Ideas Contest for The Detroit News, Detroit Free Press Open to Employees and the Public; $10,000 in Prize Money

DETROIT, Feb. 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Detroit Media Partnership announced today IdeaQuest 2011, a contest with $10,000 in prize money for the two best ideas that help the Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News better serve the community and help grow their audiences.  

Ideas might include improving news coverage (in print, digitally and other ways), helping others in our communities, ways to save people time and money or about doing business more effectively.  Ideas can be submitted in two categories -- employee and non-employee – at http://ideaquest.michigan.com.  The deadline for entries is midnight, March 31 and is open to anyone 18 years or older.  

Once submitted, ideas will be voted on from April 1 through April 14 by the public, and the top five vote-getters in each category will have the opportunity to pitch to the judging panel on April 29, why their idea should win.  The judges are:

• Patrick Doyle, CEO/Domino's Pizza
• Susie Ellwood, CEO/Detroit Media Partnership
• Myron Maslowsky, Sr. VP Group Finance & Administration/ USA TODAY

"We are committed to getting as many ideas from as many sources as possible," said Susie Ellwood, CEO, Detroit Media Partnership.  "The best way for us to serve our community is to solicit feedback and understand what they want and need in this ever-changing media environment," she said.  

"One of the important factors behind Domino's turnaround in 2010 was our willingness to listen to thoughts and constructive suggestions from our own customers," said J. Patrick Doyle, CEO of Domino's Pizza. "For the Detroit Media Partnership to do something similar can only result in something positive."

Ideas may be submitted by individuals, teams or groups.  The individual or team submitting the winning ideas will receive $5,000 in cash and the idea will be implemented by Detroit Media Partnership.  Winning entrants will have the opportunity to be part of the implementation process.  

Detroit Media Partnership, L.P. manages the business functions of the Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News. As the largest newspapers in Michigan, with two of the most visited Web sites in the market, the Free Press and The News combine to reach a weekly audience of 1.9 million people; 50% of adults in this market see our products.*  Detroit Media Partnership is also the advertising sales agent for the following suburban Detroit publications: Observer & Eccentric, Novi News, Milford Times, Northville Record, South Lyon Herald and Livingston County Daily Press & Argus. Gannett Co., Inc., owner of the Free Press, is the general partner in DMP; MediaNews Group, owner of The News, is the limited partner.

*SOURCE: 2010 Scarborough Report – August 2010 – July 2009 – Detroit DMA

SOURCE Detroit Media Partnership