Hearst, Reynolds Journalism Institute, Adobe, Google & Sprint Nextel Announce Student Mobile Media Design Competition

NEW YORK, NY, Nov 09 (MARKET WIRE) --
Hearst Corporation's Innovation group announced today that it is
partnering with The University of Missouri's Reynolds Journalism
Institute (RJI), Adobe Systems Inc., Google, and Sprint Nextel to hold a
student competition aimed at creating new journalism-focused mobile apps
using Google's open-source Android mobile operating system.

Journalism, business, and computer-science students at the University of
Missouri will compete, working in teams, to address key media challenges,
with guidance from Hearst Corporate Innovation and employees from across
Hearst's diverse businesses.

Adobe is providing the student teams with a spectrum of tools aimed at
generating Android-based applications. Sprint is supporting the
competition with help from its Android developers and phones for testing
the apps as they are developed. Google is providing assistance with
Android development.

During the 2009-10 academic year, Hearst, RJI, and Adobe came together
for a student competition to produce journalism-related products and
services using Adobe's Flash Catalyst technology. One of that
competition's winning ideas has been placed in development as a potential
Hearst business.

"Fostering innovative and entrepreneurial thinking, and looking for it in
new and unique places, is one of our core missions," said Beth Polish,
director of Corporate Innovation and senior vice president of Hearst
Interactive Media. "We found last year's partnership with Adobe and the
students and faculty of RJI not only valuable from a business
perspective, but an enriching and inspiring experience all around. We are
thrilled to have Google and Sprint join us as technology partners for
what we're sure will be another productive and illuminating
collaboration."

"Once again, we are excited to work with Hearst and RJI to develop
innovative, real-world solutions for the journalism industry," said Megan
Stewart, director of worldwide higher education at Adobe. "This year's
focus on creating content for the Android platform is timely and
relevant, providing solutions to many challenges facing our customers
today. Adobe Creative Suite software can enable students to design and
develop engaging media experiences across multiple devices and reach the
widest possible audience."

As of August 2010, Google estimated that it was activating 200,000
Android phones every day.

"Google's Android platform offers creative designers and developers a
platform to create exciting new opportunities for the journalism
industry," said Jake Parrillo, Google's Midwest manager of global
communications and public affairs. "We at Google in the Midwest look
forward to seeing what students participating in RJI's Student Android
Competition can produce for Hearst Innovation."

"We're confident Mizzou students will once again execute great ideas with
help from their Hearst project managers," said Mike McKean, Futures Lab
director at the Reynolds Journalism Institute. "Our partnerships with
Adobe, Google and Sprint ensure we'll have the best minds available to
develop Android apps that move the ball forward for journalism and
advertising. We can't wait to tackle the challenges coming our way from
Hearst Innovation."

In September, Hearst Corporation officially began the company-wide
rollout of Hearst Innovation, a program designed to be a catalyst for
business growth, creativity and communication throughout the Corporation.
The Hearst Innovation program, which has been in operation as a beta
since mid 2009, has three primary goals: to create new businesses based
on ideas generated by Hearst employees, to increase collaboration, and to
foster a culture of innovation and knowledge-sharing across all Hearst
businesses.

About Hearst Corporation
Hearst Corporation (http://www.hearst.com) is
one of the nation's largest diversified media companies. Its major
interests include ownership of 15 daily and 38 weekly newspapers,
including the Houston Chronicle, San Francisco Chronicle, San Antonio
Express-News and Albany Times Union; nearly 200 magazines around the
world, including Good Housekeeping, Cosmopolitan and O, The Oprah
Magazine; 29 television stations, which reach a combined 18% of U.S.
viewers; ownership in leading cable networks, including Lifetime, A&E,
History and ESPN; as well as business publishing, including a minority
joint venture interest in Fitch Ratings; Internet and marketing services
businesses, television production, newspaper features distribution and
real estate.

About Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute
The Donald W. Reynolds
Journalism Institute (rjionline.org) engages media professionals,
scholars and citizens in programs aimed at improving the practice and
understanding of journalism. Part of the Missouri School of Journalism,
RJI collaborates with news and technology companies, professional
associations, foundations and individuals to generate and test innovative
models and technologies for journalism and advertising. Six Donald W.
Reynolds Fellows spend an academic year at RJI, working with Missouri
faculty and students and RJI staff to develop new ways to gather, process
and deliver news, information and advertising. RJI was launched in 2004
with an initial $31 million grant from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation.
In 2009, the Foundation awarded the Institute an additional $15 million
for operating support.

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Contact:
Lisa Bagley
Hearst Corporation
lbagley@hearst.com
212-649-2337

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