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 Thursday night at the association’s 135th annual convention — hosted in Kalispell but held virtually for the first time in its history.
In total, the Beacon took home 53 awards and 24 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.
Beacon Editor in Chief Kellyn Brown is the president of the association, and the convention was originally scheduled to be held in June at the Hilton Garden Inn in Kalispell but was postponed because of the pandemic. It was later decided to be held remotely. Brown will be succeeded as president by Erin Leonard of the Madisonian. She will serve a one-year term.
First Place Awards
Thomas Dimsdale Award (Best Weekly Newspaper) – Flathead Beacon
General Excellence – Flathead Beacon
Best Niche Publication – Beacon Staff, Flathead Living magazine
Best Website – flatheadbeacon.com
Best Digital Presentation – Beacon Staff, “Best of Preps – Fall 2019”
Best News Story – Justin Franz, “Lessons from the Spill”
Best Sports Story – Andy Viano, “Browning’s Beautiful Game”
Best Sports Feature – Andy Viano, “The Olympic Grind”
Best Education Coverage – Andy Viano, “We Shouldn’t Have to Choose”
Best Investigative Journalism – Myers Reece, “Constructing a Fraud”
Best Sports and Outdoors Column Writing – Rob Breeding, “Hospital on the Hill”
Best Headline Writing – Tristan Scott
Best Front Page – Pierce Ware, “The Mine Next Door”
Best Page Layout and Design – Steve Larson, “The Allure of Everest”
Best Graphic – Steve Larson, “Data Points”
Best News Photo – Hunter D’Antuono
Best Sports Photo – Hunter D’Antuono
Best Feature Photo – Hunter D’Antuono
Best Portrait Photo – Hunter D’Antuono
Best Online Ad – Dwayne Harris
Best Ad to Sell or Promote Merchandise – Dwayne Harris
Best Ad to Sell or Promote Services – Dwayne Harris
Best Use of Local Photography in an Ad – Dwayne Harris
Best Marketing Campaign – Pierce Ware
Second Place
Best News Story – Andy Viano
Best Sports Story – Andy Viano
Best Feature Story – Andy Viano
Best Lifestyle Coverage – Molly Priddy
Best Investigative Journalism – Tristan Scott
Best Column Writing – Myers Reece
Best Sports and Outdoors Column Writing – Myers Reece
Best Front Page – Steve Larson
Best Graphic – Steve Larson
Best Portrait Photo – Hunter D’Antuono
Best Online Ad – Dwayne Harris
Best Ad to Sell or Promote Merchandise – Dwayne Harris
Best Use of Local Photography in an Ad – Beacon Staff
Best Marketing Campaign – Dwayne Harris
Best Digital Presentation – Beacon Staff
Third Place
Best News Story – Tristan Scott
Best Sports Story – Myers Reece
Best Feature Story – Tristan Scott
Best Sports Feature – Andy Viano
Best Lifestyle Coverage – Maggie Dresser
Best Education Coverage – Maggie Dresser
Best Investigative Journalism – Tristan Scott
Best Column Writing – Kellyn Brown
Best Sports and Outdoors Column Writing – Myers Reece
Best Sports Page Layout and Design – Steve Larson
Best Graphic – Pierce Ware
Best Ad to Sell or Promote Services – Dwayne Harris
Best Digital Presentation – Beacon Staff
Best Niche Publication – Beacon Staff