Digital Media Pioneers: Online Seminars on Media Viability

This set of seven online seminars was organised as part of the Deutsche Welle (DW) Akademie Digital Media Pioneers programme. The programme, which was implemented in partnership with the GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) between 2018 and 2020, brought together 16 digital media start-ups from countries across the world to tackle issues related to media viability. The main aim was to share experiences, explore and gain insights from the challenges other innovative media entrepreneurs face, and develop new approaches and solutions for media viability. The programme consisted of webinar training sessions, meetings, and a final publication (see Related Summaries, below).

The series of webinars, which were hosted monthly, cover a variety of issues facing media start-ups and include hate speech and mental health, metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs), safety for journalists, non-violent communication, remote work, virtual consultancy, and virtual workshops. They are hosted by Pauline Tillmann, project manager of the Digital Media Pioneers programme.

The online seminars are as follows (highlighted links take you to the recording on YouTube):

1. Hate Speech & Mental Health
   • Keynote speaker: Ellen Wesemüller from the Neue Deutsche Medienmacher, an umbrella organisation for journalists with a migration background. She is the project manager of "No Hate Speech" project, which empowers journalists and social media and community managers to counter hate speech on media websites and social media channels.
   • This presentation explores the increasing threats and hate speech against journalists and what is being done to combat this problem. It covers counter-hate speech, how to prevent it, and strategies for dealing with hate speech in editorial offices.
2. Metrics and KPIs
   • Keynote speaker: Gabriel Yoran, co-founder of Steady, a membership platform for independent publishers across Europe launched in 2017 by the Google Digital News Innovation Fund (DNI).
   • Metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) are crucial for a successful media startup. This presentation provides insights into why one should measure aspects of a start-up, what to measure, and how. It covers concepts such as Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC), Customer Lifetime Value (CLV), Retention Rate, and Churn Rate.
3. Safety for journalists
   • Keynote speakers: Maria Salazar Ferro, director of Emergencies Department at the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a non-profit organisation that defends the right of journalists to report the news safely and without fear of reprisal; and Daniel Moßbrucker, freelance journalist and digital security trainer.
   • This seminar focuses on safety for journalists, which is seen as the ability for journalists and media professionals to do their job without facing physical and psychological threats, but also digital risks. Threats range from harassment, intimidation, enforced disappearances, and detention, to torture, murder, and kidnapping. Ferro talks most of all about physical and psychological safety - and shares links, toolkits, and checklists with the seminar participants. Moßbrucker talks about digital security and gives hands-on recommendations for going online with less risk of being attacked or hacked.
4. Non-violent communication
   • Keynote speaker: Thomas Stelling, a trainer and coach specialising in non-violent communication.
   • This seminar focuses on non-violent communication as an approach to human resources (HR) management and organisational culture. The concept of non-violent living was developed by Marshall Rosenberg in the 1960s and is based on the assumption that all human beings have the capacity for compassion and empathy. It is thought that people only resort to violence or behaviour harmful to others when they do not recognise more effective strategies for meeting their needs. Stelling gives an overview of Rosenberg's general concept and provides concrete examples for understanding this method. Non-violent communication can be used for internal and external communication - for example, when being attacked via social media. He talks about the four main principles (needs, feelings, requests, and observation), and explains why self-empathy and empathy are important, talks about "the power of listening", and stresses that non-violence always chooses love instead of hate.
5. Remote work
   • Keynote speaker: Frederik Fischer, a journalist and media entrepreneur.
   • This seminar talks about remote work, which has become more prevalent especially since the Coronavirus epidemic. But while widespread, it's still a challenge for companies and remote workers alike. Fischer discusses the benefits and the risks of remote work and what new methods, skills, and corporate cultures are required to make it work for both sides. He offers some tips and tools for success, such as planning a retreat once a year (if possible), creating time slots for deep work, and talking on the phone instead of writing emails and WhatsApp messages.
6. Virtual Consultancy
   • Keynote speakers: James Breiner, an expert in media viability and a coach, trainer, and consultant. He works as a professor at University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain, on entrepreneurial journalism. Ross Settles, a consultant in fundraising, revenue streams, management and organisational development. He has been working for media startups in Europe, the United States, Asia, and Latin America. Since 2018, he has been a professor at the University of Hong Kong, teaching digital journalism and entrepreneurial journalism.
   • This seminar on virtual consultancy looks at: the main differences between face-to-face consultancy and consultancy in a virtual space; the key elements; the main role of a consultant; what the differences are between consultant, coach, and mentor; and how to motivate mentees in the long run.
7. Virtual workshops
   • Keynote speaker: Felix Zellner, a co-founder of the company Work Awesome, where he organises conferences and workshops on the future of work all around the world. He is also the host of "Remote Daily," a daily talkshow on Zoom and Linkedin Live.
   • This seminar discusses virtual workshops and how to create engaging virtual gatherings. It offers ideas, best practices, and resources like creating great openers, icebreakers, and closing rituals for online sessions.