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Executive Program in News Innovation and Leadership

Empowering News Media Leaders of the Future.

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Executive Program in News Innovation and Leadership

With our year-long Executive Program, we equip a diverse group of changemakers with the knowledge, skills and networks necessary to lead the transformation of the news business.

We believe that the news media industry needs leaders who are passionate about journalism, but also understand how to run an innovative and successful business. What makes our program unique is that we are training leaders to navigate the intersections of product, editorial, business, and technology to become more effective in developing new revenue models and products and managing change and innovation in their organizations.

The program brings together a diverse cohort of up to 20 news media leaders from both legacy and digital native players in the United States and internationally. Participants will come from the editorial, product, tech, and business sides of media organizations. We are committed to fostering diversity in the leadership ranks of newsrooms, which is essential to sustaining the future of journalism.

The hybrid model of the program makes it possible for participants to keep their job while they participate in weekly online meetings and workshops. The program runs from May 2021 to April 2022. The cohort follows weekly classes, a self-paced learning plan, and receives personalized coaching over the course of the full year. They will spend three weeks in residency in New York City between October 2021 and April 2022, if the COVID-19 situation allows in-person learning.

At the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York, change is in our DNA. The courses and programs that we offer are always at the innovative edge of the media industry – taught by experienced faculty and practitioners, practical and outcomes-oriented, incorporating learnings on recent best practices in New York City, the United States and abroad.

At a time when our profession is reeling from financial pressures and is in urgent need of solutions for a sustainable future for media businesses, we are committed to advancing the next generation of skilled, innovative, ethically minded, and diverse media leaders.

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Outcomes

The alumni of our Executive Program in News Innovation and Leadership will:

Gain a thorough understanding of how to build and execute a product strategy.
Understand the market forces that impact the business model of journalism and know how to develop new revenue models, business plans and growth strategies.
Learn how to foster a data-driven mindset to drive audience-centric innovation.
Understand and apply industry best practices in organizational structure, revenue models and innovation management.
Strengthen their leadership skills to attract and retain diverse talent and manage interdisciplinary teams.
Become more effective in how to drive change and manage transformation in their news organization.
Build lasting relationships with their cohort, the Newmark J-School community, and the NYC media innovation ecosystem.

How to Apply

Applications for the 2021 cohort are now open.

In addition to a non-refundable $75 application fee, applicants will be expected to provide:

two letters of recommendation from people who can speak of their leadership skills and potential
a resume
a letter of intent of up to 1,000 words explaining what makes them a good candidate for this program

Participants who make it through the first round will be scheduled for a video call with the program director.

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1. When does the program run?

The program runs from May 17, 2021 to April 8, 2022. Weekly classes take place Thursdays in the morning (Eastern Time) and are video-recorded in case a participant can’t join in person. Residencies in NYC are scheduled to take place October 25-November 5, 2021 and April 4-8, 2022. Commencement will be held after the end of the last residency. Participants are encouraged to arrive in New York the Sunday before the start of each residency as classes run weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. In the case in-person classes are not possible due to COVID-19, classes will be held online.

2. What kind of candidates are you looking for?

We are looking for media leaders who are passionate about driving change and innovation – whether they work in legacy news operations or at digital outlets. The program is open to candidates from the editorial, product, business, and technology sides of media organizations, and we are committed to a diverse cohort. This is not an entry-level program. To ensure the greatest learning impact, participants are expected to have some leadership experience. Participants with strategic leadership responsibilities but no direct reports will also be considered. You can take a look at our 2020 cohort here.

3. Is the program open to international applicants?

Yes, absolutely. Part of the mission of this executive program is to bring together a diverse, international cohort of media leaders that can profit from each others experience. If you are an international applicant, the school will help you apply for the appropriate visa to study in the US. Please note that the applicant pays all visa fees. We can not guarantee admission to the United States or the granting of a visa.

4. What is expected of participants?

We ask that participants enter the program with a willingness to collaborate, share learnings, and mentor others. Attendance during residency weeks is mandatory. The one year, limited-residency program structure is designed to help working participants balance their busy career and the intense studies, while also allowing time to build the professional and personal networks. On top of that, participants should plan to spend an average of 10 hours a week throughout the year to review study materials, read articles and cases in preparation for in-person modules and webinars and work on a capstone project.

5. Who teaches the courses?

Classes and workshops will be led by Newmark J-School faculty, including Professor Jeff Jarvis and Program Director Anita Zielina, as well as a diverse and experienced group of media innovation practitioners.

Additionally, field trips, company visits, and fireside chats will allow participants to hear first-hand from top players in NYC’s media and innovation industries. Regular hangouts with international media innovators will offer insights into best practices from around the globe. Each participant will also be paired with a coach who will provide individualized feedback and guidance on a capstone project.

6. How much does the program cost?

7. Is tuition assistance available?

8. What do participants get upon completion of the program?

Participants who go through all the modules and finish a capstone project receive a Certificate of Completion issued by the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. Over the long term, we will build a network of executives that the school will steward. This is not a master’s degree program. At a later time, we might offer a similar course of study at a different price point that results in an executive master’s degree.