Session Agenda

2 Hours.
Five Modules.
Real Decisions.

2 hrDuration
5Modules
45%Hands-on

Interactive workshop with embedded exercises. Bring your current budget and a list of active editorial initiatives for best results.

0:0501Minimum Viable Media Economics20 min
0:2502Cost-to-Impact Analysis20 min
0:4503Operational Efficiency15 min
1:0004Flexible & Hybrid Funding20 min
1:2005Editorial & Financial Alignment10 min
01
Minimum Viable Media Economics20 min0:05 – 0:25
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What you'll learn
  • The true cost of producing one piece of content
  • Fixed vs. variable cost structures in editorial operations
  • Why efficiency can threaten quality — and when it doesn't
  • Introduction to contribution margin thinking
CEO Focus
Strategic cost awareness and resource allocation philosophy.
CFO Focus
Cost classification and unit economics modelling.
Key insight
Most media leaders dramatically underestimate true production costs because they don't account for all inputs — editing, fact-checking, legal review, production, distribution, and organisational overhead.
Embedded Exercise — 8 min
Map Your Cost Structure
Working in pairs, classify your organisation's top 10 expenses as fixed or variable. Identify which costs scale with output. Share one surprising insight with the group.
02
Cost-to-Impact Analysis20 min0:25 – 0:45
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What you'll learn
  • Why traditional ROI doesn't work for public interest media
  • Three-axis evaluation: Cost / Impact / Scalability
  • The "impact per dollar" question
  • Red flags: high cost, low impact, non-scalable initiatives
CEO Focus
Strategic prioritisation and mission ROI.
CFO Focus
Impact-adjusted budgeting and cost-benefit tools.
Decision framework
  • High Impact + Low Cost + Scalable → Invest & Scale
  • High Impact + High Cost + Scalable → Optimise
  • High Impact + High Cost + Not Scalable → Maintain
  • Low Impact + High Cost → Sunset
Embedded Exercise — 10 min
Initiative Prioritisation Matrix
Plot 3–5 current initiatives on the matrix. Identify one to scale, one to optimise, one to sunset. Discuss: what prevents us from making these decisions?
03
Operational Efficiency as Strategic Asset15 min0:45 – 1:00
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What you'll learn
  • Efficiency metrics that matter for public interest media
  • Metrics that mislead: speed, volume, clicks per dollar
  • Common operational waste in small media organisations
  • When systems investment pays off — and when it doesn't
CEO Focus
Operational readiness and scaling capacity.
CFO Focus
Process optimisation and productivity metrics.
Metrics that matter
  • Cost per published investigation
  • Revenue per staff member
  • Program ratio (target: 70–85%)
  • Months of operating reserve (target: 3–6)
Embedded Exercise — 7 min
Efficiency Audit Quick-Scan
Complete a 10-question diagnostic. Identify your organisation's top operational drag. Estimate potential time and cost savings from addressing it.
04
Preparing for Flexible & Hybrid Funding20 min1:00 – 1:20
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What you'll learn
  • The funding dependency trap and why it's existential
  • Hybrid models: grants + earned revenue + membership
  • Building financial reserves in grant-dependent organisations
  • Scenario planning: best case, base case, stress case
CEO Focus
Funding strategy and resilience planning.
CFO Focus
Cash flow modelling and reserve management.
Risk thresholds
  • Largest funder >50% → Critical risk
  • 40–50% → High risk
  • 25–40% → Moderate risk
  • <25% → Low risk
Embedded Exercise — 10 min
Funding Stress Test Simulation
Scenario: your largest funder (40% of budget) announces a 50% cut in 60 days. Identify immediate actions, 90-day adjustments, and structural changes to prevent recurrence.
05
Linking Editorial Strategy to Financial Reality20 min1:40 – 2:00
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What you'll learn
  • Why editorial and finance teams misunderstand each other
  • The "can we afford this?" conversation framework
  • Building editorial budgets from the bottom up
  • Red flags: editorial expansion without financial modelling
CEO Focus
Cross-functional leadership and the editorial-finance bridge.
CFO Focus
Cost modelling for editorial planning.
Core principle
Editorial independence requires financial sustainability. You cannot maintain editorial autonomy if financial crisis forces you to accept compromising funding or shut down.
Embedded Exercise — 5 min
Translation Exercise
CFOs translate a financial constraint into editorial terms. CEOs translate an editorial priority into financial requirements. Partners give feedback: did I understand you correctly?
Post-Course

What you take away

Digital Toolkit
Customisable templates: P&L, cost analysis, prioritisation matrix, stress test tool
Implementation Plan
30-day checklist to put one financial or operational improvement into action immediately
Resource Library
Annotated reading list with media sustainability research and practitioner guides
Certificate & Network
Certificate of completion and invitation to the alumni peer learning network