SRMG Academy will have the opportunity to host guest lecturers from the biggest names in journalism within its 30+ platforms and news organisations.
Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG) has launched SRMG Academy, a new training programme based in Riyadh which aims to uncover new media talent and develop emerging journalists by providing world-class vocational training in the Kingdom and beyond.
Applications are invited for enrolment in January 2023.
The six-month signature programme, aimed at training higher education graduates, is designed to offer participants a pathway to building a career in the industry by equipping them with the skills needed in today’s media world. Courses will include the basics, such as writing, editing and beat reporting; media ethics; and different storytelling formats, such as mobile journalism, podcasting and broadcast journalism.
The programme will be led by Arab journalists who have previously held senior positions in leading international and regional news organisations. SRMG Academy will also leverage the expertise of more than 30 SRMG platforms, including Asharq Al-Awsat, Asharq News, Asharq Business with Bloomberg, Independent Arabia, and Arriyadiyah and trainees will have the opportunity to work with some of these publications.
Training programmes at SRMG Academy will also include on-demand courses to the group’s platforms based on the needs of each organisation.
Setting SRMG Academy apart from other projects in the region is the programme’s association with SRMG’s expansion strategy, which aims to launch new platforms and accelerate the digital transformation of existing publications, the organisation said. The strategy promotes the development of new talents and enables SRMG journalists to acquire new skills.
Speaking about the academy, Jomana R Al-Rashed, CEO of SRMG, said: “Journalism, and the media industry as a whole, has gone through fundamental changes that have redefined basic principles, which requires training and equipping the next generation of journalists and content creators with the necessary skillsets and capabilities to thrive. Furthermore, it requires empowering those creators to succeed through employment, giving them the opportunity to advance and succeed locally, regionally, and globally.”
Al-Rashed added: “The launch of SRMG Academy aims to develop a new generation of journalists and content creators, primarily to provide our audiences with the news, information, and content they demand, meanwhile supporting the group’s growth and expansion strategy. It’s also important to note that the Academy is part of an integrated ecosystem that includes training and developing new talent, as well as employing top performers or seeding their start-ups or investing in their innovative projects or ideas that will allow them to expand into new platforms and products.”
Alaa Shahine Salha, Managing Director of SRMG Academy, stated: “SRMG Academy’s training programme will help our students navigate the daily challenges of the newsroom. Our faculty of distinguished journalists and media experts will provide students with practical and theoretical knowledge which will equip them for real-life experience working as a journalist. Our training programme will create a new generation of talented journalists, who are well informed about the global media landscape, and in touch with the evolving needs of their audience and readers.”
