Online publishers in Delta State will on Tuesday explore ways to generate sustainable revenue beyond website traffic as the Delta Online Publishers Forum holds a workshop aimed at strengthening the business side of digital journalism.
The business workshop, scheduled for 11am at the Ministry of Information Conference Hall, Professor Chike Edozie State Secretariat Complex, Asaba, will focus on the theme, “Beyond Traffic: Building Sustainable and Profitable Digital Media Businesses.”
The Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Charles Aniagwu, is expected to attend as Special Guest of Honour and declare the workshop open.
The session will feature Professor Presley Obukoadata, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Southern Delta University, Ozoro, and Professor Majority Oji, Dean of the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies at Delta State University, Abraka, as trainers.
The organisers said the workshop would help online publishers explore ways to build stronger media brands, attract and retain audiences, develop reliable sources of income and manage the cost of running their publications.
Obukoadata, whose areas of specialisation include brand management, strategic communication and digital transformation, is expected to discuss how publishers can use technology and improve audience engagement to grow their businesses.
Oji, a communication scholar whose research interests include journalism, public opinion, development communication and disinformation, is expected to address the importance of credible content and professional standards in building public trust.
The organisers said publishers needed to balance editorial integrity with the commercial demands of running digital media businesses in an increasingly competitive environment.
In a statement, the Chairman of the DOPF Annual Conference and 6th Annual Lecture Series Planning Committee, Deacon Chijioke Williams Ugbolue, and the committee’s Secretary, Josephine Omodior, urged members to participate actively and apply the lessons to their editorial and business operations.
The workshop will open the two-day event, while the sixth annual lecture will hold on Wednesday, October 21, as part of the forum’s engagement on issues affecting the media, governance and society.
Participants have been advised to arrive by 10:30am ahead of the workshop’s scheduled commencement at 11am.
