The Media Sustainability Essentials guide was developed to help media managers identify and choose the most relevant business models and practices that fit with their missions and operating conditions. It provides a common language around core concepts of media business functions and provides leads to further resources. It offers practical, straightforward guidance on growing audiences and diversifying revenue sources.
Author Michelle J. Foster, Executive Director of News Consulting Group and former Strategy Partner to Internews, commented: “While media sustainability is one of the major challenges of the digital age so far, for all types of media, we were delighted to highlight stories of success in this guide. By combining theory essentials with guest essays and interviews—many of which are from Internews partners—media managers will learn where to look next in designing and realizing their strategies and activating new revenues.”
“This guide is a considerable body of knowledge, researched, written, and compiled by one of the media development sector’s most authoritative sources on media sustainability,” said Jason Lambert, Senior Director for Media Business at Internews. “Whether you are already developing a small to medium-sized media business and looking for increased financial performance, or are just getting started, this is essential reading.”
Media Sustainability Essentials was created under the Strengthening Civil Society Globally (SCS Global) Program, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) under a Leader with Associates (LWA) Cooperative Agreement, led by FHI 360. SCS Global works across sectors to offer USAID Missions and Operating Units a flexible, worldwide platform for designing and implementing projects that strengthen civil society and independent media organizations to advance DRG objectives and other development goals.
SCS Global’s purpose is the identification and development of evidence-based approaches to strengthen civil society and media in support of DRG and other development results in open and closing environments.
About the Author
Since 2004, Michelle J. Foster has helped media in countries around the world strengthen their organizations through improved management, marketing, and strategic initiatives. She has actively engaged with projects in a wide range of countries and regions including Africa, Asia, Central America, Eastern Europe, and Southeast Asia. Michelle contributes to the field of media development by assessing market conditions in emerging and constrained markets.
A frequent author, Foster specializes in researching the business environment for news media in developing and constrained environments. Previous roles include being the senior market development executive for Gannett Co., Inc. a Knight International Journalism Fellow, a Strategy Partner to Internews, and co-founder of consulting firm Newsgain.