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The Minnesota Star Tribune Relaunches as ‘The Heart and Voice of the North’

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Minnesota’s biggest media outlet announces new platform at a vital time for journalism

MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The Minnesota Star Tribune relaunched today under a new brand platform for its audience as ‘The Heart and Voice of the North.’ Following a reimagination of its technology products, reporting focus, and growth strategy, the company has positioned itself for a new chapter in a dynamic and challenging time for journalism. Adding Minnesota to its nameplate to signal an expanded, state-wide focus going forward, the company’s mission is to connect the people, ideas, and stories that strengthen Minnesota’s communities.

“We’re thrilled to relaunch as the Minnesota Star Tribune at such an important time for our state,” said Steve Grove, CEO and Publisher. “It’s not every day you get to reimagine a 157-year-old publication for a new era – so we don’t take this moment lightly. We’ve spent the last year investing in more journalism in more locations on top of a stronger platform. We’re relaunching ourselves under a new name because we want Minnesotans to know what we believe: that this state deserves the strongest local news organization in America at a time of so much change.”

Driving innovation for a digital future

The Minnesota Star Tribune recently relaunched its entire digital product ecosystem including startribune.com and mobile apps. The greatly enhanced reader experience includes a complete back-end website rebuild in partnership with tech powerhouse Code and Theory. This digital reboot is designed to ensure all news and editorial content is responsive across all platforms while meeting the highest standards for digital integrity and security. The rebuild also positions the Minnesota Star Tribune to take advantage of new and emerging product offerings and was done under the leadership of new Chief Product Officer Aron Pilhofer.

“Today’s news consumers demand best-in-class digital experiences, and we’re now set to provide that well into the future,” said Pilhofer. “Our new tech stack will allow us to continue to innovate to reach our audiences in new ways to keep them better informed and engaged.”

Reimagining news coverage and expanding statewide

Earlier this year, the Minnesota Star Tribune announced plans to expand coverage in Greater Minnesota and embarked on an ongoing series of community conversations across the state including in Mankato, Duluth, Moorhead, St. Cloud, Brainerd, Rochester and several locations throughout the Twin Cities metro area. The Minnesota Star Tribune currently has 10 reporters and editors focused on Greater Minnesota, after adding reporting resources including a Greater Minnesota Columnist, a Southeast Minnesota Reporter, a North Central Minnesota Reporter, and a Southwest Minnesota Reporter, and it will continue growing its reporting roster. It is also forming partnerships with Minnesota news organizations to elevate local news content from other sources on its own platforms and beyond.

In addition, the Minnesota Star Tribune recently announced advancements of its newsroom structure and leadership to better serve readers.  News coverage, leadership and resources will realign around its five key topic areas of News and Politics, Business, Sports, Food and Culture, and Outdoors.

“We’re reshaping our coverage to focus more squarely on issues and topics essential to Minnesotans,” said Suki Dardarian, Editor and Senior Vice President of the Minnesota Star Tribune. “Our readers have helped inform this approach, which aims to provide richer coverage that reflects the diversity, soul and spirit of Minnesota, along with our hallmark enterprise and accountability reporting.”

Representing a diversity of voices

The Minnesota Star Tribune also recently announced the creation of Strib Voices, a reimagination of its opinion and commentary team under the new leadership of award-winning editorial writer and columnist Phil Morris. With a refreshed focus on representing diverse voices from multiple spectrums, Strib Voices will feature greater quantity and breadth of columns and bylined opinion pieces.

In addition, earlier this year, Kavita Kumar was promoted to community engagement director, and is proactively seeking commentary pieces and other content that covers various aspects of geography, demographics and political affiliations across Minnesota.

“By bringing together all of our opinion work under Strib Voices, our hope is to create the most dynamic and thoughtful water cooler for statewide news in the country,” said Phil Morris, Vice President and Opinion Editor for the Minnesota Star Tribune.

Reimagining the brand

To complement the vast transformation, the Minnesota Star Tribune has built a new brand identity and design structure to convey its ambition for audiences everywhere. The company partnered with Minnesota-based creative agency Colle McVoy to develop this brand strategy and identity, built for the future of media consumption. In addition to a new name, the brand refresh includes a new nameplate, new logo, new color systems, new sets of typography, a new mascot (Stribby the Gray Duck), and a new brand platform as ‘The Heart and Voice of the North.’

“Yes, we added ‘Minnesota‘ to our name – yet this rebrand goes far beyond a new title,” said Chris Iles, Vice President of Communications and Brand Marketing for the Minnesota Star Tribune.  “We’re Minnesotans just like our audience, and believe that our state, in an oft overlooked and underestimated region of the country, deserves to view itself for what it is: the ‘Heart and Voice of the North.’ Our campaign leans into all things Minnesota, as we leverage our trusted and established brand to elevate a community and place that loyal subscribers and new audiences will be proud of.”

Positioning for future growth

In addition to the transformational work already completed under new publisher and CEO Steve Grove, the Minnesota Star Tribune has a robust slate of upcoming changes designed to further position it for future success. These include the launch of a philanthropic arm, an enhanced sponsored-content strategy, a novel approach to affiliate marketing and much more.

“The talented team at the Minnesota Star Tribune has accomplished so much over the past year, and we’re just getting started,” said Steve Grove. “As we drive innovation in media to make every Minnesotan’s life better, we hope our loyal and new readers will join us on this journey.”

The Minnesota Star Tribune’s owner, Glen Taylor, said he believes this is the beginning of a new chapter for an institution he cares about deeply.

“I’m incredibly excited by what our new leadership team has put into place at an important moment for our state,” Taylor said. “The Minnesota Star Tribune is a state treasure, one we believe can accomplish truly great things with the support of our audience and partners.”

To celebrate its relaunch, the Minnesota Star Tribune is offering new subscribers the special rate of just $1 for 6 months of premium digital access.

About The Minnesota Star Tribune Media Company
The Minnesota Star Tribune is an innovative modern media organization building on an extraordinary 157-year legacy. With seven Pulitzer Prizes and hundreds of other awards, the Minnesota Star Tribune boasts the Midwest’s largest news organization and is an unrivaled force for journalistic excellence in Minnesota and beyond. As the heart and voice of the north, the Minnesota Star Tribune is on a journey to create the leading model for local news in America – driving innovation in media to make every Minnesotan’s life better. For more information, visit www.startribunecompany.com.

Contact:
Chris Iles
612-366-0427
chris.iles@startribune.com

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SOURCE The Minnesota Star Tribune

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HYPERGROWTH CX SOFTWARE PROVIDER ANNOUNCES NEW HIRES TO FUEL UK GROWTH AND US EXPANSION

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49 mins ago

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September 24, 2024

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CloudInteract announces new senior hires to support UK growth and US expansion, as it sets sights on supporting an industry predicted to grow to over USD 22 billion by 2030

LONDON, Sept. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — CloudInteract, a rapidly growing, UK-based provider of customer experience (CX) platforms, announces new senior hires to support its UK growth plans and expansion into the US market.

Founded by customer workplace communications experts, Nick Seagrave and Simon Leyland, CloudInteract launched in 2023, providing customers, including education provider, Pearson, life sciences enterprises, and online consumer services providers, such as Swoop with innovative CX software, as well as supporting industry partners, including Amazon Web Services.

Through the delivery of AI-driven platforms and omnichannel systems, CloudInteract empowers companies to scale and continuously adapt to their evolving customer service needs.

Simon Leyland, CEO and co-founder of CloudInteract, explains, “CloudInteract was born out of Nick’s and my mission to reimagine customer experience, by making contact centre interactions better for both customers and users alike. We understand that in a world full of technology providers, the difference lies in how technology transforms real-world experiences.”

To support its UK growth plans and expansion of its US presence, CloudInteract has onboarded new talent to its 50% female senior leadership team. The company recently welcomed Marketing Director, Louise Mahrra, Head of Business, North America, Nancy Van Delist and UK Head of Business Development, Julian Degg.

They will work alongside Change Director, Eliza Taylor and co-founders, Chief Technology Officer, Nick Seagrave and CEO Simon Leyland.

“As CloudInteract expands its operations and brings in new talent to support strategic growth in an industry predicted to mature to over USD 22 billion by 2030, we are firmly fixated on helping businesses unlock the full potential of their customer experience platforms by turning every interaction into a competitive advantage.”

“By doubling down on our investment in people, partnerships, and platforms, we’re positioning CloudInteract as the go-to partner for businesses that want to unlock the power of AI, data, and communication to transform their customer interactions,” concluded Simon.

About CloudInteract: https://www.cloudinteract.io/ 

CloudInteract builds customer experience platforms to unlock the potential of data to improve customer interactions. Our solutions leverage AI, automation, and integration to create smarter, seamless customer experiences that are built to last.

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2512678/CloudInteract_Logo.jpg

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/hypergrowth-cx-software-provider-announces-new-hires-to-fuel-uk-growth-and-us-expansion-302255608.html

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Tata Elxsi Delivers World’s First RDK-B Integration on Qualcomm 5G Fixed Wireless Access Platform

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49 mins ago

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September 24, 2024

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SAN DIEGO and BENGALURU, India, Sept. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Tata Elxsi, a global leader in design and technology services, today announced the successful integration of the RDK-B software stack with the Qualcomm® 5G FWA Gen 3 Platform. This first-of-its-kind integration opens a new pathway for operators to deliver fast, reliable, and scalable high-speed FWA solutions. Integration of the RDK-B middleware includes key features, such as Wi-Fi 6 connectivity, packet statistics, and advanced security options, ensuring the platform is versatile and can be deployed in both indoor and outdoor environments. Operators can now deliver value-added services, like Quality of Service (QoS), band steering, parental control, and VPN, enhancing the overall broadband experience. 

Gautam Sheoran – VP and GM, Wireless Broadband and Communications at Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., stated: 

“We are proud to collaborate closely with Tata Elxsi, who has leveraged their considerable expertise to port the RDK-B stack to our 5G FWA Gen 3 Platform, featuring the Snapdragon® X75 Modem-RF System. This critical step empowers operators to accelerate time-to-market, deliver high performance FWA solutions, and reduce development efforts, as they deploy powerful new FWA CPE solutions. We look forward, through continued collaboration with Tata Elxsi, to expanding our engagement with the broader RDK community, giving operators more choices and flexibility in deploying state-of-the-art solutions.”

Priya S Kumar – Head, Media and Communications at Tata Elxsi, stated:

“This integration broadens the RDK ecosystem and silicon diversity, which has traditionally centered on wired technologies like DOCSIS and Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH). By incorporating RDK-B into the cellular-managed WAN space, Tata Elxsi is excited to collaborate in positioning the Snapdragon X75 platform as a future-ready solution for high-performance broadband applications. Tata Elxsi’s continuous commitment to the RDK ecosystem enables SoCs, OEMs and operators to rapidly innovate and scale, addressing the demands of next-generation broadband technologies.”

Looking ahead, Tata Elxsi will upgrade the platform to include next-generation features such as Wi-Fi 7. This upgrade will further enhance FWA devices, offering operators more flexible, scalable, and cost-effective solutions, setting the stage for the next generation of wireless innovation. 

About Tata Elxsi

Tata Elxsi is among the world’s leading design and technology services providers across industries, including Automotive, Broadcast, Communications, Healthcare and Transportation.

We are helping customers reimagine their products and services through design thinking and applying digital technologies, such as IoT (Internet of Things), Cloud, Mobility, Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence. For more information, visit www.tataelxsi.com

Snapdragon and Qualcomm branded products are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. Snapdragon is a trademark or registered trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated.

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/742257/4913784/Tata_Elxsi_Logo.jpg

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/tata-elxsi-delivers-worlds-first-rdk-b-integration-on-qualcomm-5g-fixed-wireless-access-platform-302256787.html

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Huawei Calls to Expand Partnerships to Drive Global Digital Inclusion through TECH4ALL

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49 mins ago

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September 24, 2024

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SHANGHAI, Sept. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — At the TECH4ALL Digital Inclusion Forum hosted at Huawei Connect 2024, Huawei called for more partners to join its TECH4LL initiative to drive global digital inclusion.

Launched in 2019 and aligned with the UN SDGs, TECH4ALL is Huawei’s long-term action plan for enabling an inclusive and sustainable digital world, focusing on the education, environment, health, and development domains.

At the forum, attendees explored TECH4ALL inclusion projects and digital inclusion advances in China outlined in the 2024 China Digital Inclusion Report produced by China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT).

“Promoting digital inclusion can not only effectively deal with problems that may exist in the development and application of digital technology, but also improve the realization of our overall goals,” said Xin Yongfei, Director of the CAICT Institute for Policy and Economics.

Discussions focused on how technology can help bring down barriers to information accessibility, equal opportunities, and a high quality of life. A key theme at the forum concerned the importance of cross-sector partnerships in maximizing the efficacy of inclusion projects such as those Huawei’s runs under TECH4ALL.

“Huawei is a committed to supporting China’s digital inclusion strategy,” said Jeffrey Zhou, President of ICT Marketing at Huawei. “We work with governments, enterprises, scientific research institutions, universities, and NGOs to implement projects that provide a useful reference for the world to seize the opportunities of digital transformation and share the inclusive benefits of digitalization.”    

Partners from both the deaf and vision-impaired communities looked at the role of technology in enabling digital inclusion. Huawei shared how it considers the needs of people with disabilities, the elderly, and children from the beginning of product design. As well as Bluetooth connectivity for hearing aids, Huawei smartphones, provide 15 accessibility features that are used by around 10 million people each month. These include technologies that can identify and send alerts for job recommendations tailored for people with disabilities.

“As a visually impaired device user and Huawei partner, I think it’s crucial to share the message that technology can give everyone an equal opportunity to participate in society, use public resources, and help eliminate the digital divide,” said Yin Nan, Chairman of Tianjin Hongqiao District Blind Association.

With partners the China Association of the Deaf and E-Times Digital Technology, Huawei TECH4ALL has also developed the Trouble-Free Hearing app. Based on Huawei Cloud AI, the app provides speech-to-text and text-to-speech translation and a real-time online sign language hub for use in potentially complex situations such as healthcare, legal consultations, and at service windows.

The forum also explored education inclusion through the TECH4ALL China DigiSchool project, which aims to provide online resources and teacher training for the delivery of STEAM curriculum. To date, 4,800 teachers and students have benefited in 29 schools.

Huawei also runs a range of education and training initiatives across the globe, including the Open School project with UNESCO, Instant Schools Network with Vodafone Foundation, and Skills and Wheels projects with global and local partners. Skills on Wheels, for example, brings free digital skills training to remote communities via truck-mounted mobile classrooms, reaching 93,000 people in 18 countries so far.

TECH4ALL education projects have reached more than 400,000 people across the globe, with technology and partnerships the key to success of each project.

About Huawei TECH4ALL

TECH4ALL is Huawei’s long-term digital inclusion initiative. Enabled by innovative technologies and partnerships, TECH4ALL aims to promote inclusion and sustainability in the digital world.

For more information, visit the Huawei TECH4ALL website: https://www.huawei.com/en/tech4all 

Follow us on X:
https://twitter.com/HUAWEI_TECH4ALL 

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SOURCE Huawei

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