year

Feature Writer of the Year

News Photographer of the Year

Sports Journalist of the Year

Business Journalist of the Year

Environmental Journalist of the Year

Community Campaign of the Year

Columnist of the Year

People can submit work for as many categories as they wish in this free-to-enter competition but each must be accompanied by a separate entry form, approved by their editor, which will be published on this website next week.

If you have any questions or queries about the awards or the event itself, please e-mail [email protected] or [email protected]