By Barth Ikiebe

The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, says for the media to truly remain independent, it must be economically viable.

Mills stated this at a week-long training programme for Media Chief Executive Officers selected from leading Nigerian media outlets across the country.

The training, organised by the U.S. Mission in Nigeria, in collaboration with Channels Academy, took place in Abuja and Lagos simultaneously.

The Programme focused on Journalism ‘Innovation and Sustainable Media Business’, according to a statement on Wednesday by the U.S. Mission in Nigeria.

“It aimed at equipping media leaders with appropriate skills to refine their business models, explore innovative revenue strategies, and enhance their approaches to audience engagement”.

While emphasising the indispensable role that the media plays in strengthening democracy, Mills said that the programme would help to foster collaboration and innovation among Nigerian media leaders.

He said that for the media to remain truly independent, it must also be economically viable.

“A free and independent press is the backbone of any strong democracy.

“I’m grateful to be here with you as we work together to shape a more resilient future for the media industry in this country.”

Stacia Philips, ex-U.S. media executive and the training team leader, said that it aimed to cultivate a collaborative and supportive space where media executives shared best practices and built lasting professional networks.

“Beyond the time spent together during the workshops, the media leaders will continue to engage with each other virtually as they implement their plans to adapt the business models that underpin their news operations,” she explained.

Philips shared perspectives on how the media could create an innovation culture, drawing on her 30 years of leadership in U.S. newsrooms overseeing editorial strategies, news programming, business development and audience engagement.

According to her, this is by leveraging technology to improve newsgathering; optimise operations; attract, nurture, and retain talent; and diversify income streams to achieve the long-term sustainability of their news outlets.

Philips noted that there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution on how media organisations should adapt their business models to meet market realities.

She said: “At the end of the workshops, participants embraced a spirit of collaboration, exploring ideas like pooled coverage and joint content distribution to broaden their reach.

“It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have engaged with a diverse group of Nigerian media leaders as we discussed opportunities to adapt, adjust, and effectively lead through change in the media landscape.

“I am thrilled to see how this newfound energy and cooperation will shape the future for all of Nigeria, ensuring a bright future, one defined by transparency, accountability, and progress.”

General Manager, Channels Academy, Kingsley Uranta, explained that the programme reinforced the urgent need for collaboration, adaptability and forward-thinking solutions to navigate the evolving media landscape.

He expressed appreciation to the U.S. Mission for supporting the programme, adding that it had begun to yield promising results with increased collaboration among the participants.

“In these challenging times, the future of media depends on our ability to innovate and co-create.

“Channels Academy will continue to lead the change in empowering media leaders and practitioners to shape a resilient and dynamic industry,” he noted.

Our Correspondent reports that the U.S. Mission supports a range of such workshops, seminars and exchanges locally and in the United States.

These include the International Visitor Leadership Programme, Foreign Press Centre, International Reporting Tours, among others, as part of its active engagement in advancing independent journalism.

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