The countdown to the EDF Energy London and South of England Media Awards 2011, held in association with HoldtheFrontPage, has begun.

And for the first time local media representing Berkshire are being invited to enter the awards for the best reporters, photographers, designers, radio and television staff across the region.

The free-to-enter awards, now in their seventh year, honour the best in journalism across the London and the South of England – an area comprising Dorset, Hampshire, Kent, East and West Sussex, Surrey, the wider London area (as bounded by the M25) and now Berkshire.

The entry form will be downloadable from this site next week.

Top honours in last year’s awards went to the Daily Echo in Bournemouth, which won the Daily Newspaper, Front Page and Website of the Year categories, with the Camden New Journal taking home the Free Weekly Newspaper and Campaign of the Year awards.

The Kentish Gazette won Weekly Paid-for Newspaper and ITV Meridian Tonight won best News/current Affairs Programme.

Tara Russell, of the Southern Daily Echo, won Daily Reporter and Newcomer of the Year, Simon Tulett, Gravesend & Dartford Messenger Series, was named Weekly Reporter and Simon Dack, The Argus, Photographer of the Year.

This year’s individual award winners receive a £100 cheque, certificate and trophy, and all those shortlisted, along with their guests, will be invited to a celebration presentation event, courtesy of EDF Energy.

There are 20 categories to choose from, covering daily and weekly newspapers, designers and broadcasters. Only material published between 13 July 2010 and 26 June 2011 will be eligible for the awards.

The individual categories are:

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
Feature Writer of the Year
Designer of the Year
News Photographer of the Year
Sports Journalist of the Year
Business Journalist of the Year
Environmental Journalist of the Year
Columnist of the Year

Categories for newspapers and broadcasting companies are:

Daily Newspaper of the Year
Weekly Newspaper of the Year (Paid-for)
Weekly Newspaper of the Year (Free)
Front Page of the Year
Radio News/Current Affairs Programme of the Year
Television News/Current Affairs Programme of the Year
Website of the Year
Community Campaign of the Year

People can submit work for as many categories as they wish in this competition but each must be accompanied by a separate entry form and approved by their editor.

If you have any questions or queries about the awards or the event itself, please e-mail Paul Linford at HTFP or Becky Clark at EDF Energy.