Leader honored at MNAs

MISSOULA — The Lake County Leader took in eight awards in the Montana Newspaper Association’s 2012 Better Newspaper Contest, including first place for “Best Sports Pages.”

The honor was awarded to former sports editors Brandon Hansen and Jaren Haser and reporter Dylan Kitzan. Judges commented on the artistic layout of sports pages, saying that the unique pages are what keep readers wanting more.  Judges noted that finding a way to catch readers’ eyes is imperative to keeping newspapers competitive with other media.

Judges from the North Dakota Newspaper Association were appointed to review all entries in the Montana contest.  It was a jury of peers with writers judging writers, photographers critiquing photographers, and ad designers evaluating other designers.

For the second year in a row, the Leader placed in the “Best Nature Photo” category with former editor Ali Bronsdon’s photo “Snowy Owl Heaven” taking second place in the group.

“I gasped when I saw this,” judges wrote. “A beautiful photo.”

Third place awards included “Best Use of Headlines,” “Business and Economic Issues,” “Agriculture Issues,” and “Best Outdoors Pages.”

Members of the editorial staff weren’t the only winners.  Earl Hanneman and Kurt Hannah won second place in the “Best Small Space Ad” category with an ad for Stebbins Orthodontics.  Missy Steinebach and Kurt Hannah won third place in the “Best Black & White Ad” for their holiday ad where a Dairy Queen ice cream cone was turned into a snowflake that judges said was a, “ cute take on the usual holiday ad.”

Altogether the Leader earned one first place award, two second place awards, and five third place awards. Below is the complete list of Leader winners:

Best Sports Pages – First Place – Brandon Hansen, Jaren Haser and Dylan Kitzan

Best Nature Photo – Second Place – Ali Brondson

Best Outdoors Pages – Third Place – Ali Brondson

Business & Economic Issues – Third Place – Bryce Gray

Agriculture Issues – Third Place – Bryce Gray

Best Use of Headlines – Third Place – Bryce Gray and Jaren Haser

Best Small Space Ad – Second Place – Kurt Hannah and Earl Hanneman

Best Black & White Ad – Third Place – Kurt Hannah and Missy Steinebach