Meet the inaugural cohort of the News Product Management Certification

30 news professionals out of more than 200 applicants from all over the world were selected to participate in a new, advanced product training program

News Product Alliance is happy to announce the inaugural cohort of the News Product Management Certification (NPMC), a training program for mid-to senior-level news professionals created in partnership with the J+ program at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY and News Catalyst.

The NPMC Spring 2024 Cohort is made of 30 news product thinkers from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Finland, Guatemala, India, Israel, New Zealand, Nigeria, Romania, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, and Uruguay. Participants hold titles such as Audience Director, Senior Product Editor, Digital Production, Managing Editor, and Product Manager, among others. See the full list below.

Over 3.5 months, starting January 2024, they will improve their product strategy, technical expertise, and change management skills with industry experts from the news and technology industries.

"By offering best-in-class news product training, the NPMC addresses existing skill gaps and empowers the news industry with a new generation of diverse leaders –News Product Thinkers– who can drive product development that centers audience needs and fills information voids while strategically aligning journalism, technology, and business goals through a lens of ethics, equity, and inclusion," Feli Carrique, executive director of the News Product Alliance, said.

“The outsized interest in this program demonstrates to us once again that product development and management is not only the key to journalism sustainability but also an exciting career path for innovative journalists,” Marie Gilot, executive director for J+, said.

Meet the 30 participants in the NPMC Spring 2024 Cohort

You can read about the participants' experiences by clicking on the photos.

Meet the Instructors and coaches for the NPMC Spring 2024 Cohort

Upon completing this program, participants will understand the fundamental methodologies employed in product strategy development and management by leading newsrooms and technology companies worldwide. Moreover, they will be able to apply product management frameworks and concepts to practical scenarios.

Meet the industry leaders who will be guiding the participants throughout the first cohort of the NPMC program:

NPMC Spring 2024 Cohort Instructors

NPMC Spring 2024 Cohort Coaches

Shannan Bowen, Executive Director of the North Carolina Local News Workshop, will guide the participants during the program and help them articulate their capstone projects. Feli Carrique, NPA Executive Director, and NPA Chief Product Officer Becca Aaronson will also contribute to the course as instructors.

The curriculum covers all aspects of product management in the news industry, from discovering audience needs and business opportunities to developing and executing a product strategy, developing strategic solutions and leading cross-functional teams.

This program was created in partnership with the J+ program at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY and News Catalyst.

Thanks to our sponsors, the Knight-Lenfest Local News Transformation Fund, the Tow-Knight Center for Entrepreneurial Journalism, and the Google News Initiative, the program offers tuition support to ensure diverse participation.

Next steps

The NPMC received an overwhelming number of applications from talented professionals worldwide. We are pleased to announce that the second cohort will begin in September 2024 to accommodate the demand. If you think this program might be the right fit for you, please stay tuned for further updates and subscribe to our list on the website.

You can read all the information about the program on our website and subscribe to our email list to stay updated.

Have any questions regarding the NPMC? Please contact npmc@newsproduct.org.