The Liverpool Daily Post and Echo dominate the shortlist for the second O2 Media Awards in Cheshire and Merseyside.

The Trinity Mirror duo have been nominated 16 times across eight of the journalism prize categories.

In the newspaper of the year category, the Liverpool Echo goes head-to-head with the Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News, Southport Visiter, Wirral Globe and last year’s winner the Warrington Guardian.

The Southport Visiter is also shortlisted for weekly young journalist of the year and scoop of the year, for its bizarre tale of an 18-year-old arrested on his birthday on the little known charge of ‘stealing by finding’ after handing in a mobile phone he’d found in the street to his local police station.

This year’s judging panel included director of communications at Media City Paul Newman, Yorkshire Post editor Peter Charlton, Newsquest regional MD Jan Lever and North West Society of Editors chairman Richard Catlow.

The winners will be crowned at O2’s base in Preston Brook, Cheshire, on July 2.

The full shortlist is:

Newspaper of the Year

Liverpool Echo
Southport Visiter
Warrington Guardian
Wirral Globe
Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News

Reporter of the Year

Jennifer Williams, Stockport Express
Luke Traynor, Liverpool Daily Post and Echo
Gemma Jaleel, Trinity Mirror Mediamix (Merseyside weeklies)

Daily Young Journalist of the Year

Ben Schofield, Liza Williams, Samantha Ann Parker, all Liverpool Daily Post and Echo

Weekly Young Journalist of the Year

John Siddle, Southport Visiter
Miranda Newey, Warrington Guardian
Matthew Davis, Stockport Express

Scoop of the Year

Radio City and City Talk – Family’s crusade to bring home body of murdered son
Southport Visiter – Teenager arrested for “stealing by finding”
Liverpool Echo – Hospital patient treated in a toilet

Sports Journalist of the year

Granada Reports Sports Team
David Bettley, Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News
Chris Hall Granada Reports

Feature Writer of the Year

Justin Dunn, Wirral Globe
Paddy Shennan, Emma Pinch, Liverpool Daily Post and Echo
Nicola Davies, Warrington Guardian

Business Reporter of the Year

David Bartlett, Alistair Houghton, Alex Turner, all Liverpool Daily Post and Echo

Photographer of the Year

Jason Roberts, Gareth Jones, Liverpool Daily Post and Echo
Mike Boden, Warrington Guardian

Entertainment Writer of the Year

Caroline Hacking, Granada Reports
Laura Davis, Jade Wright, Peter Grant, all Liverpool Daily Post and Echo

Editorial Team of the Year

BBC Radio Merseyside
Granada Reports
BBC North West Tonight
Mid Cheshire Guardian Series

TV Broadcast Journalist of the Year

Jayne Barrett, BBC North West Tonight
Andy Bonner, Granada Reports

Radio Broadcaster of the Year

Laura Harmes, Radio City and City Talk
BBC Radio Merseyside News Team
Michelle Ponting, Key 103

Digital Journalist of the Year

Richard Down, David Bartlet, Laura Davis, all Daily Post