Deadline: 10 July 2012
This innovation challenge focuses on journalism and the news media. We are looking for disruptive digital ideas for improving the way that news is collected and disseminated. By digital ideas, we mean tools or strategies that use the Internet, mobile platforms, data driven journalism, computer assisted reporting, digitally augmented reality, or other electronic means to improve the relevance and impact of news media.
Your ideas should be focused on providing pragmatic solutions to realworld challenges facing Africa’s media. Your innovation should fall into any of four broad categories: news gathering; story telling; audience engagement; or the business of news. Within these categories, we are specifically interested in ideas that seek to achieve one or more of the following goals:
Platforms
Strengthen existing media platforms, or harness new digital platforms for engaging audiences and transmitting news other journalistic content.
Delivery
Improve the way news reaches audiences, from traditional circulation / airtime management to newer disruptive ‘cross platform’ channels.
Context
Amplify the relevance and usefulness of news by improving the immediacy, depth and accuracy of journalistic content.
Reach
Enhance the impact and ‘shelf life’ of news by extending its influence and intrinsic value for both audiences and content services.
Targeting
Deepen media’s understanding of its audiences and markets by improving user analytics, audience profiling and market segmentation.
Sustainablity
Boost the media’s resource base by diversifying business models, developing new revenue streams or improving operational efficiencies.
WHAT WE FUND
We fund news experiments and digital media startups. This means that we will fund the costs associated with developing, testing and scaling a new digital news venture or product. We will not fund conferences, training workshops, nor the salary or operational costs for existing organisations, nor university administration fees, nor other routine business costs.
FINALISTS WORKSHOP
Finalists will be invited to the OpenNews Camp in Zanzibar, Tanzania, in August for one-on-one workshop sessions with business development mentors and other industry experts. Finalists will use these sessions to refine and strengthen their proposals, as well as develop implementation plans and budgets ahead of final judging.
SUPPORTING THE WINNERS
Winners will receive cash grants of between $12,000 and $100,000, plus additional business development support, technical mentorship, and marketing support. Winners may also be offered opportunities to pilot their projects in AMI member newsrooms and showcase the results at international conferences or to venture capital funds.
WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR APPLYING?
The only place you can apply is here on the ANIC website. We will not accept faxes, posted applications, hand deliveries or other channels. All you need to do is answer the 7 questions on the form. Brevity counts. Any supporting media, videos, links to prototypes, etc, can be included with the post, but are not required. The deadline for submissions is July 10 (midnight – Central African Time). No late submissions will be accepted. We will contact semi-finalists for additional information, including a detailed budget, by early August.
WHO CAN ENTER?
ANIC is an open and worldwide contest. Anyone, anywhere can therefore apply – as long as they have an African partner to help with implementation. There is no other age or geographic restriction. The competition is open to nonprofits, for-profits or individuals of any age, anywhere in the world. Awards to minors will be made to an intermediary designated by ANIC.
WHAT IS THE DEADLINE FOR ENTRY?
July 10, 2012 at midnight (Central African Time). You might want to use something like World Time Buddy to make sure that you get the time right.
WHEN WILL I RECEIVE A RESPONSE?
The dates below are guidelines. Their intention is to give you an idea of the timeframe of the process.
- May 10, 2012: Contest opens
- July 10, 2012: Application deadline
- August 10, 2012: Finalists are at the OpenNews Camp, in Zanzibar
- September 10, 2012: Finalists submit their final proposals and budget plans
- November 10, 2012: Winners are announced at the African Media Leaders Forum in Ivory Coast
PRIZES
The total purse for cash prizes is $1 million.
The African News Innovation Challenge is designed to find and nurture ideas that have the potential to transform journalism and the media industry.
Winners will therefore receive more than just cash grants. They will also receive a combination of technical advice and business mentorship from industry experts, as well as support for marketing their innovations to a wider African and world audience.
Once winners have produced working prototypes and proof-of-concept for their ideas, they will be given the opportunity to showcase their innovations to venture capitalist funds for possible additional investment.
The Basics:
Winners will receive cash grants of between $12,500 and $100,000, depending on the potential impact and the operational requirements of the project. Each project’s operational requirements will be spelled out in a detailed budget that shortlisted finalists will be required to file in the 2nd phase of judging. Finalists will attend a workshop, in Zanzibar, to help them develop this budget and a related business plan.
Support Services:
The World Association of Newspapers & News Producers (WAN-IFRA) will provide winners with one-on-one mentorship and technical advice from some of the world’s leading media strategists. WAN-IFRA will also host an intensive business development workshop for finalists, to help them refine and strengthen their proposals.
Venture Capital:
The ANIC grants that winners receive will function as seed capital for innovators to kickstart their projects. Once they have produced working prototypes with some degree of proof-of-concept, winners will be given the opportunity to pitch their projects to the Media Development Loan Fund’s new digital venture fund for consideration for possible additional investment.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
For enquiries: queries@africannewschallenge.org
For submissions: submit your entries here
Website: http://africannewschallenge.org