Better Newspaper Contest

Honoring the Greatest Professionals in the Montana Newspaper Industry!

Our mission is to advance and sustain the news publishing industry and promote readership throughout the state. The Better Newspaper Contest is our way of thanking the hardworking professionals in the newspaper industry and highlighting their success and efforts.

Industry Excellence


Advancing & Sustaining the Publishing Industry!

The Montana Newspaper Association is proud to present our annual Better Newspaper Contest for all current members of our organization!

Each year we invite newspaper professionals to enter their best work in the following categories: Editorial, Design, Photojournalism, Advertising, Digital and Special Publications. By reciprocal agreement, entries are judged by newspaper professionals and journalists from other state press/newspaper associations. In turn, each year Montana newspeople judge the reciprocal states’ annual contests.

Special awards include Divisional General Excellence, The Sam Gilluly Award for the Best Montana Daily Newspaper, The Thomas Dimsdale Award for the Best Montana Weekly Newspaper and The Mel Ruder Photograph of the Year.

Awards will be presented at the Montana Newspaper Association’s Annual Convention Awards Banquet.

Visit the links below for contest rules and instructions to enter.

The 2024 BNC Contest opens for entry submission on Friday, February 9, 2024.

The deadline for entry submissions is Friday March 22, 2024!

Awards will be presented Saturday June 22, 2024 at the MNA Annual Convention in Kalispell, MT.

Download Contest Rules


Download Entry Instructions


Submit Entries on Newspapercontest.com

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2023 Winners

Division 1 General Excellence

Division 2 General Excellence

Division 3 General Excellence

Division 4 General Excellence

Division 5 General Excellence

The Thomas Dimsdale Award for the Best Montana Weekly Newspaper

The Sam Gilluly Award for the Best Montana Daily Newspaper

The Mel Ruder
Photograph of the Year: 

Amy Nelson, Billings Gazette



2023 Award Presentation


Download 2023 BNC Winners List


Past Winners

View the award presentations.


2022 Award Presentation


2021 Award Presentation


2020 Award Presentation


2019 Award Presentation


2018 Award Presentation


2017 Award Presentation


2016 Award Presentation


2015 Award Presentation


2014 Award Presentation


2013 Award Presentation