Texas Better Newspaper Contest opens for entries Jan. 23

As 2022 draws to a close, staffers of TPA member newspapers should start thinking about coverage, photos, special sections and other work they will enter in the next Texas Better Newspaper Contest.
The schedule for the next contest starts earlier than past years, so it’s already time to start narrowing down choices and gathering page PDFs for entries. There’s also a new contest platform for the statewide contest.
Awards will be presented at the 2023 TPA Convention and Trade Show June 1-3 in Round Rock. The entry period opens Jan. 23, the day the Advanced Contest Entry System (ACES) platform goes live for the TPA contest. Participants will have until Feb. 20 to upload entries on the platform. Contest rules, eligibility guidelines and general information are available online. Click here. 
For the 2022 Texas BNC, all material entered must have been published between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2022. Members in good standing (2023 dues paid) who were also members throughout the 2022 calendar year contest period are eligible to enter the contest. Newspapers compete in divisions based on frequency of publication and circulation. Entry fee is the same as last year — $10 per competition class entered. 
The contest has 18 competition classes, 12 sweepstakes classes and six non-sweepstakes classes. 
Sweepstakes competition classes include Advertising, Column Writing, Editorial Writing, Feature Photography, Feature Writing, General Excellence, Headline Writing, News Photography, News Writing, Page Design, Sports Coverage and Sports Photography. Points toward sweepstakes awards in each division are earned for first, second, third and fourth place awards in the sweepstakes categories. 
Non-sweepstakes competition classes include Best Magazine, Best Website, Community Service, Online Live Coverage, Public Notice and Special Section. Awards in the non-sweepstakes categories do not earn points toward sweepstakes awards.
First place winners receive plaques. In addition, award certificates will be presented to first-, second-, third- and fourth-place winners.
For inspiration, contest archives on the TPA website contest page include last year’s Winners Circle publication along with several editions from past years.