SRMG Academy launches to nurture emerging media talent

SRMG Academy logo

Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG) launched today, Dec. 15, SRMG Academy, a new training program based in Riyadh which aims to uncover new media talent and develop emerging journalists through providing world-class vocational training in the Kingdom and beyond. Applications are invited for enrolment in January 2023.

The six-month signature program, 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 program will be led by Arab journalists who have previously held senior positions in leading international and regional news organizations. 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 organization.
 

Setting SRMG Academy apart from other projects in the region is the program’s association with SRMG’s expansion strategy, which aims to launch new platforms and accelerate the digital transformation of existing publications. The strategy promotes the development of new talents and enables SRMG journalists to acquire new skills.

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.”

SRMG Academy Managing Director, Alaa Shahine Salha, added: “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 the 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.”
 

For more information, contact info@srmgacademy.com.