I am getting a lot of complaints at the moment from companies that have managed to get their channel awards entries in on time - and are now furious that the deadline has been extended.

They do have a fair point. If some people have worked very hard to stick to the deadline and others haven't - should those that have had the same amount of warning be allowed extra time?

It is a difficult scenario - as a journalist, deadlines are there for a reason and there is absolutely no way we can extend them - or the magazine ends up with gaping holes. Not an ideal situation.

All I can say to those people is we do appreciate you sticking to the deadline and next year I will be looking very carefully at the deadlines we set. You also have the chance to amend your entry in the few weeks we have left before 15 August - so it is not all bad.

But let me say now - 15 August really is the final deadline - I do not care who the company is - there will be no exceptions. Entries received after 5.30pm on the 15 August will be discounted. I will personally be checking.