PRIMEDIA SCHOLARSHIPS FOR AFRICAN MEDIA LEADERS AT RHODES UNIVERSITY

Primedia, South Africa’s leading media group whose vision is to become a world class media company, invites applications for postgraduate scholarships from South Africans who wish to study media management at Rhodes University’s Sol Plaatje Institute (SPI) for Media Leadership in 2015. Successful applicants, who should be from previously disadvantaged groups such as Blacks, Coloureds and Indians, will register for the SPI’s intensive, one-year-long fulltime Postgraduate Diploma in Media Management (PDMM), the only formal media management qualification in Africa and the developing world. Candidates must already possess an undergraduate degree from a recognised university in order to pursue postgraduate study. The Primedia scholarships cover:

• The full cost of tuition • Accommodation and meals in one of Rhodes University’s postgraduate residences • Course materials and books • A monthly subsistence allowance • Medical aid • Travel costs between Rhodes University and a candidate’s home; and • Mid-year media management internship costs.

The PDMM is a one-year, fulltime programme designed to provide people who work or aspire to work in the media industry with critical skills and knowledge they need to perform more effectively and strategically in their organizations and to fast-track their careers to management positions.

The PDMM is equivalent to an honours degree - it is pegged at Level 8 on the National Qualifications Framework set by South Africa’s qualifications-setting agency SAQA - and combines rigorous theoretical and practical grounding, a mid-year management internship and a comprehensive academic portfolio at the end of the year.

The PDMM is composed of eight compulsory modules covering media economics and financial management; media markets, audiences and advertising; managing media content; managing circulation and distribution; media management and leadership; media management contexts, policy and institutions; new media and convergence; and human resources management.

For the Primedia scholars, they will additionally be expected to focus on management of electronic media and digital media management and most likely do their internship at companies of Primedia.

Application details and procedures: Only candidates from previously disadvantaged groups in South Africa are eligible to apply for these scholarships. Candidates should already have an undergraduate degree from a recognised university. The application deadline for these scholarships is 24 October 2014. Students wishing to apply for these scholarships need to:

• Complete the Rhodes University’s standard Honours Application form (available at www.ru.ac.za/applying/ under the section ‘Postgraduate Studies’ which must be submitted directly to the Registrar’s Division at Rhodes University and a copy emailed to Linda Snam (l.snam@ru.ac.za) at the Sol Plaatje Institute (SPI). • Submit a detailed Curriculum Vitae, including contact details. This is sent to the SPI only. • Submit certified academic transcripts for ALL tertiary qualifications (these are sent to both the SPI and Registrar’s Division at Rhodes University); and • Submit to the SPI (through Linda Snam at L.snam@ru.ac.za) a 1,000-word letter of motivation, which explains why the student is interested in doing the PDMM, how the PDMM will assist the student’s career and why the student believes she/he qualifies for the Primedia scholarship.

Preference will be given to students who wish to further their careers in broadcasting and who have experience in broadcasting and/or new media.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted after the applications close at noon on 24 October 2014. Copies of the candidates’ application must have reached Linda Snam by this time.