Good news! We have extended the 2013 Texas Better Newspaper Contest entry deadline to Tuesday, April 2 at 5 p.m in order to give those of you who are using the BetterBNC platform for the first time a few extra days to get your entries in. But don’t procrastinate! Time is running out.
If you have any questions during the submission process, contact TPA’s contest coordinator, Laura King, at lking@texaspress.com or 512-477-6755. Check out the contest FAQ for helpful info.
Frequently Asked Questions
We’re approaching the final week of the Texas Better Newspaper Contest - the entry deadline is Friday, March 29 at 5 p.m. Be forewarned: There will be HUNDREDS of entries uploaded to the BetterBNC site during the final days of the contest, which means a slower upload time for everyone. So do yourself a big favor and submit your entries now. Don’t wait until Thursday or Friday of next week.
We’ve received some good questions from members. If you haven’t submitted your entries yet, the following FAQ contains some helpful info. If you have any questions during the submission process, contact TPA’s contest coordinator, Laura King, at lking@texaspress.com or 512-477-6755.
Q: In past years, we’ve bracketed our entries in red marker to indicate which content on the tear sheet should be considered for judging. How do we mark the specific entry on a PDF?
A: You don’t need to mark your PDF pages. You can use the Headline/Title of Entry field on BetterBNC to indicate which content you want to enter in the contest.
Q: There is only one Headline/Title of Entry field on the online entry form, even though one entry comprises two or more samples of work. Where do I put the title for the other submissions in the entry?
A: You can list all of your submissions for an entry in the same Headline/Title of Entry field. We recommend you list a slug (a short name or reference) and the publication date for each item. You can use the Comments field if you need more space or want to clarify. As long as you make it clear (somewhere on the form) what you want judged, your entry won’t be disqualified.
Q: I’m trying to upload my entries for Routine Special Section, Blue Moon Special Section, General Excellence and Community Service, but there’s no way to attach my PDFs. How do I submit my entries?
A: For those four categories please submit a link or URL to your entry instead of attachments. Otherwise, a judge would have to spend a considerable amount of time downloading multiple attachments. It will save you time, as well. You can use www.issuu.com to upload an entire publication, instead of singe-page PDFs. Issuu will create an e-reader of your publication. You can upload large files (up to 100MB per file) on Issuu and upload multiple files at the same time. If you host a Web quality version of your printed paper on your newspaper’s website, you can submit links to those issues or editions in the online entry form, as well.
Q: I’m trying to log into the online contest for the first time, but I’m getting an error message that says my newspaper/account has not been set up. How do I set up an account for my newspaper?
A: You don’t need to set up an account for your newspaper - one has been created for you. You’ll just need the temporary password: bnc (lower case) to get you started. Once you’re in, you can change your password and update your contact info. Please make sure to log in under Contestant Login and not Open Call Login.
We’ve received some good questions from members. If you haven’t submitted your entries yet, the following FAQ contains some helpful info. If you have any questions during the submission process, contact TPA’s contest coordinator, Laura King, at lking@texaspress.com or 512-477-6755.
Q: In past years, we’ve bracketed our entries in red marker to indicate which content on the tear sheet should be considered for judging. How do we mark the specific entry on a PDF?
A: You don’t need to mark your PDF pages. You can use the Headline/Title of Entry field on BetterBNC to indicate which content you want to enter in the contest.
Q: There is only one Headline/Title of Entry field on the online entry form, even though one entry comprises two or more samples of work. Where do I put the title for the other submissions in the entry?
A: You can list all of your submissions for an entry in the same Headline/Title of Entry field. We recommend you list a slug (a short name or reference) and the publication date for each item. You can use the Comments field if you need more space or want to clarify. As long as you make it clear (somewhere on the form) what you want judged, your entry won’t be disqualified.
Q: I’m trying to upload my entries for Routine Special Section, Blue Moon Special Section, General Excellence and Community Service, but there’s no way to attach my PDFs. How do I submit my entries?
A: For those four categories please submit a link or URL to your entry instead of attachments. Otherwise, a judge would have to spend a considerable amount of time downloading multiple attachments. It will save you time, as well. You can use www.issuu.com to upload an entire publication, instead of singe-page PDFs. Issuu will create an e-reader of your publication. You can upload large files (up to 100MB per file) on Issuu and upload multiple files at the same time. If you host a Web quality version of your printed paper on your newspaper’s website, you can submit links to those issues or editions in the online entry form, as well.
Q: I’m trying to log into the online contest for the first time, but I’m getting an error message that says my newspaper/account has not been set up. How do I set up an account for my newspaper?
A: You don’t need to set up an account for your newspaper - one has been created for you. You’ll just need the temporary password: bnc (lower case) to get you started. Once you’re in, you can change your password and update your contact info. Please make sure to log in under Contestant Login and not Open Call Login.
TPA has some exciting news to share: the Arkansas Press Association 2013 Better Newspaper News-Editorial Contest will be judged at one of our members’ favorite locations … Texas Christian University in Fort Worth!
Our friends at the Texas Center for Community Journalism have graciously agreed to host the event. The judging will be held Thursday, May 2 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. This will be the first time TPA has held a Better Newspaper Contest judging outside of Austin.
We’re looking for about 40 volunteers. If you can’t make it to Fort Worth, you can still participate. Arkansas Press Association will ship some of their larger categories to a few volunteers around April 15 — judges will have about three weeks to select winners and return the entries.
If you would like to serve as a judge, either on site or from your office or home, please contact Laura King at lking@texaspress.com.
See the list of categories below:
News Story
Feature Story
Series Reporting
Investigative Reporting
Beat Reporting
Sports News Story
Sports Feature Story
Sports Column
Editorial
News/Political Column
General Interest Column
Humorous Column
Headline Writing
Singe News Photograph
Single Feature Photograph
Single Sports Action Photo
Single Sports Feature Photo
Picture Page/Photo Essay
Best Front Page
Features Page
Sports Page
Special Issue or Special Section
Political Coverage
Agriculture/Business Coverage
Education Coverage
Tourism Coverage
Health/Medical Coverage
Editorial Cartoonist
Website Design
Freelancer Recognition
That’s a wrap! The winners in the Arkansas Press Association Better Newspaper Advertising Contest have been selected! Thank you so much to our hardworking volunteers: Sue Brown, Pleasanton Express; Brandi Guy, Granite Publications; Kim Jung, Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post; Tracy Mack, The Hays Free Press; Dwight McKenzie, TPA; Tia Stone, Granite Publications; and Tiffany Waddell, Western Observer. What a fun bunch! We couldn’t have done it without you.
The 2013 Texas Better Newspaper Contest is open for entries! Download a copy of the 2013 Call for Entries booklet, containing information on rule changes and clarifications, online entry instructions, PDF requirements and helpful tutorials.
When you’re ready to begin the submission process, head on over to www.betterbnc.com, select the name of your newspaper from the drop-down menu, and enter your temporary password: bnc (lower case). Contact TPA’s contest coordinator, Laura King, at any time for assistance. TPA staff is here to help!
On a related topic, we’re just a few days away from the Arkansas Press Association 2013 Better Newspaper Advertising Contest judging and we need more volunteers! Judging will take place on Friday, Feb. 15 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Austin American-Statesman. Lunch will be provided. Please contact Laura King ASAP to volunteer.
The Better Newspaper Contest swap is a great opportunity for an open exchange of ideas between two state press associations. Your efforts on behalf of Texas newspapers make it possible for us to secure judges for our own contest, which will be judged online via the BetterBNC contest platform from April 8-22.
Thank you in advance! Best of luck in the contest!
Arkansas Press Association wants YOU!
Calling all TPA members:
We’re still in need of a few good volunteers to help judge the Arkansas Press Association 2013 Better Newspaper Advertising Contest. Judging will take place on Friday, Feb. 15 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Austin American-Statesman. Lunch will be provided. Please contact Laura King at lking@texaspress.com ASAP to volunteer.
Based in Little Rock, the Arkansas Press Association was founded in 1873 and represents about 130 newspapers. Click here to download a copy of the rules and categories for the ad contest. Judging for the Arkansas Press Association 2013 Better Newspaper News-Editorial Contest will be held in early May. More details to come.
The Better Newspaper Contest swap is a great opportunity for an open exchange of ideas between two state press associations. Your efforts on behalf of Texas newspapers make it possible for us to secure judges for our own contest, which will be judged online via the BetterBNC contest platform from April 8-22.
Thank you in advance!
Introducing Texas Better Newspaper Contest 2.0
The 2013 Texas Better Newspaper Contest opens Feb. 11 at www.betterbnc.com and closes March 29. Check your mailbox at the beginning of February for contest rules and instructions on how to enter.
Like the industry itself, the Better Newspaper Contest is evolving. This year we’re unveiling the biggest upgrade to our contest in years — an online entry platform.
Texas Press Association is partnering with SmallTownPapers’ BetterBNC to host the 2013 Texas Better Newspaper Contest online. The association joins the ranks of 120 press organizations, including the National Newspaper Association, to offer contestants and judges a faster, more efficient way to participate.
In the deadline-driven world of newspaper production, time is a valuable commodity. (So put down your glue stick and throw away those old entry labels!) The digital entry method reduces time spent on preparation. It also saves money on shipping costs and makes the contest platform accessible from any location with Internet access.
“Last year the National Newspaper Association went to online entries for their contest, and I was surprised how smoothly the system worked,” said TPA President Russel Skiles. “It was much easier to submit PDF files online than it was to look up old papers, pull out tear sheets, mark them up, label them and get them shipped.
“Submitting entries online in PDF format also eliminates problems with print quality and color registration of photos,” he added.
Members can expect a change in the entry fee structure this year. The BetterBNC platform requires contestants pay per entry. Instead of a flat $25 fee, members will pay $3 per entry.
We’ve also made significant improvements and clarifications to contest rules. Most importantly, the month requirement has been removed from all categories except General Excellence.
For the first time, newspapers can submit their best work from any issues in 2012. In categories such as News Writing or News Photo, one entry still comprises two samples of work (now from any two issues of your choice).
In implementing these changes, we sought to make a more streamlined contest for members, judges and staff that showcases the very best of Texas newspapers. We hope you’ll agree.
