Liverpool’s Daily Post and Echo are heading the shortlist in this year’s O2 North West Media Awards with five nominations.

The Echo has been shortlisted for Daily Newspaper of the Year and journalists Ben Turner, Paddy Shennan, Mark Johnson are up for individual awards, as is Alistair Houghton from the Daily Post.

Leading the weekly titles is the Cumberland News, which has been nominated for Weekly Newspaper of the Year, while reporters Sarah Newstead, Roger Lytollis and Amanda Little are all up for prizes.

The award winners will be announced on 4 November and it is the first time the O2 awards have involved the whole of the North West region.

Glenn Manoff, O2’s communications director, said the quality and volume of entries was outstanding and demonstrated the growing popularity of the awards.

He said: “The standard of entries was superb and we are looking forward to an exciting presentation evening when we can celebrate the tremendous efforts regional journalists put in to keep communities informed and entertained.”

On the night, O2 will also announce a special lifetime achievement award.

The full shortlist is:

Daily Newspaper of the Year

Bolton News
Liverpool Echo
North West Evening Mail
Blackpool Gazette

Weekly Newspaper of the Year

Widnes and Runcorn Weekly News
Whitehaven News
Saddleworth Independent
Cumberland News
Chester Chronicle

News Reporter of the Year

Chris Hall, Granada Reports
Ben Turner, Liverpool Echo
Sam Chadderton, Lancashire Telegraph

Feature Writer of the Year

Paddy Shennan, Liverpool Echo
Sarah Newstead, Cumberland News
Phil Coleman, News and Star
Roger Lytollis, Cumberland News
Mark Smith, Widnes Weekly News

TV Journalist of the Year

Jacey Normand, BBC inside Out
Lucy Meacock, Granada Reports
Tessa Chapman, Sky TV

Radio Broadcaster of the Year

Kate Collins, Real Radio
Kelly O’Donnell, Wish and Tower FM
Lucy Ward, Rock FM
Jimmy McCracken, BBC Radio Merseyside

Editorial Team of the Year

Workington Times and Star
Granada Reports
Sky TV

Think Big Award (for young communicators)

Alex Browning and James Mernagh, Ex:Ample
Megan Booth, Thomas Boteler High School, Warrington and the Communication for Youth project
Respect and Reflect team, South Liverpool
Park High School Specialist Sports College, Prenton

Scoop of the Year
Chris Lynham, Oldham Chronicle
Mark Johnson, Liverpool Echo
Natalie Banks, Chorley Guardian

Photographer of the Year

Ian Robinson, Lancashire Evening Post
Sean Hansford, Rochdale Observer
Vincent Cole, Rochdale Observer

Digital Journalist of the Year

Will Watt, Blackpool Gazette
Granada Reports digital team
Key 103

Business Journalist of the Year

Andy Gill, BBC North West Tonight
Chris Barry, TheBusinessDesk.com
Alistair Houghton, Liverpool Daily Post
Chris Hopper, Lancashire Telegraph

Sports Journalist of the Year

Amanda Little, News and Star/Cumberland News
Chris Hall, Granada Reports
Andy Cryer, Lancashire Telegraph

Young Journalist of the Year – Dailies

Louise Martin, Radio City
Amanda Smith, Bolton News
Mark Tattersall, Granada Reports
Helen Steel, Blackpool Gazette

Young Journalist of the Year – Weeklies

Miranda Newey, Warrington Guardian
Natalie Banks, Chorley Guardian
Naomi Dunning, Chester Chronicle
John Siddle, Southport Visiter