The PEJP inaugural cohort of 20 journalists and digital content producers from across the country has concluded in August 2021. The program aimed at enhancing entrepreneurial capacity and digital skills of journalists to mitigate continued media financial crisis in Pakistan rendering thousands of journalists jobless and/or out of work.
The PEJP kicked-off with a series of three (3) foundational trainings having 66 participants divided in three cohorts: Sindh and Balochistan, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, GB, AJK and ICT. The three-day extensive program saw experts imparting knowledge on Fundamental Concepts of Entrepreneurial Journalism, Ethics in Digital News Media, Online Content Creation, Establishing a News Startup and Marketing Strategy and Monetization Techniques to the participants. A manual of best practices was also published for participants and digital journos in general. These participants produced 60 broadcast quality digital portfolios on social media.
Twenty (20) journalists and digital content producers were enrolled as PEJP inaugural cohort. These participants received advanced and intensive technical training in 7 areas and 1-on-1 mentoring by local and international experts and mentors through, first of its kind, Media Incubation Center and Accelerator Platform (MICAP).
MICAP is an innovative online facility for incubation of journalists launched by GNMI. It hosts a unique set of interactive courses that has never been offered to journalist community in Pakistan. These include Digital Content Creation, Digital Marketing Strategy, Ecommerce for News Media, Startup Accounting & Finance – Basics, Digital Safety & Security, Cyber Laws, Policies & Regulations and Monetization Tools & Strategies for News Media.
The tailored training and mentoring enabled the PEJP graduates to build their diverse digital news media projects ranging from climate change, women’s rights, differently abled persons rights and child rights to current affairs, business and finance sector coverage and local news.
A virtual event was organized amidst Delta Wave of the Covid-19 pandemic to highlight successful completion of PEJP. Apart from 20 PEJP graduates, the event was attended by 20 industry leaders in digital media, entrepreneurship, journalism, branding and marketing, and monetization in Pakistan. The virtual ceremony was conducted on 26th August 2021.