Express & Star gets seven nominations for Midlands Media Awards

Staff from the Express & Star, which was named Newspaper of the Year in the last awards, are shortlisted for titles in several categories. They include sub editors Sally Walmsley and David Briggs who are both up for Headline of the Year.

Ms Walmsley's 'Beauty in eye of beer-holder' headline was used with an article about still life art classes being held inside a Netherton pub while Mr Briggs is nominated for his headline 'Ding dong Merry Hill on high' which was used with a behind-the-scenes article looking at the shopping centre's preparations and sales successes at Christmas time.

Photographers Richard Harris and Tim Thursfield are nominated in both the Photographer of the Year and the News Photo of the Year categories, for photographs of a devastating blaze at Carvers Building Supplies in Wolverhampton and the Olympic torch visit to the Severn Valley Railway.

Members of the public will be able to vote for the Express & Star in the new Public Choice category which is an online vote via Twitter and Facebook which allows people to vote for their favourite television, news, channel, newspaper, radio station or digital source of news from the region. The winners will be revealed at a ceremony at The Holte Suite, Villa Park, on June 13.

Peter Lowe, managing editor of Sky News, who chaired the judging panel, said: "Having worked for the first half of my career in the Midlands, it was a reminder of the rich tradition of tireless investigation, campaigning and story-telling in the region.

"Chairing the group of expert judges for these awards was an interesting and gratifying experience. There was excellent work in all types of media and disciplines but we were particularly struck by the way in which local newspapers, among the most hard-pressed institutions in the ever-changing media landscape, are still delivering sharp and original journalism for the benefit of their readers. Long may it continue."

Judges for the awards include Dan Barton, the head of corporate communications at West Midlands Police, Peter Brookes, senior lecturer at Staffordshire University, David Lavender, press and social media manager at Birmingham Airport and Paul Linford, editor at Hold The Front Page.

The awards are sponsored by Birmingham Airport, with support from Barclays Bank, Birmingham City University, Bournville College, East Midlands Airport and Drayton Manor Theme Park.