News
Student-owned Business Joins Content From WOUB, The Post with Special QR Codes
By: Kelly Martin
Posted on:
Beginning Wednesday, January 18, readers of Ohio University’s student newspaper, The Post, will find a custom QR code called a Flare Code. Viewers of WOUB-TV will soon see Flare Codes incorporated into the evening news program “Newswatch” and online at woub.org.
Flare Code is a student-owned business that brings multiple streams of digital content together in a single place, optimized for traditional and mobile web.
Mark Brewer, WOUB chief content officer, says this partnership provides an opportunity for students and community members.
“It’s exciting to use new technology developed by Ohio University students to aggregate news and sports content produced by OU students for the community to enjoy,” Brewer said.
The special QR codes known as Flare Codes bring together digital content such as a company’s social media, video and audio and other content in one place that is easily accessible by scanning the Flare Code with an application on a smart phone.
OU students Niklos Salontay and Ian Bowman-Henderson, communication majors in the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, see the partnership between The Post and WOUB as validation for their platform.
“We've shown that Flare Codes, which can be built by anyone in a few minutes, are powerful enough to be utilized by award-winning media organizations. This partnership shows our potential to disrupt print media landscape and I expect it to do nothing less,” says Salontay.
The product was recently opened to consumers for early testing. Salontay says they have learned a lot in the short time that it has been open for testing.
“People are impressed by how quick and fluid the mobile experience is. The most interesting feedback has come from our focus groups,” Salontay said. “We pulled people off the street to see how they would use our technology and some of them came up with uses we never thought of.”
Salontay and Bowman-Henderson will introduce their product in March during the annual SXSW Trade Show in Austin, Texas.
SXSW is a four-day exhibition that features the future of media and connects leaders in the music, film and interactive industries.
Salontay and Bowman-Henderson have planned a launch at the SXSW trade show since they began working on Flare Code.
According to Salontay the anticipation is great. “I don't think there could be more anticipation. We're planning to launch ourselves to the national community as big as possible — we're taking off the harness and we're going to reach as high as we can.”