Knight Fellow Meredith Beal is working with the African Media Initiative, the only group of media owners on the continent, to find new revenue streams.

A media entrepreneur, Knight International Journalism Fellow Meredith Beal is working with members of the African Media Initiative (AMI), a pan-African organization of media owners and operators, to develop effective business models and new revenue streams that support quality news coverage.

Through a competitive process, AMI is selecting organizations to receive Beal’s intensive coaching on business practices, including monetizing mobile and online news services. The early months of his fellowship have been devoted to establishing criteria for organizations to be assisted and assessing their specific needs.

The first beneficiaries will be Radio One, a popular, private radio station in Uganda; and Network Africa in Kenya, which includes four radio stations, one television channel and one daily newspaper, The Star. The profitability strategies he develops at these first organizations will be made available to media managers across the continent.