PILOT Announces 2017 Innovation Challenge Question
24 April 2017 - 3:40AM
Business Wire
-- Application deadline is September 22, 2017
--
The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), through its
PILOT program, today announced the second annual PILOT Innovation
Challenge question. The PILOT Innovation Challenge recognizes
creative ideas that leverage technological advances in the
production, distribution and display of engaging content. The
program also provides support to the winners for development.
This year’s challenge question is “What is an unconventional way
broadcasters and other local media could serve communities?”
Applicants are required to submit a title, descriptions of their
proposed concept, illustration and a simple business case
explaining the concept’s viability. The submission must address the
challenge question and will be evaluated for its creativity, value
proposition it holds for both broadcasters and consumers, in
addition to its viability.
This is the first of two challenges to be conducted over the
next two years focused on uncovering local projects that serve the
needs of communities. As previously announced, the John S. and
James L. Knight Foundation is investing $200,000 to support these
two challenges as part of the PILOT initiative, which advances
broadcast technologies and cultivates new media opportunities.
"The goal of the PILOT Innovation Challenge is to identify and
develop creative ideas that help broadcasters better serve their
respective communities,” said PILOT Executive Director John Clark.
“We’re looking forward to partnering with Knight Foundation to
promote innovation in broadcasting.”
NAB and PILOT officially opened the call for entries during the
Digital Futures Exchange at the 2017 NAB Show, the largest media
and entertainment convention encompassing the convergence of media,
entertainment and technology, held April 22-27 in Las Vegas.
Projects will be evaluated by a panel of judges from various
groups, including local broadcasters, academics, venture
capitalists, entrepreneurs and other media-related entities. In
addition, NAB and PILOT will use the challenge to build a network
of broadcast news innovators who will provide guidance, support and
industry exposure to winners of the challenge as they build and
test prototypes. NAB will announce the winners of the 2017 PILOT
Innovation Challenge in the fall during NAB Futures conference in
Palo Alto, California, held November 12-14.
“Television and radio have an essential role to play in
informing communities in the digital age,” said Karen Rundlet,
Knight Foundation program officer for journalism. “Through this
year’s PILOT Innovation Challenge, we hope to discover projects
that truly deliver news, high quality journalism and civic
information to local audiences.”
Support for this program is part of Knight’s efforts to promote
digital transformation and innovation in journalism to meet local
information needs.
The winners of last year’s Innovation Challenge were announced
at the NAB Futures conference in Pebble Beach, California on
October 31, 2016.
About NABThe National Association of Broadcasters is the
premier advocacy association for America's broadcasters. NAB
advances radio and television interests in legislative, regulatory
and public affairs. Through advocacy, education and innovation, NAB
enables broadcasters to best serve their communities, strengthen
their businesses and seize new opportunities in the digital age.
Learn more at www.nab.org.
About PILOTPILOT is a coalition of innovators, educators
and advocates dedicated to advancing broadcast technology and
cultivating new media opportunities. PILOT propels broadcast
television and radio into the future. It provides a platform for
innovation, an engine for incubation, a venue for testing new
technologies and a forum for broadcaster education. Learn more at
nabpilot.org.
About the John S. and James L. Knight FoundationKnight
Foundation is a national foundation with strong local roots. We
invest in journalism, in the arts, and in the success of cities
where brothers John S. and James L. Knight once published
newspapers. Our goal is to foster informed and engaged communities,
which we believe are essential for a healthy democracy. For more,
visit knightfoundation.org.
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National Association of BroadcastersAnn Marie Cumming,
202-429-5350