The Iowa Newspaper Association named The Daily Iowan as Iowa’s 2025 Newspaper of the Year at the Iowa Better Newspaper Contest on Feb. 6.
The award is presented to the publication that accumulates the most points from placing first, second, or third in individual contests judged by the Kansas Press Association. The DI has won the award five times, including three within the last six years.
The DI was recognized with 33 total awards, 15 of which were first-place commendations, in competition with the largest newspapers in Iowa, including The Des Moines Register and The Cedar Rapids Gazette.
“It’s a special accomplishment and one that reflects the entire staff,” Jason Brummond, who has been the publisher of the DI since 2017, said. “We were recognized for editorial, coverage, writing, photography, design, advertising, so truly a team effort.”
Executive Editor Jami Martin-Trainor said the DI’s newsroom is a passionate environment that fosters the positive experiences leading to this accomplishment.
“There’s a lot of passion in our newsroom and a lot of space for new ideas to flourish, which has been really rewarding to be a part of myself,” she said.
Martin-Trainor continued to explain how having a newsroom that is adaptable and includes a variety of perspectives aids in the organization’s success.
“I think in my experience, at least, there is no marriage to what isn’t working within our publication. We like to stay flexible. We bring in new people. We bring in new ideas. And that has been very rewarding,” she said.
Notable first-place finishes for the DI include Coverage of Government and Politics, Best Front Page, and Best Sports Section.
In addition, University of Iowa fourth-year student and DI Managing Visuals Editor Cody Blissett placed first in the category Best Breaking News Photo for a photograph capturing protestors outside the Democratic National Convention in August 2024.
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Recent UI graduate and former DI Managing Visuals Editor Ayrton Breckenridge placed first for Best Video with a feature story depicting the life of Bob Cowman, a pastor and race-car driver from Knoxville, Iowa.
Production Manager Heidi Owen brought home four awards, placing first in Best Newspaper Marketing, Best Special Section Advertising, Best Ad Featuring Financial-Insurance-Other Professional Service, and Best Ad Featuring Grocery-Food-Entertainment.
Other community newspapers owned by Student Publications Inc. also had strong showings at the contest. The Solon Economist won General Excellence as the best small weekly paper in the state, and The Mount Vernon Lisbon-Sun placed third in General Excellence in mid-sized weeklies, both of which are organizations purchased by the DI last January.
Other first-place finishes include:
- General Excellence
- Coverage of Government and Politics
- Coverage of Agriculture
- Coverage of Court and Crime
- Total Newspaper Design
- Best Front Page
- Best Sports Section
- Best News Photo, Emily Nyberg
- Best Breaking News Photo, Cody Blissett
- Best Slideshow, Jordan Barry
- Best Video, Ayrton Breckenridge
- Best Newspaper Marketing, Heidi Owen
- Best Special Section Advertising, Heidi Owen
- Best Ad Featuring Financial-Insurance-Other Professional Service, Heidi Owen
- Best Ad Featuring Grocery-Food-Entertainment, Heidi Owen