The Flathead Beacon was named the best weekly newspaper in the state at the Montana Newspaper Association’s Better Newspaper Contest. The awards were handed out Saturday night at the association’s 133rd annual banquet in Billings.
In total, the Beacon took home 53 awards and 21 first-place plaques, including General Excellence, Best Overall Website, and the Thomas Dimsdale Award for Best Weekly Newspaper. The Beacon’s quarterly magazine, Flathead Living, won Best Niche Publication.
The Billings Gazette won the Sam Gilluly Award for Best Daily Newspaper in Montana.
The 134th annual MNA convention will be in Livingston next year.
First Place Awards
Thomas Dimsdale Award (Best Weekly Newspaper) – Flathead Beacon
General Excellence – Flathead Beacon
Best Niche Publication – Flathead Living magazine
Best Website – flatheadbeacon.com
Best Digital Presentation – flatheadbeacon.com
Best News Story – Dillon Tabish, “A City’s Path Forward”
Best Breaking News Story – Justin Franz, “Century-Old Chalet Falls Victim to Glacier Park Wildfire”
Best Feature Story – Justin Franz, “Mind Games”
Best Sports Feature Story – Molly Priddy, “Life After Racing”
Best Education Reporting – Dillon Tabish, “Ten Years in the Books”
Best Continuing News Coverage – Tristan Scott, Teck Resources coverage
Mark Henckel Outdoor Writing Award – Justin Franz and Tristan Scott, “Lessons From the Night of the Grizzlies”
Best Sports and Outdoors Column Writing – Rob Breeding, “The Proper Way to Make Sausage”
Best Headline Writing – Justin Franz
Best Graphic – Sharilyn Fairweather
Best Portrait Photo – Greg Lindstrom
Best Online Ad – Sharilyn Fairweather
Best Ad to Sell or Promote Merchandise – Sharilyn Fairweather
Best Use of Local Photography in an Ad – Steve Larson
Best Marketing Campaign – Sharilyn Fairweather
Best Website – flatheadbeacon.com
Second Place Awards
Best News Story – Dillon Tabish
Best Sports Story – Myers Reece
Best Education Reporting – Molly Priddy
Best Investigative Journalism – Molly Priddy
Best Column Writing – Kellyn Brown
Best Headline Writing – Kellyn Brown
Best Sports Page Layout and Design – Steve Larson
Best Graphic – Steve Larson
Best Sports Photo, – Greg Lindstrom
Best Feature Photo – Justin Franz
Best Portrait Photo – Greg Lindstrom
Best Online Ad – Tyler Thorney
Best Ad to Sell or Promote Merchandise – Sharilyn Fairweather
Best Ad to Sell or Promote Services – Dwayne Harris
Best Marketing Campaign – Sharilyn Fairweather
Best Digital Presentation – flatheadbeacon.com
Best Niche Publication – Beacon Staff
Third Place Awards
Best News Story – Tristan Scott
Best Breaking News Story – Dillon Tabish
Best Sports Story – Dillon Tabish
Mark Henckel Outdoor Writing Award – Tristan Scott
Best Investigative Journalism – Tristan Scott
Best Column Writing – Myers Reece
Best Front Page – Steve Larson
Best Page Layout and Design – Steve Larson
Best Graphic – Steve Larson
Best Feature Photo – Greg Lindstrom
Best Online Ad – Steve Larson
Best Ad to Sell or Promote Merchandise – Dwayne Harris
Best Newspaper Promotional Ad – Steve Larson
Best Marketing Campaign – Steve Larson
Best Digital Presentation – flatheadbeacon.com