Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) has launched Amplify Southern Africa, a mentoring, coaching and capacity strengthening program to help independent media businesses in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and South Africa build their revenues, audiences and innovation. The focus of the program will be on media with a product and business mindset and growth potential.
Amplify Southern Africa will admit up to eight media organizations and is designed to support a diverse range of independent outlets seeking to develop and innovate their business in areas such as revenue generation, audience growth, distribution and connecting with underserved communities, provided they meet specified eligibility criteria. Participants will be selected through a closed call for applications.
What to expect from the program
With a dynamic blend of personalized, hands-on learning and collaborative networking, here’s what participants can expect from the program:
- Bespoke one-on-one coaching and training to drive business growth
- Diverse media management advice by local and international experts
- Support from media start-up specialists to identify and develop optimal business strategies and models
- Focus on developing new revenue streams and building audience, while maximizing engagement and customer experience
- Advice on organization, leadership, project structure and execution workflow
- Targeted grant funding tied to capacity support to maximize effectiveness
- Workshops, hands-on-training and opportunities to connect with industry experts and fellow participants to gain insights from successful real-world examples
Criteria for entry into the program
A media organization applying for Amplify Southern Africa must fulfil certain conditions:
- Participating media must be media outlets based in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and South Africa, and must be independent from the government or any other political or economic interest group.
- Participating media must be supportive of democratic practices and institutions, political pluralism, transparency, human rights, dignity and equal rights for all, regardless of race, ethnic or social origin, gender, sex, sexual orientation, disability, religion, culture or language.
- Participating media must be looking to expand/grow a viable existing media business OR seed a new media business venture (with strong evidence of viability) through driving innovative initiatives as well as promoting adaptation and experimentation in content creation, distribution, and engagement.
- Participating media should have a particular business and/or revenue and/or strategic transformation project they are planning to work on over the next 12 months (or early in the stages of an existing project) targeting one or more of the following focal areas:Participating media must be willing to commit sufficient time to work with coaches/mentors and carry out assigned tasks.
- New revenue opportunities: Innovative solutions to revenue challenges that media companies face – opening up new revenue streams to make media organizations more sustainable and independent.
- Digital native products: New approaches to collecting news and information, and to reporting, storytelling and distribution, that embrace the possibilities of technology and contribute to the viability of news operations.
- Reaching communities in rural/underserved areas: Innovative approaches to reach and empower people generally underserved by existing news media.
- Innovation in distribution: Media technology and tools that help to distribute local and relevant news in a cost-effective and sustainable way.
- Transition to digital: Finding and implementing solutions, products or processes that assist legacy media to transform their businesses.
- Participating media must be willing to commit sufficient time to work with coaches/mentors and carry out assigned tasks.