In a war-torn country where media plays a crucial role in informing, educating and scrutinising power, media organisations face extreme challenges. Ukrainian media struggle with declining revenues, staff exodus, destroyed infrastructure and constant security risks for journalists. Simultaneously, they are expected to act as both information providers and democratic watchdogs in a globally polarised information landscape.
Against this backdrop, Fojo Media Institute, together with the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga (SSE Riga) and the Journalism Institute at Taras Shevchenko University in Kyiv (ESIJ), has launched a new initiative: a leadership programme specifically designed for media managers in Ukraine.
The programme is based on a classic MBA-setup (Master of Business Administration) but is adapted to the Ukrainian context and the specific demands imposed by the war situation. The goal is to provide media leaders with tools to strengthen their financial and organisational sustainability, develop effective business models, manage crises, lead under pressure and think innovatively.
The training comprises four modules and aims to equip media houses with knowledge and strategies that make them more resilient – both during the war and in future reconstruction phases.
The programme is the result of a growing collaboration between Swedish and Ukrainian journalism education and media organisations, and marks another step in Fojo’s long-term commitment to strengthening free and independent media in Ukraine.
Voices from participants:
“This training has been fascinating and extremely interesting as it has challenged my view of media leadership. I hope we can get through the crisis that this war entails with the knowledge I have gained from the training.”
“The most valuable thing for me has been learning about real, successful examples of leadership in crisis. As well as learning about specific income strategies for media. We will try to implement some of them in our daily work.”
Among the participants were the following media managers (pictured) from regional publications: Gvara Media and Nakipilo (Kharkiv), Kavun.City (Kherson), Bakhmut IN.UA, Trybuna.Sumy, Putyvlski Vedomosti, Informator Kolomyia, Volynska Gazeta as well as media projects from Kyiv – Euromaidan Press, Ukrainska Pravda, Univest Media.
In addition, teachers from the Department of Print Media and History of Journalism at the National Institute of Journalism also participated: Andriy Yurychko and Volodymyr Lytvynenko. The programme also engages several international and Ukrainian media experts.
The programme is implemented with the generous support the Swedish Institute.