Newsquest daily the Lancashire Telegraph has a strong showing in the shortlist of the inaugural O2 Media Awards for Greater Manchester and Lancashire.

Journalists from the paper have been nominated eight times over six of the 14 categories.

But it doesn’t feature in the newspaper of the year category which comprises The Gazette, Blackpool, Crains Manchester Business, The Bolton News and the Manchester Evening News.

Other titles with multiple nominations include the Lancashire Evening Post, Rochdale Observer and The Bolton News.

In scoop of the year the Oldham Chronicle’s Ken Bennett is shortlisted for his campaign to get justice for local residents whose lives had been blighted by a local landfill site.

Crime reporter Paul Keaveny, of The Bolton News, secured an exclusive with convicted art forger Shaun Greenhalgh after sending a series of letters to him in prison before he eventually replied.

Making up the trio is Accrington Observer trainee Vanessa Cornall who revealed how a disgruntled husband used Facebook to tell his wife he wanted a divorce, which was picked up by both the UK and world media.

This is the latest set media awards run by the telecommunications giant which now celebrates the best of the local media in Cheshire and Merseyside and Yorkshire and The Humber.

Glenn Manoff, Director of Communications at O2 UK, said he was delighted to be launching the company’s first awards for Greater Manchester and Lancashire.

“This is a region rich with quality journalism which has been reflected in the high level of entries we have received from writers, broadcasters and photographers working in the area,” he said.

“Local and regional journalists provide an important service in their communities, keeping people connected to the world around them and supplying important news and information that otherwise may have remained hidden. The O2 Media Awards will recognise that integral service.”

The judging panel included Paul Newman, head of communications at Media City, Liverpool Echo editor Alastair Machray and Warrington Guardian editor Nicola Priest.

The winners will be crowned at the Urbis exhibition centre, in Manchester, on 1 October.

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The full shortlist is:

Digital Journalist of the Year

William Watt, The Gazette, Blackpool
Paul Cockerton, Lancashire Telegraph
Martin Hamer, Lancashire Evening Post

Editorial Team of the Year

BBC North West
All Together Now
The Gazette, Blackpool

Young Journalist of the Year (Weeklies)

Natalie Banks, Chorley and Leyland Guardian
Robert Dawson, Stockport Express
John Siddle, Ormskirk Advertiser
Alice McKeegan, Rochdale Observer

Young Journalist of the Year (Dailies)

Nafeesa Shan, Catherine Pye, Lancashire Telegraph
Joe Robinson, The Gazette, Blackpool

Radio Broadcaster of the Year

Lauren Moss, Wish FM
Paul Lockitt, Key 103
Rachel Murray, Tower FM

Reporter of the Year

Abbie Jones, BBC North West Tonight
Michelle Livesey, Key 103
Stef Hall, Lancashire Evening Post

TV Broadcast Journalist of the Year

Dave Guest, Andy Gill, BBC North West Tonight
Rob Smith, Granada Reports

Newspaper of the Year

The Gazette, Blackpool
Crains Manchester Business
Manchester Evening News
The Bolton News

Sports Reporter of the Year

Mike Hall, Chris Hall, Granada Reports
Andy Cryer, Lancashire Telegraph

Photographer of the Year

Tim Bradley, Rochdale Observer
Ian Robinson, Lancashire Evening Post
Helen Brown, Lancashire Telegraph

Entertainment Journalist of the Year

Caroline Hacking, Granada Reports
Jemma Humphreys, Caroline Dutton, Lancashire Telegraph

Business Journalist of the Year

Ben Rooth, Manchester Evening News
Chris Maguire, Chorley Guardian
Ben Briggs, Lancashire Telegraph

Feature Writer of the Year

Lesley Richards, Leigh Journal
Alan Salter, Transport Matters
Chris Visser, Lancashire Evening Post
Lucy McGuire, Salford Advertiser

Scoop of the Year

Vanessa Cornall, Accrington Observer
Ken Bennett, Oldham Chronicle
Paul Keaveny, Bolton News