Guardian writer Nick Davies, the author of a book investigating Fleet Street – Flat Earth News – is among those nominated for the top individual prize of journalist of the year at this year’s British Press Awards.
Other nominees for the prize include Sun editor Rebekah Wade and former Daily Telegraph editor Bill Deedes who died in November after a 76-year journalism career.
The nominees for newspaper of the year have also now been decided and include The Observer – which won the prize last year.
Davies’s book has prompted a heated debate about the state of British journalism and led to a backlash from journalists at PA, The Observer and The Sunday Times – all of which were singled out for particular criticism in the work.
The six nominees for journalist of the year were chosen by the 65 members of the British Press Awards Academy, which is drawn from editors and senior journalists working across the national and regional press and broadcasting, as well as elite independent figures from the world of journalism.
Journalist of the year is one of three new premier awards being handed out for the first time this year.
The other journalist of the year nominees are: Sun defence editor Tom Newton Dunn, who is also nominated in scoop of the year and reporter of the year; Evening Standard reporter Andrew Gilligan, who has won plaudits for his dogged investigation into allegations of corruption involving London mayor Ken Livingstone; and Sunday Times foreign affairs correspondent Christina Lamb who was moments away from being blown up along with former Pakistan president Benazir Bhutto.
The nominees for newspaper of the year were decided after members of the BPA Academy were asked to score their favourite newspapers from one to six.
Along with The Observer the shortlisted newspapers are: The Sunday Times, The Financial Times, The Sun, Daily Mail and the Mail on Sunday.
All the winners for the 2008 British Press Awards will be announced at Grosvenor House on 8 April.
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