Leading Media Through Disruption: New GIBS Programme Tackles AI, Sustainability and Market Challenges
Across Africa, independent journalism faces one of its most challenging eras.
Newsrooms are shrinking. Audiences are fragmenting. Advertising markets are dominated by global tech giants. Misinformation spreads rapidly, eroding trust. The skills required to lead sustainable, resilient, and innovative media organisations today are vastly different from those of even five years ago.
Against this backdrop, the Executive Programme in Media Leadership offered by the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), comes at a pivotal time. Designed to equip senior media and communication professionals across the continent with the leadership, strategy, and innovation tools needed to navigate an increasingly complex environment, the programme offers an exciting and intense learning opportunity to build new capabilities and networks.
'The future of Africa's media depends on strong leadership,' says Michael Markovitz, Director of the GIBS Media Leadership Think Tank and lead faculty for the programme. 'Yet too often, talented editors, executives and innovators are forced to lead in isolation, without the structured support, peer learning, and professional development that leaders in other industries take for granted.'
A Leadership Programme Built for Africa's Media Challenges
The four-month hybrid programme, running from July to October 2025, has been designed from the ground up to respond to the realities of African media markets — from small digital startups to legacy broadcasters, from public interest media to entrepreneurial ventures.
Participants will gain practical skills in areas such as:
AI in the newsroom and emerging technologies
Sustainable business models and media financing
Competition and communications law
Negotiation strategy and board management
Entrepreneurship in Africa
Public interest journalism in an era of market failure
Audience-centric innovation and product strategy
Styli Charalambous, CEO and co-founder of Daily Maverick, who co-designed the GIBS programme with Markovitz describes the motivation for the course: 'We wanted something that responds to the real constraints and opportunities facing African media, whether you're in Nairobi, Lagos or Johannesburg. And, importantly, making it accessible in terms of costs and travel.'
A World-Class, Cross-Disciplinary Faculty
One of the programme's major attractions is its exceptional faculty, combining GIBS's top thinkers in leadership, strategy, entrepreneurship and innovation with globally respected media experts.
Participants will learn from leading academics, practitioners, and innovators working at the forefront of fields such as media strategy, AI, public interest journalism, digital transformation, competition law, and media investment.
GIBS's own faculty brings deep expertise in strategy, leadership, AI, entrepreneurship, finance, and change management — ensuring a cross-sectoral learning experience that bridges media with the wider business and innovation world.
Urgency and Opportunity
Applications have opened with a deadline of 4 July 2025. A limited number of scholarships are available to support participation by candidates from across the continent.
The programme welcomes senior media and communications professionals, including editors, newsroom leaders, digital and product heads, media executives, policy-makers, financial and operational leaders with prior leadership experience.
Participants will graduate with a powerful new network of peers and faculty across Africa's media and innovation ecosystem.
Why Now?
Africa's media cannot afford leadership deficits at a time of profound market disruption. New operating systems, frameworks and networks are necessary to respond to the challenges of this important sector. The programme will seek to address the disruption by:
Digital platforms and AI are transforming content distribution and monetisation.
Financial pressures, market consolidation, and platform dominance are threatening the sustainability of many outlets.
New models of audience engagement, revenue generation, and collaboration are needed urgently — but require new skills and strategic thinking.
The regulatory environment is shifting fast, with competition and media law playing a growing role in shaping market outcomes.
'There is no going back to the old ways of funding and managing media,' says Markovitz. 'Leaders need to be able to operate in what we call a state of permacrisis — constant change, complexity and challenge. That requires not just resilience, but fresh thinking.'
Designed for Impact
Unlike conventional academic courses, the Executive Programme in Media Leadership is intensely practical and applied. Participants will engage with case studies, peer learning and a Capstone project to translate insights into action.
Sessions will include:
Public interest journalism and market sustainability
AI and data-driven strategy
Strategic transformation and entrepreneurship
Regulatory frameworks and competition law
Leadership in permacrisis and resilience
Inclusive leadership and cultural frameworks
Audience-centric innovation and strategic communications
Apply Now
For African media leaders ready to take on the next phase of their journey and to help build a stronger, more sustainable, more innovative media ecosystem. This is a rare opportunity to invest in transformational leadership skills.
Visit www.gibs.co.za/execmedia to learn more and submit your application. Applications close 4 July 2025.
There are limited partial scholarships available so interested applicants should not delay. DM
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