Hearst, Reynolds Journalism Institute, Adobe, Google and Sprint Nextel Announce Student Mobile Media Design Competition
New York (Nov. 29, 2010) — Hearst Corporation Innovation Group announced that it is partnering with the Reynolds Journalism Institute (RJI) at the Missouri School of Journalism, Adobe Systems Inc., Google and Sprint Nextel to hold a student competition aimed at creating new journalism-focused mobile apps using Google’s open-source Android mobile operating system.
Journalism, business, and computer-science students at the University of Missouri will compete, working in teams, to address key media challenges, with guidance from Hearst Corporate Innovation and employees from across Hearst’s diverse businesses.
Adobe is providing the student teams with a spectrum of tools aimed at generating Android-based applications. Sprint is supporting the competition with help from its Android developers and phones for testing the apps as they are developed. Google is providing assistance with Android development.
During the 2009-10 academic year, Hearst, RJI and Adobe came together for a student competition to produce journalism-related products and services using Adobe’s Flash Catalyst technology. One of that competition’s winning ideas has been placed in development as a potential Hearst business.
“Our partnerships with Adobe, Google and Sprint ensure we’ll have the best minds available to develop Android apps that move the ball forward for journalism and advertising. We can’t wait to tackle the challenges coming our way from Hearst Innovation.”
Mike McKean, RJI Futures Lab Director
“Fostering innovative and entrepreneurial thinking, and looking for it in new and unique places, is one of our core missions,” said Beth Polish, director of corporate innovation and senior vice president of Hearst Interactive Media. “We found last year’s partnership with Adobe and the students and faculty of RJI not only valuable from a business perspective, but an enriching and inspiring experience all around. We are thrilled to have Google and Sprint join us as technology partners for what we’re sure will be another productive and illuminating collaboration.”
“Once again, we are excited to work with Hearst and RJI to develop innovative, real-world solutions for the journalism industry,” said Megan Stewart, director of worldwide higher education at Adobe. “This year’s focus on creating content for the Android platform is timely and relevant, providing solutions to many challenges facing our customers today. Adobe Creative Suite software can enable students to design and develop engaging media experiences across multiple devices and reach the widest possible audience.”
As of August 2010, Google estimated that it was activating 200,000 Android phones every day.
“Google’s Android platform offers creative designers and developers a platform to create exciting new opportunities for the journalism industry,” said Jake Parrillo, Google’s Midwest manager of global communications and public affairs. “We at Google in the Midwest look forward to seeing what students participating in RJI’s Student Android Competition can produce for Hearst Innovation.”
“We’re confident Mizzou students will once again execute great ideas with help from their Hearst project managers,” said Mike McKean, Futures Lab director at RJI. “Our partnerships with Adobe, Google and Sprint ensure we’ll have the best minds available to develop Android apps that move the ball forward for journalism and advertising. We can’t wait to tackle the challenges coming our way from Hearst Innovation.”
In September, Hearst Corporation officially began the company-wide rollout of Hearst Innovation, a program designed to be a catalyst for business growth, creativity and communication throughout the Corporation. The Hearst Innovation program, which has been in operation as a beta since mid 2009, has three primary goals: to create new businesses based on ideas generated by Hearst employees, to increase collaboration, and to foster a culture of innovation and knowledge-sharing across all Hearst businesses.
Updated: May 14, 2020