Kay Burley, Janine Gibson and Lisa Markwell back new journalism awards for women

Sky News's Kay Burley, Buzzfeed UK editor-in-chief Janine Gibson and Independent on Sunday editor Lisa Markwell have given their backing to a new set of journalism awards for women-only.

The organisers of the Words by Women Awards said it had been launched in response to this year's Press Awards shortlist, which they said features 20 women in a list of 114 nominees.

The deadline for entrants is 27 February, the shortlist will be announced on 29 February and the ceremony will take place in the Groucho Club on 21 March. Entry is free and applicants should send through two press clippings or article links to WBWAwards@gmail.com.

One of the award co-founders Emily Reynolds said: "There’s an incredibly diverse range of voices working in every area of the media, so it was really disappointing to see the Press Awards shortlist.

"Words by Women is our attempt to give women the kind of attention, recognition and celebration that they’re not getting elsewhere."

Journalists on the judging panel include: Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, Telegraph women's editor Emma Barnett, Kay Burley, Janine Gibson, New Statesman deputy editor Helen Lewis, Joy Lo Dico, the editor of the Evening Standard's Londoner's Diary, Lisa Markwell and Terri White, editor of Empire magazine.

The categories are: News Reporter of the Year, Feature Writer of the Year, Political Writer of the Year, Business Writer of the Year, Sports Writer of the Year, Comment Writer of the Year, Lifestyle Writer of the Year, Foreign Reporter / Commentator of the Year, Tech Writer of the Year, Broadcaster of the Year, Digital Writer of the Year, Digital Writer of the Year, Student Journalist of the Year, Culture Writer of the Year and Non-traditional Journalist of the Year.