Swain is a finalist in the print news report section for a series of stories titled 'Did this man have to die?'

The reports, published in the Mercury between November 2007 and May 2008, told the story of mental health patient Phillip Chell, whose body was founding floating in the river at Hexham only hours after he had been discharged from Maitland Hospital with sedatives and a taxi voucher. Swain is also a finalist in the print feature report section for her feature titled 'No more knocks', a story about a group of women escaping domestic violence through song in the choir No More Knocks.

She is also in the running for the Tom Barrass award for regional journalism, named after the long-serving past president of the Media, Entertainment and Art Alliance's northern NSW branch, the late Tom Barrass. Winners of the Northern NSW Journalism Awards will be announced at a special presentation dinner and cocktail event at Customs House, Newcastle, on Saturday August 9.

The finalists are: Emma Swain, Maitland Mercury; 1233 ABC Newcastle team; Cathy Adams, The Northern Star; Jenny Bates, 1233 ABC; Madeleine Bond and Michael Rauch, NBN Television; Beau Busch, The Star; Jim Callinan, NBN Television; Clementine Cuneo, The Daily Telegraph; Simone De Pea, Newcastle Herald; Robert Dillon, Newcastle Herald; James Gardiner, Newcastle Herald; Jane Goldsmith, NBN Television; Natalie Grono, Newcastle Herald; Phil Hearne, Central Coast Sun Weekly; Adam Hicks, The Northern Star; Kitty Hill, Newcastle Herald; Kim Honan, ABC Mid North Coast; Jacqui Jones, Newcastle Herald; Brett Keeble, Newcastle Herald; Paul Lobb, NBN Television; Adam McIlrick, NBN Television; Grant McIntyre, NBN Television; NBN News Team, NBN News; Ryan Osland, Newcastle Herald; Darren Pateman, Newcastle Herald; Michael Rauch, NBN Television; Ben Smee, The Herald; Troy Snook, Cumberland Courier; Grant Sproule, Newcastle Herald; Samantha Turnbull, The Northern Star; Jacklyn Wagner, The Northern Star; Giselle Wakatama, 1233 ABC; Greg Wendt, Newcastle Herald; and, Natalie Williams, National Seniors.