Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa launches financial journalism training program

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The Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa (BMIA) Financial Journalism Training Program to advance business and financial reporting was launched today in Zambia. More than 50 delegates will take part in the first intake of the training that will be offered in partnership with the University of Lusaka Business School, and the University of Zambia’s Department of Media and Communication.

Speaking at the event, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services Dora Siliya said: “We are pleased to be attending yet another BMIA milestone event in Zambia and be part of the launch of the financial journalism training program in the country. The Zambian economy is constantly evolving and changing, so it is crucial that the press develops accordingly.  I am confident that this program will support the continuous progression of the Zambian media by exposing them to leading financial journalism experts.”

During the next six months, the delegates will spend 19 days in sessions led by prominent faculty at the two local educational institutions and will cover topics to strengthen their skills in data analysis, capital markets, accounting, public policy, economics and journalism.  They will also have a free subscription to the global data, news and information provided on the Bloomberg Terminal.  The Training Program was previously offered in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa, graduating more than 500 delegates. The program was also recently expanded to Ghana.

The Training Program is a core component of the BMIA, which aims to contribute to the advancement of business and financial reporting in Africa, recognizing the important role the media plays in promoting transparency, accountability and good governance.  The BMIA is a project of Bloomberg Philanthropies.  The Training Program in Zambia will also receive support from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.  

“We are very excited to see the start of this new phase of the Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa Financial Journalism Training program. The Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) is proud to partner with Bloomberg in helping equip a global talent pool of journalists with the sort of specialist expertise that can drive them towards attaining a high level of professional excellence. This is the basis of a robust, ethical, independent press, which now seems to be more critical than ever,” said Andreas Dracopoulos, co-President of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.  

Erana Stennett, Director, BMIA added: “We are excited to be back here in Zambia soon after the success of the African Business Media Innovators summit to launch the BMIA Financial Journalism Training Program. We have seen the positive impact the program had in other markets and hope the training helps further the development, quality, accuracy and impact of the financial journalism field in Africa.”

Remarks were also offered by Professor Luke Evuta Mumba, Vice Chancellor, University of Zambia, Professor Pinalo Chifwanakeni, Vice Chancellor, University of Lusaka, and Ms. Christine Mwangi, Secretariat Director, Strathmore Business School.

Since its launch, BMIA has reached more than 1,000 stakeholders in Africa, with delegates from 13 countries graduating from the BMIA Financial Journalism Training Program. BMIA has also sponsored four annual conferences for media owners and senior leaders in business, government and civil society, with the most recent taking place in Livingstone last November; a Fellowship for editors and senior journalists and a fund to promote community media and citizen journalism.  The Ford Foundation has also provided support for some of these activities.