Entrepreneurial Journalism Creators Programme

Newmark J-School’s new online program for Entrepreneurial Journalism Creators helps independent journalists develop newsletters, podcasts, local sites, and other niche news products.

The 100-day online certificate program launched in 2020 to serve creative thinkers building their own micro-ventures around the world. The goal of the programme is to provide a springboard for new ideas. Participants, whether independent or employed at media companies, learn to identify and sustainably fill gaps in the news ecosystem. They craft business models by analysing market needs and revenue opportunities.

The curriculum allows for live and asynchronous learning  in any time zone —  with an understanding that participants may have personal or professional obligations that require schedule flexibility. The program relies on a variety of online learning methods including workshops, mentorship, readings, videos, coaching sessions, case studies, projects and engaging live discussions.

The all-star instructional team features innovators with expertise in journalism, product development, community engagement, marketing, revenue expansion, and sustainability. Participants also benefit from the experience of a graduate journalism school that created the first US master’s degree and advanced certificate programs in entrepreneurial journalism in 2010, and over the course of a decade, served 130 journalism entrepreneurs from 37 countries. Since the program launched in 2020, 92 creators have been selected from about 500 applicants for the first four cohorts. Creators have joined from 30 countries — from Austria, Brazil and China to Poland, Romania and Zimbabwe.

Those who successfully complete the program will learn to:

• Understand market needs and identify their niche by interviewing community members and stakeholders, and conducting market research. Graduates will be able to reflect on the desirability and feasibility of product ideas to assess their potential viability.
• Serve and grow an audience. Graduates will know how to apply tactics to build a product, grow a following, to market a project beyond its initial user base, and to engage with their community on an ongoing basis.
• Develop a revenue portfolio by analyzing and testing potential monetization strategies for their new product or initiative. Graduates will also learn to identify tools and platforms for serving a community through  newsletters, podcasts, and digital events or platforms.
• Sharpen survival skills like sales and negotiation techniques, cultural competency, collaboration skills, personal finance and self-care and resiliency. Graduates will also refine their ability to present their product ideas clearly and persuasively.

Learn how to apply here.