2023 Texas BNC opens for entries Jan. 22

As 2023 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 contest opens for entries Jan. 22, so it’s already time to start narrowing down choices and gathering page PDFs for entries.

The Advanced Contest Entry System (ACES) platform goes live for the TPA contest when the entry period opens Jan. 22. Participants will have until Feb. 20 to upload entries on the platform, www.newspapercontest.com/Texas.

Contest rules, eligibility guidelines and general information are available now on the Texas Press Association website at www.texaspress.com/better-newspaper-contest-0.

All registrations are new this year. Please note that all participants must use the association code TXPRESS, set a new password, wait for a confirmation email and follow instructions in that email to complete registration.

For the 2023 Texas BNC, all material entered must have been published between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2023. Members in good standing (2024 dues paid) who were also members throughout the 2023 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.

Awards will be presented at the 2024 TPA Convention and Trade Show June 20-22 in College Station.

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.

TPA’s contest judging partner this year is the Georgia Press Association. GPA volunteers will judge TPA entries in March. TPA volunteers are needed to judge GPA contest entries in March as well. Every newspaper that enters the contest is encouraged to have staff members help judge.

For more information and to volunteer as a judge, contact Candace Velvin, contest coordinator, at cvelvin@texaspress.com or 512-477-6755.