PARIS, 26 May 2011 – With the digital age transforming journalism, the Sciences Po School of Journalism and Google have reached a partnership agreement to promote quality and innovation in their digital networks.
This partnership will result in the creation of a Prize for Innovation in Journalism to be inaugurated in September 2011, which will recognize innovative use of internet technology in the service of quality information. The annual prize will be awarded to a journalism student from a recognized program and to a professional journalist.
In addition to this prize, Google will finance a start-up scholarship in the domain of information, as well as merit-based scholarships for students of the Sciences Po School of Journalism. Google will contribute to the teaching of online referencing as part of the School of Journalism’s online training courses.
“I am delighted that Google will be financing such an important part of Sciences Po as the School of Journalism," declared Richard Descoings, Director of Sciences Po.
“This agreement is the expression of a mutual interest,” noted Bruno Patino, Director of the School of Journalism. “It is impossible for us to teach journalism without helping our students to master networked information, its tools, functionalities and transformations, online and on mobile phone technology.”
Senior Vice President in Charge of Development at Google, David Drummond, who was present for the signing of the agreement, stressed the importance of access to quality information and the fundamental role of the journalistic profession: “Journalism is a precious and vital ingredient in a democracy. That is why Google is delighted to sign this agreement with the Sciences Po School of Journalism, which is particularly cutting-edge in the way it teaches web technology to future journalists.”
“This partnership is in keeping with Google’s moves to promote access to information,” stated Jean-Marc Tassetto, Director-General of Google France. “Today, our technologies bring up over 50 000 sources all around the world. They also allow the emergence and development of new forms of journalism thanks to the use of cartographic tools and the posting of videos through community platforms. Promoting and aiding the development of online journalism is an important extra step in ensuring the continuing existence of high-quality content and encouraging freedom of expression.”
Further information on the partnership between Google and the Sciences Po School of Journalism
The four pillars of the partnership are:
1. The creation of a Prize for Innovation in Journalism
According to the agreement, the prize will reward the production of content demonstrating an “innovative use of the internet and new technologies in the service of quality information.” A jury will award two prizes in September 2011, the first of 10 000 euros for a journalism student in one of thirteen recognized courses, the second of 5 000 euros for a professional journalist.
The competition will take place from 25 May to 29 July 2011. The submission criteria for candidates are as follows:
- The content submitted to the jury must be recent original work in the French language and published using a digital medium within the year preceding the date of submission.
- The content submitted must combine, on the screen which displays them, at least two formats (text, image, social network, card, video, etc.)
- The publication of content may have occurred all at once or over an extended period of time (for example in the case of a blog or application). The jury will only consider parts of the work published within the specified timeframe of one year preceding the date of submission.
- Content may include contributions from the audience and/or be modifiable by the audience.
- Content submitted must demonstrate journalistic ambition displayed through a willingness to use digital media resources. The jury will judge content according to: the quality of expression, mastery of narrative, discernment in the use of technology, appropriateness for the audience, quality of investigation and rigor of information.
- The final date for submission of content is Friday 29 July, at midnight.
2. Grant for entrepreneurial journalism, to help launch “start-up” businesses.
Throughout the entrepreneurial journalism course created in 2011 at the School of Journalism, students develop new journalistic ideas and imagine the economic model needed to transform them into genuine start-up businesses. To encourage these ventures, Google will award a 20 000 euro grant to the best start-up project in 2012.
3. Merit scholarships will be awarded to students of the Sciences Po School of Journalism. An overall sum of 34 000 euros will be attributed to the program and scholarships will be awarded based on criteria of academic excellence and encouraging diversity. These scholarships will allow recipients to gain overseas experience at partner universities and/or in professional editorial settings.
4. Teaching of SEO (search engine optimization or referencing) at the School of Journalism by a Google engineer to allow first and second-year students in the Master of Journalism to understand the core principles of content indexing on search engines.
About Google:
Every day, Google’s innovative research technologies allow millions of users to access a world of information. Founded in 1998 by Stanford University graduates Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google is today a leading Internet stock that is quoted on all major exchanges. Google’s targeted advertising program offers businesses of all sizes quantifiable results and allows users to fully exploit the potentials of the Internet. Google, with its head office located in Silicon Valley, runs commercial operations across the American continent, Europe and Asia.
To find out more, visit www.google.fr
About the Sciences Po School of Journalism:
The Sciences Po School of Journalism, located in Paris, offers two-year Master’s programs of an excellence recognized within the journalistic profession. With an international outlook and centered on online journalism, the School of Journalism offers a profound education in the social sciences, indispensable for future journalists, while teaching the practical aspects of the profession through training by renowned media professionals, journalists and editors.
To find out more, visit http://www.journalisme.sciences-po.fr
Contacts:
Cyril Delhay
Director of Communication at Sciences Po
cyril.delhay@sciences-po.fr
+33145497794
Anne Gabrielle Dauba Pantanacce
Google France
annegabrielle@google.com
+33142685366
Sciences Po
27 rue Saint-Guillaume
75337 Paris Cedex 07
Tel. : 01 45 49 50 50
Fax. : 01 42 22 31 26
