The Washington Better Newspaper Contest is a popular member benefit, drawing more than 2,800 entries from about 80 member newspapers in recent years. Winners are selected by members of another state's press association, and, in return, WNPA members judge that state's contest.

Newspapers are grouped by circulation to compete against their peers, and receive certificates for first-, second- and third-place winners in most categories. Trophies are presented to the Feature Writer, News Writer, Photographer and Sportswriter of the Year. Winners of Community Service and General Excellence categories receive plaques.

Most members celebrate their newspaper's quality by publishing an annual story or ad about their awards. Awards can also come into play when newspapers evaluate the expertise of potential new staff members.

2010 WNPA Better Newspaper Contest

E-mail any questions about the contest to Mae Waldron,

Deadlines: Regular entries, May 7 • Tourism Special Sections, June 4

Regular Contest Period: April 1, 2009-March 31, 2010. Tourism/Visitor Guide Contest Period: June 1, 2009-May 31, 2010

Contest site: Open April 8-May 7, www.betternewspapercontest.com

NEW Winners: In mid-August, WNPA members who entered the contest will receive a letter listing the staff who won awards and the divisions in which they won. The specific entries and places (first, second, third) will be announced at the Better Newspaper Contest Awards Dinner on Oct. 1, 2010, at the Coast Wenatchee Center Hotel. Registration details will be available here.

Contest Rules: The 2010 Better Newspaper Contest Rules and preparation guidelines are available in one combined file here and as separate files in the links below. The combined file doesn't include the tutorial for issuu.com or the entry checklist, which is a spreadsheet to help you organize your entries and remember to include the jump pages of editorial entries.

Please include a Cover Sheet with your check or payment information.

Letter from BNC Chair • Circulation Groups

General Rules, Judging Credits • Guide to Preparing Entries • issuu.com Tutorial

Cover Sheet • Entry Checklist

Advertising Division • Special Sections Division • News Division • Photography Division • Web Division

The WNPA 2010 contest is paperless. Members submit entries as PDF, JPG or by URL at www.betternewspapercontest.com. For entries longer than six pages, please compile all pages into a single PDF file and upload on www.issuu.com (a free site) to create a URL for your entry. Issuu.com is easy to use. Our tutorial for first-timers is available here.

Photographers, please mail one tearsheet or printout of your entries to WNPA, 12354 30th Ave NE Seattle WA 98125. Please write the category number at the top of the page. Your photos will be put on boards and displayed at the WNPA convention Sept. 30-Oct. 2, in Wenatchee. The display boards were sorely missed at the convention last year, and the WNPA Convention & Workshops Committee greatly appreciates your taking time to mail your work for the display boards.

Credits for Judging: If your newspaper provided judges for the South Dakota or Oregon newspaper contest this year, don't miss taking the credit against your 2010 entry fees. Details are in General Rules, Judging Credits.

Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association Judging Dates

WNPA members and Washington dailies are judging the Oregon Newspaper Publishers' contests this spring and summer. Editorial judging is May 10-28. Advertising Judging dates are June 25-July 19, 2010. Both contests will judged online using www.betternewspapercontest.com, the contest site produced by SmallTownPapers. A few categories in each contest will be shipped to judges via UPS.

2009 Better Newspaper Contest Winners

See images of the 2009 BNC winners in advertising, special sections and photography in the Flash file links below.  A spreadsheet listing the 2009 BNC winners is available here.

View the Flash files here:

Ads

Special Sections

Photography

News

Web

Winners of the 2009 Washington Better Newspaper Contest were chosen from a total of 2,493 entries submitted by 80 member newspapers. The New York Press Association, Pennsylvania Newspaper Association, and South Dakota Newspaper Association judged WNPA's contest this year. Winners were announced at the Better Newspaper Contest Awards Dinner during WNPA's 122nd annual convention, Oct. 1-3, 2009, at the Red Lion Hotel-Olympia.

2009 Community Service Winners
First Place: Port Townsend Leader, Patrick J. Sullivan and Scott Wilson
Second Place: Issaquah Press, Debbie Berto, Publisher
Third Place: Newport Miner, Fred Willenbrock, Publisher

2009 General Excellence Winners

Circulation Group I (up to 2,500 circulation)
First Place: The Record Journal, Ferndale, Mike Lewis
Second Place: Othello Outlook, Eric LaFontaine
Third Place: Selah Independent, Mike Lindsey

Circulation Group II (circulation 2,501-5,000)
First Place: Mercer Island Reporter, Mary Grady
Second Place: Anacortes American, Jack Darnton
Third Place: Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber, Daralyn Anderson

Circulation Group III (circulation 5,001-12,000)
First Place: Peninsula Gateway, Gig Harbor, George LaMasurier
Second Place: Newport Miner, Fred Willenbrock
Third Place: Bainbridge Island Review, Chris Allen Hoch

Circulation Group IV (circulation 12,000+)
First Place: Samammish Review, Debbie Berto
Second Place: Federal Way Mirror, Rudi Alcott
Third Place: North Kitsap Herald, Poulsbo, Donna Etchey

2010 Contest Rules

Rules and circulation groups for the 2010 Better Newspaper Contest will be available here in the spring.