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.

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 2023 BNC is closed for entries.  Awards will be presented Saturday June 17, 2023 at the MNA Annual Convention in Helena, MT.  The 2024 contest will open for entries in January 2023.

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

Past Winners

View the award presentations.