Smarter Homes, Smarter News: Chinese students win US journalism school's annual contest

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To see how students are seeking to tackle challenges in the news industry with their innovative designs, let's head to an annual competition at the University of Missouri's journalism school. Teams competed to create news for a smart home, and Chinese students came out on top. CGTN's Karina Huber looks at their prize-winning design.

You are looking at a NewSnooze - a smart alarm clock that gives you the news. It was invented by a group of Chinese students at the University of Missouri.

NINGYUAN HU STUDENT, UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI "I hit the snooze button more than three times every morning, so I really want a product that can change that because according to our research, snooze is not actually a healthy habit."

The group won first prize with their alarm clock in an annual contest at the university's journalism school. Engineering and business students also participate in a challenge to solve a problem in media. This year's challenge - creating news for the smart home.

EBONY REED, DIRECTOR OF INNOVATION REYNOLDS JOURNALISM INSTITUTE FUTURES LAB "The only requirement is that they have to have at least one student from each discipline on their team and then they receive a semester of mentorship from professors and industry experts to help them and coach them along the way as they work on their idea."

They spent the whole school year developing the NewSnooze.

YINTING YU STUDENT, UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI "We worked really well together. We broke down so many times along the way, but finally, we hung in there and make it."

KARINA HUBER BOSTON "Every year the contest winners are flown to a different city in the United States known for its media and technology industries. This year it was Boston where the students met with leaders at Google, MIT and the Associated Press."

NINGYUAN HU STUDENT, UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI "This is a very unique and networking opportunity for us and we can directly talk to people working for Google and MIT Media Labs so that's kind of cool."

Reed says the contest is primarily designed to help students prepare for the working world - giving them a chance to develop more skills and contacts. But it's also to help journalism.

EBONY REED, DIRECTOR OF INNOVATION REYNOLDS JOURNALISM INSTITUTE FUTURES LAB "The only way journalism will survive is by inter-disciplinary teams working together and seeing what readers and audiences need and want."

With this contest win, the Chinese team are now part of a young generation trying to forge a new path in journalism. Karina Huber, CGTN, Boston.