The shortlist for the seventh annual Midlands Media Awards can now be revealed.

BPM Media – the Birmingham Post and Mail and Sunday Mercury – take up a large chunk of the nominations while the Nottingham Evening Post also features heavily.

Going head-to-head for newspaper of the year are the Worcester News, Hinckley Times and 2007 winner the Sunday Mercury.

The judging panel this year was chaired by Keith Parker who spent 18 years as editor with the Wolverhampton-based Express and Star.

Other judges included former Birmingham Post business editor Fred Bromwich, ex-Central News presenter Llewela Bailey and former Daily Mail photographer Brian Bould.

Keith, who was awarded an OBE in 1993 for services to journalism, said: “The Midlands has the finest newspapers and media outlets of any region.

“This year has been especially difficult for everyone because of the recession but journalists throughout the Midlands have responded magnificently.”

This year’s awards also featured on online category for bloggers and citizen journalists which were voted for by the public.

Organised by the Birmingham Press Club, the winners of the awards will be revealed on 18 June at New Bingley Hall, in Birmingham.

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The full shortlist is:

Newspaper of the Year

Sunday Mercury
Worcester News
The Hinckley Times

News Reporter of the Year Daily

Katie Cooksey, The Sentinel
Charles Walker, Nottingham Evening Post
Nick McCarthy, Birmingham Mail
Adam Aspinall, Jeanette Oldham, Sunday Mercury

News Reporter of the Year Weekly

Sandish Shoker, Priya Mistry, Coventry Times
Jeanette Scott, Leamington Times
Chomice Wright, Rugby Times
Sam Dimmer, The Hinckley Times

Photographer of the Year Regional

Jonathan Fuller-Rowell, Ian Findlay, Birmingham Post and Mail
Kate Burnett, Derby Telegraph
Matthew Alexander, Nottingham Evening Post

Photographer of the Year Weekly

Marisa Cashill, Derbyshire Times
Chris Etchells, Gainsborough Standard
Angela Ward, Mansfield Chad

Sports Photographer of the Year

Dan Matthams, Nottingham Evening Post
Tim Easthope, Birmingham Mail/Post/Mercury
Ian Findlay, Birmingham Mail/Post
Kate Burnett, Derby Telegraph

Trevor Roberts Award
Given in memory of the former Birmingham Post and Mail photo editor known for mentoring young photographers. Awarded to the best up-and-coming young photographer from the Midlands.

Alex Severn, The Sentinel

Sports Journalist of the Year

Stevie Roden, Nottingham Evening Post
Ben Eccleston, Rugby Times
Lee Marlow, Leicester Mercury
Emma Ray, Nuneaton Tribune
Ian Gallagher, Hinckley Times

Feature Writer of the Year

Adam Wakelin, Leicester Mercury
Richard McComb, Birmingham Post
Lee Marlow, Leicester Mercury
Jennifer Scott, Nottingham Evening Post
Mary Griffin, Coventry Telegraph

Newcomer of the Year

Lucy Tatchell, Worcester News
Sian Grzeszczyk, BBC Coventry and Warwickshire
Kat Keogh, Birmingham Mail
Sandish Shoker, Coventry Times
Tanya Holden, Nottingham Evening Post

Business Journalist of the Year

Robin Johnson, Derby Telegraph
Jon Griffin, Birmingham Mail/Post

Magazine of the Year

The Derbyshire Magazine
City Living (Birmingham Post)
Homes and Interiors
The Insider
The Magazine (Express and Star)

Scoop of the Year

Katie Cooksey, The Sentinel
Jeanette Oldham, Sunday Mercury
Faye Chambers, BBC Midlands Today
Mary Griffin/Michael Corley, Coventry Telegraph
Lucy Tatchell, Worcester News

Headline of the Year

Steve Adams, Coventry Times
Peter Hemmett, Mansfield Chad
Tony Larner, Sunday Mercury

Columnist of the Year

Mike Lockley, Lorne Jackso, Sunday Mercury
Graham Young, Birmingham Mail
Jeremy Clay, Leicester Mercury
Mary Griffin, Coventry Telegraph

Online Journalist of the Year

Louisa Lewis, BRMB
Brett Birks, BBC Black Country
Phil Vinter, Birmingham Mail

Community Campaign of the Year

BBC Radio WM – Kidney Kids
Express and Star – Design an Ad
BBC Coventry and Warks – Coventry Market: The Musical
Rugby Times – Protect Your Post Office
Nuneaton Tribune – Dump It!

Birmingham City Council Digital Innovation Award

Tom Pegg, Mansfield Chad
Graham Young, Birmingham Mail
Malcolm Pheby, Nottingham Evening Post

Online Campaign – People’s Choice Award

TBC

Comments

Northern Snapper (08/06/2009 15:45:27)
Misread that as “Strong showing for BNP in Midlands Awards”, perish the thought.

Midlands Hack (12/06/2009 10:32:29)
More Northcliffe bias from HTFP yet again – oh hang on, your based at Northcliffe house are you not?
Where’s the indepedence gone?