Regional journalists and news titles are to be recognised for their commitment to public interest journalism at a new set of national awards.

The Society of Editors has announced the shortlist for its inaugural Media Freedom Awards, which features three specific categories aimed at regional titles – Campaign of the Year, Investigation of the Year and Journalist of the Year.

The Glasgow Times has won a double nomination after being shortlisted for both the Campaign and Investigation prizes, while The Scotsman has also been nominated twice in the latter category.

Scotsman journalist Conor Matchett will also vie for the Journalist of the Year award, alongside Archant’s Charles Thomson, National World’s Harriet Clugston, the Northern Echo’s Joanna Morris, the Belfast Telegraph’s Sam McBride and Newsquest’s Tanya Fowles.

There have also been nominations from the regional press for wider categories.

Sophie Goodwin, of Aberdeen daily the Press & Journal, faces national competition for Young Campaigner of the Year, while National World is up for Freedom of Information Award for its campaign’ The Justice Gap’.

The investigation revealed for the first time how black, Asian and minority ethnic victims of sexual and domestic violence are much less likely to see their abusers charged than white victims.

SoE executive director Dawn Alford, pictured, said: said: “The nominees for the Media Freedom Awards not only illustrate the excellence of UK public interest journalism, but they also highlight the exceptional courage and determination of journalists both at home and abroad to go to extreme lengths to ensure a story is told despite the difficulties, dangers and barriers they often face in doing so.

“We look forward to welcoming all those shortlisted – and their colleagues – to the ceremony on 9 November to honour their achievements.”

The winners will be revealed at a champagne reception, dinner and ceremony at the Globe Theatre, in London, on the evening of 9 November 2022.

The full shortlist can be found below.

Campaign of the Year – National
Asylum and immigration, The Guardian
Mail Force Ukraine Appeal
Skill Up Step Up, Evening Standard and The Independent
Smart Motorways, Daily Mail
Transparency in British Public Life, openDemocracy
War on Food Waste, The Mail on Sunday

Campaign of the Year – Regional
Aquind campaign, The News, Portsmouth
Beat the Squeeze, Glasgow Times
Digital Exclusion, VIEW
Save Our Venues, Glasgow Times
Sexism in Football, The Courier/Press and Journal
Time to Talk, Greenock Telegraph

Commentator of the Year
David Olusoga, The Observer
James Marriott, The Times
Kenan Malik, The Observer
Marina Hyde, The Guardian
Matthew Parris, The Times
Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, The i

Foreign Correspondent of the Year
Alex Crawford, Sky News
Bel Trew, The Independent
Chris Hughes, Daily Mirror
Christina Lamb, The Sunday Times
Louise Callaghan, The Sunday Times
Molly Blackall, The i

Freedom of Information Award
BBC Bashir investigation, Channel 4/ The Mail on Sunday
Civil servants allowed to work from home, Daily Mail
Government’s Covid-19 response, The Independent
Paedophile ring files, Archant Investigations Unit
Police let 22,000 suspects roam free, Daily Mail
The Justice Gap, NationalWorld

Freelance Journalist of the Year
Barnie Choudhury, Eastern Eye
Hannah Summers, The Observer
Ian Birrell, Daily Mail, UnHerd and The i
Lucy Osborne, The Guardian
Nicola Kelly, The Guardian
Samaan Lateef, The Daily Telegraph

Investigation of the Year – Broadcast
Child to Parent Abuse, Channel 5
Children in Crisis – Are we Failing Young Minds? ITV News Central
Maternity Scandal: Fighting for the Truth, BBC Panorama
MI5 Agent, BBC News
Online Abuse: Why Do You Hate Me? BBC Panorama
The Post Office Scandal, BBC Panorama

Investigation of the Year – National
Agnes Wanjiru, The Sunday Times
Drug Lords of Instagram, Daily Mail
Imprisonment for Public Protection, openDemocracy
Partygate, Daily Mirror
Prince Charles investigation, The Sunday Times
Prince of Wales Charitable Foundation, The Mail on Sunday

Investigation of the Year – Regional
COP26, The Scotsman/Scotland on Sunday
Covid-19 Care Home Deaths, The Scotsman
Part Time Parliament, NationalWorld
Shoebury Paedophile Ring, Archant Investigations Unit
South East Antrim UDA, Sunday Life
Sussex police officers kicked out in secret, The Argus

Journalist of the Year – Broadcast
Alex Crawford, Sky News
Ian Hamilton, BBC Scotland
Paul Brand, ITN
Tessa Chapman, 5 News

Journalist of the Year – National
David Collins, The Sunday Times
Gabriel Pogrund, The Sunday Times
Harry Davies, The Guardian
Neil Munshi, Financial Times
Paul Morgan-Bentley, The Times
Pippa Crerar, Daily Mirror
Susie Coen, Daily Mail

Journalist of the Year – Regional
Charles Thomson, Archant Investigations Unit
Conor Matchett, The Scotsman
Harriet Clugston, NationalWorld
Joanna Morris, The Northern Echo
Sam McBride, Belfast Telegraph
Tanya Fowles, Newsquest

News Media Organisation of the Year
Daily Mirror
The Daily Telegraph
The Guardian
The Mail on Sunday
The Sun
The Sunday Times

News Producer of the Year
Georgina Hayes, BBC Scotland
Katie Goodman and Christina Michaels, Channel 5 News
Molly Guinness, Times Radio

Photo Journalist of the Year
Jack Hill, The Times
Jamie Wiseman, Daily Mail
Julian Simmonds, The Telegraph
Paul Grover, The Telegraph
Peter Jordan, The Sun
Simon Townsley, The Telegraph

Podcast of the Year
Bed of Lies, The Telegraph
Call Bethel, The Telegraph
Hot Money, Financial Times
Silenced, Article 19
Sky News Daily, A Week in Kabul
Ukraine: The Latest, The Telegraph
War on Truth, BBC Radio 4

Political Journalist of the Year
Anna Isaac, The Independent
Esther Webber, POLITICO
Gabriel Pogrund, The Sunday Times
John Stevens, Daily Mail
Paul Brand, ITN
Pippa Crerar, Daily Mirror

Young Campaigner of the Year
Emily Braeger, Daily Express
Isaan Khan, Daily Mail
Isabelle Jani-Friend, Metro
Molly Clayton, The Mail on Sunday
Sophie Goodwin, The Press & Journal
Steph Spyro, Daily Express

Young Producer of the Year
Georgina Hayes, BBC Scotland
Marta Santiváñez, Times Radio
Rosie Dowsing, ITV News Central

Other awards presented on the night will include the International News Media Organisation of the Year and the Bob Satchwell Award.