RIYADH: The NEOM Media Industries Sector has partnered with ITP Media Group, the parent company of magazine brands such as Harper’s Bazaar and Esquire, to train young Saudi journalists.
“Talent development is a key element of our aim of establishing NEOM as the regional epicenter of the media industries,” said Wayne Borg, managing director of the media sector at NEOM.
Thirty-five students will be chosen to participate in a four-week training program. Ten of them will be offered a six-month internship with ITP Saudi, which will see them working on the company’s media brands including Harper’s Bazaar Saudi, Arabian Business and Esquire Saudi.
Following the internship, the top-performing interns will receive full-time employment offers.
“Short-term placements and long-term employment pathways for graduates are just as important as skills development if we are to build confidence in the media industry amongst young Saudis. That is what makes this partnership with ITP an important element of our plans to attract talent to NEOM,” Borg added.
Scheduled to start in October, the program will be conducted by media consultancy Amanda Turnbull Associates. The course will cover the fundamentals of journalism, multi-media storytelling and interview skills.
During the course, students will be asked to work on a future media project for ITP and NEOM. The aim of this will be to take a fresh look at the media landscape and offerings through the eyes of up-and-coming talent who embody Saudi’s future consumers.
ITP launched the bi-lingual Saudi editions of two of its leading brands, Esquire and Harper’s Bazaar, earlier this year, making the two brands among the first international luxury fashion and lifestyle magazines to debut in the country.
“There is already an abundance of talent within the Saudi market, with more to be unearthed,” said Sue Holt, ITP’s managing director.
“This initiative will provide young people in Saudi Arabia the opportunity to be tutored by global media experts as well as have hands-on experience in the industry,” she added.
NEOM and ITP are accepting applications from Saudi nationals aged 22 to 35 with an interest in a digital journalism career here.
