The deadline to enter the EDF Energy London and the South Media Awards has been extended by three weeks.

Now in their eighth year, these free-to-enter awards, held in association with HoldtheFrontPage, now include new categories for Specialist Journalist and Digital Journalist of the Year.

The awards honour the best in journalism across the London and the South of England – an area comprising Berkshire, Dorset, Hampshire, Kent, East and West Sussex, Surrey and the wider London areas (as bounded by the M25).

The deadline for entries has now been extended to 5pm on Friday 24 August. You can download the entry form here.

The specialist category is open to newspaper, broadcast and web journalists who report on specialist subjects for regional or local publications or broadcasters, for example politics, education, crime, business, environment and health. Environmental and business categories now sit under the specialist journalist category. A separate category for sport remains.

Digital Journalist of the Year is an award for journalists who use creative and innovative ways to reach and engage with audiences through one or more digital platforms for regional or local publications or broadcast media.

Last year The News, Portsmouth, won four awards, winning Business, Sport, Feature and Designer of the Year with The Southern Daily Echo taking home three trophies – Daily Print Journalist, Campaign and Daily Newspaper of the Year.

The Kent and Sussex Courier won Paid-For Weekly Newspaper and Columnist of the Year titles.

BBC Radio Kent won Radio Programme and Radio Journalist of the Year, whilst Charlotte Wilkins and Andrew Pate from ITV Meridian secured Environmental and TV Journalist of the Year.

Weekly Free Newspaper of the Year went to The Wokingham Times and Website of the Year to GetReading.co.uk.

Follow the EDF Energy press office on Twitter to find out who this year’s judges are, whether you make the shortlist, details of the ceremony and other award news plus live tweeting from the ceremony,

Only material published between 27 June 2011 and 24 June 2012 will be eligible.

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.

Please note that the deadline for entries is now 5pm, Friday 24 August 2012.

There are 20 categories to choose from, covering daily and weekly newspapers, designers and broadcasters.

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
Digital Journalist of the Year
Specialist 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 but each must be accompanied by a separate entry form and approved by their editor.

All entries should be sent by 5pm on Friday 24 August 2012 to:

Paul Linford
HoldtheFrontPage
Northcliffe House
Meadow Road
Derby
DE1 2BH

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.