SHINING STARS
FIJI SUN’S RANOBA BAOA WINS PLACE IN TOP BRITISH JOURNALISM COURSE, FOLLOWS SUCCESS OF COLLEAGUE ROSI DOVIVERATA
A second leading Fiji
Sun editor has won a place in a prestigious programme at a British university.
Managing Editor Production Ranoba Baoa was yesterday named among participants for the University of Central Lancashire’s (UCLan) 2022 Journalism Innovation and Leadership (JILeaders) Programme.
She joins a line-up of selected media professionals from around the world
The class of 2022 is made up of 18 participants from nine countries on three continents stretching across 12 time zones, from Asia Pacific, Africa and the Middle East, to Europe.
The 30-week part-time, online postgraduate certificate, course has been co-designed by a team of pragmatic academics and thoughtful industry leaders to foster the next generation of diverse news media leaders and innovators.
The group of 11 women and seven men bring with them a wide range of media experience from national broadcasters and news publishers to digital media start-ups and technology companies.
Fiji Sun Publisher/CEO Peter Lomas said: “Ranoba’s selection underscores the strength and capacity of our editors. She is also the first Banaban to rise to this level in journalism.
“Her selection follows the outstanding participation by our Managing Editor Digital and Readership Development Rosi Doviverata in this year’s programme.
“It also underscores our commitment to embrace technology and innovation.
“Rosi and Ranoba are both trailblazing award winning USP journalism graduates. They were the first journalists we sent overseas for training as we embraced digital media. They did a special programme in the online department of the Sydney Morning Herald.”
The JILeaders Programme continues to be supported by the Google News Initiative (GNI), which provides funding for 12 scholarship places and to facilitate the associated mentoring programme. The IMS (International
Media Support) has also pledged funding for two additional scholarships.
Lara Ayoub, Digital Media Strategist and Communications Specialist at the United Nations, is one of the scholars.
She said: “I am thrilled and grateful to have received a scholarship for the Journalism Innovation and Leadership programme at UCLan for 2022. This unique learning opportunity will allow me to explore and practice new innovative skills that shape the future of journalism today. I cannot wait!”
The Programme boasts an impressive roster of senior executives who mentor course participants, including Inga Thordar, Executive Editor of CNN Digital International, and Joanna Geary, Senior Director of Curation at Twitter, who is also an alumna of an earlier version of the programme.
François Nel, Reader in Media Innovation and Entrepreneurship at UCLan and course leader, said: “We’re keen to once again bring together a group of like-minded individuals who share a passion for pushing the industry forward, embracing digital transformation and supporting their communities.
“Like the participants before them, we have no doubt they will learn a great deal from each other alongside benefitting from the expertise of their tutors and mentors.”
Mr Nel is a former journalist who works with innovating news organisations and digital media.
The class of 2022 will begin their JILeaders Programme course in January.
Like the participants before them, we have no doubt they will learn a great deal from each other alongside BEnEfittInG From tHE expertise of their tutors and mentors.
François Nel Reader in Media Innovation and Entrepreneurship at UCLan and course leader
The Journalism Innovation and Leadership Programme Class of 2022 are:
■ Nicola Adam, Editor of the Blackpool Gazette and Associate Editor of the Lancashire Post, UK.
■ Lara Ayoub, Digital media strategist, communications specialist at the UN and Co-founder of a Jordanian NGO, SADAQA, which advocates for an enabling work environment for women.
■ Ranoba Baoa, Managing Editor Production at the Fiji Sun, the Pacific’s biggest newspaper.
■ Amina Bedjaoui Chaouche, Editor at Radio Algeria.
■ Rhiannon Davies, Founding Editor of the Greater Govanhill mangazine, Glasgow.
■ Laura Elvin-Knight, Head of News Content Discovery at the South West News Service, UK.
■ Hussein Melele, founder and Executive Director of Mulika Tanzania.
■ Maureen Mudi, Regional Coordinator at the Media Council of Kenya.
■ Churchill Otieno, Digital Editor at Nation Media Group and President of the Kenya Editors Guild.
■ Rachael Sibley, Podcast Lead for the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS), Australia’s multicultural and multilingual broadcaster.
■ Jenna Verster, Night News Editor at News 24, South Africa.
■ Ed Walker, Audience and Content Director (Regionanls) at Reach Plc, UK.
■ Raymond Zarurai, Editor of CommuTalk, Ziimbabwe.
■ Aida Aslani, a journalist who loves working with data and new technologies.
■ Rachael Krishna, Trends Curator at Twitter, UK
■ Andrew Dagnell, Head of Newsgathering at ITV News, UK
■ Zweli Sibanda, Managing Director of 3TV, Zimbabwe’s first private television broadcaster.
■ Tendai Kamhungira, News Editor of the Financial Gazette, Zimbabwe. Sources: UCLan and Fiji Sun