The Spring 2012 Medill Innovation Project
Medill’s Innovation Project
Traditionally, there are two innovation projects – one for the magazine concentration and another for the interactive publishing concentration. For the first time, Medill combined the two. This year, a team of 18 students took on a challenge from WBEZ, Chicago’s local NPR affiliate, to expand its audience and foster conversation about international issues.
The team
This group comprises master’s candidates in the final stage of completing their journalism degrees at the Medill School at Northwestern University. With six interactive publishing students and 12 magazine students, this eclectic team of journalists put together products, strategy and business plans to help its client reach its goal.
Our North star – a statement from WBEZ to keep us on track
Our North star
“We exist to create content that is going to start conversation.” Daniel Ash, Vice President of Strategic Communications at WBEZ
During our meeting with executives and employees, the one phrase that best described WBEZ came from Daniel Ash. This was our compass, our North star: a phrase that summarizes WBEZ’s mission and what we need to do to help it reach its goals.
