50/50

A new cash contest — may your best idea win

FREE PRESS STAFF

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

   Ideas might include something that enhances news coverage — in print, digitally and other ways — or helps the community in new ways or suggests how to do business more effectively. Ideas can be submitted by both employees and members of the public at http:// ideaquest.michigan.com  .

   Two cash prizes of $5,000 each will be awarded to the winning ideas; one will be chosen from company employees and one from the public.

   The deadline for entries is midnight March 31, and the contest is open to anyone 18 years or older. Ideas may be submitted by individuals, teams or groups.

   Once submitted, ideas will be voted on April 1-14 by the public. The top five vote-getters in each category will have the opportunity to make a pitch to a final judging panel April 29 about why their idea should win.

   The judges are Patrick Doyle, CEO of Domino’s Pizza; Susie Ellwood, CEO of the Detroit Media Partnership, and Myron Maslowsky, senior vice president of group finance and administration at USA Today.

   The ideas selected will be implemented by the Detroit Media Partnership — and winning entrants will have the opportunity to be part of the implementation process.