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 2025 BNC Contest opens for entry submission on Friday, February 14, 2025.
The deadline for entry submissions is Friday March 22, 2024!
Awards will be presented Saturday June 21, 2025 at the MNA Annual Convention in Butte, MT.
2025 Winners
Division 1 General Excellence
Division 2 General Excellence
Division 3 General Excellence
Division 4 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:
Larry Mayer, Billings Gazette
Past Winners
View the award presentations.
