Now into its second year, the Media Professionals Programme in Southeast Asia, combined with its sister programme in the Middle East and North Africa, has successfully equipped media managers with strategies, skills and support networks to advance their careers and contribute to the growth of financially viable and editorially strong media enterprises in both regions.

 “This programme provides us with essential knowledge that we lack in Myanmar, in particular through the leadership skills development and the career coaching,” said Thandar Htay, National Sales Director at Myanmar Consolidated Media, one of the programme participants. “Moreover, as our country is starting to open up and restrictions on the media are removed, we need to learn from experienced international media. The programme is providing us with that opportunity.”

Media professionals from Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam are invited to apply to the 2013 programme, with completed applications due by 6 March.

Mid-level managers from both the commercial and editorial side of newspapers, online media, TV and radio as well as new/small media entrepreneurs and managers can apply. Successful candidates are set to benefit from individual career coaching, workshops on leadership and media management skills, as well as participation at WAN-IFRA events. An application form can be downloaded from http://www.wan-ifra.org/node/72593/

“We are looking forward to bringing the MPP to the next level in 2013, by increasing the number of participants as well as adding new components to the programme,” said Kajsa Törnroth, Strategic Advisor for the programme. “This is a very exciting time to work with media in Southeast Asia, where major changes are taking place.”

The programme is well on the way to supporting the career aspirations of a new generation of media managers and strengthening the media in participating countries. More information about the programme and participants can be found at http://www.wan-ifra.org/node/67763/

The Media Professionals Programme Southeast Asia is funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, allowing WAN-IFRA to broaden and develop its press freedom and media development activities to support free and financially sustainable media worldwide.

More information on WAN-IFRA’s media development programmes can be found at http://www.wan-ifra.org/microsites/media-development

WAN-IFRA, based in Paris, France, and Darmstadt, Germany, with subsidiaries in Singapore and India, is the global organisation of the world’s newspapers and news publishers. It represents more than 18,000 publications, 15,000 online sites and over 3,000 companies in more than 120 countries. Its core mission is to defend and promote press freedom, quality journalism and editorial integrity and the development of prosperous businesses.

Inquiries to: Larry Kilman, Deputy CEO and Director of Communications and Public Affairs, WAN-IFRA, 96 bis, rue Beaubourg, 75003 Paris France. Tel: +33 1 47 42 85 07. Fax: +33 1 42 78 92 33. Mobile: +33 6 10 28 97 36. E-mail: larry.kilman@wan-ifra.org