After its successes in Asia and the Gulf region, WAN-Ifra is to launch its business innovation programme in Latin America with eight news organisations taking part.

Publishers in Colombia, Mexico, Panama and Uruguay have signed for the ‘newsroom and business transformation programme’ supported by the Facebook Journalism Project.  

They are Am de León, El Diario de Yucatán, Noroeste de Sinaloa and Vanguardia de Saltillo from Mexico; La Opinión de Cúcuta from Colombia; El Universo de Guayaquil from Ecuador; La Prensa from Panama; and La Diaria from Uruguay.

The programme is aimed at news organisations which are in the process of launching their first products or paid content strategies. It will bring together executives from the editorial and business areas of each participating company during four months of training.

Topics organised around four key pillars and taught through six sessions are focussed on the opportunities and challenges faced by launching a reader revenue strategy. Each topic is especially aimed at those publishers that have recently launched their paid content strategy, or are close to doing so.

Two mentors – Gregor Waller, WAN-Ifra principal consultant and lead trainer, and Penny Riordan, director of business strategy and partnerships for the local media association – will guide participants with their experience and industry knowledge. Waller and Riordan will also welcome a series of guest speakers.

The four modules of the programme will cover strategy and culture; journalism and business; audience; and operations.

Participants will also carry out practical projects made possible through Facebook grants of $10,000 and a series of mentoring sessions. They will be able to use the grant for purposes including purchasing technology or software, experimenting with content, prototype development, launching newsletters and implementing marketing campaigns.

Click here for more information about this year’s programme