The Punch Sulzberger
News Media Executive Leadership Program

The Media and Research panel discussion with Tom Rosenstiel, left, moderator, Jennifer Carroll from Gannett and David Poltrack from CBS.





2007 Sulzberger Fellows Tom Heslin of the Providence Journal, and Sergio Salinas of the San Antonio Express News in session.






The Media and Research panel discussion with Michael Caputo, left, of Minnesota Public Radio, and Michael Zimbalist of The New York Times Photos/Laura Reizman

Today, editorial and business-side news executives face unprecedented challenges in blending journalistic values with business success. New ways of thinking--and leading--are required to find the best solutions to a wide range of
issues facing journalism today.

This leadership challenge motivated the sisters of Punch Sulzberger to endow the Punch Sulzberger Executive News Media Leadership Program at the Journalism School. The gift recognizes the innovations Punch Sulzberger brought to The New York Times during his tenure as its chief executive. It also acknowledges that Columbia University--Punch’s alma mater--is uniquely situated to combine the best assets of the nation’s premier journalism school with the talent of Columbia Business School's respected faculty.

Changing demographics, technological advances, fluctuating financial markets and industry structures have fractured the classic economic models of the news industry. As a consequence, the social responsibility of telling America's complete story is increasingly at risk. The goal of this program is to help news managers develop their leadership potential as they seek and implement the best approaches to rethinking the news media of the 21st century.

To fulfill this mission, we have worked with Douglas K. Smith,a noted management expert and author, to design a program around the method of performance-driven change—a set of precepts that focuses on workplace
performance as the key to an organization’s
best—incorporating both its past and its future. Like more traditional executive leadership programs, the Punch Sulzberger Executive Leadership Program stimulates leaders by offering the best in academic and industry thinking and practice. The difference lies in that the program’s curriculum is not the basis of the participant’s core experience. Instead, the candidate’s principal education will stem from the specific performance challenges he or she brings to the program.

The Sulzberger Program is offered to high-ranking executives who will use strategy, innovation, and other critical approaches in undertaking challenges confronting their companies. During the 12-15 month period, three sessions of 5 days each plus two weekends takes place at the Columbia campus. The rest of the candidate’s time is spent formulating and implementing the project at his/her workplace. The program is augmented with peer learning, business advisors, specific assignments, and tailored content.

The curriculum is led by leading industry and academic figures, including innovative thinkers concerned with the social responsibility of the news business and its future. Designed with an expectation of accountability in achieving specific workplace goals, the program offers a structure to train media leaders on ways in which to blend journalistic values with business success.

The program provides the structure and support necessary to increase the odds that participants—who are known as the “Punch Sulzberger Leadership Fellows”— and their organizations will succeed.

• Peer participants:The real world experiences of a select group of senior news organization executives who each take on critical performance challenges is an unparalleled platform for mutual learning and growth as leaders.


• Business advisors and assignments: Participants must complete assignments to lead change. The assignments link theory to practice. Business advisors or mentors, who are selected from among the world’s best management consultants, work with participants to clarify the rationale and the targeted audiences of the selected challenges. Advisors work with Fellows to implement the initiatives and efforts required to be successful over the course of the program.


• Tailored content: Fellows hear from leading academic and industry figures about the best thinking and practices needed to achieve success. Topics include: leadership, strategy, innovation, technology, budgeting and financial management, performance, business models, marketing, branding, corporate culture, capital markets, teaming, process reengineering, multimedia, community and managing organizational change. Advisors and peer groups help adapt the course material to the performance challenges Fellows have established for themselves. The most critical case study in this program is each participant’s selected personal performance or workplace challenge.


• Accountability: Fellows are held accountable for achieving success with their specific assignments. Prior to admission into the program, the candidates must demonstrate their commitment, and have received support from appropriate supervisors, peer groups and subordinates. By mandating that the company buy in to the process, the program ensures that the organization has a stake in its outcome and welcomes the leadership growth of its employee.

Contact
Laura Reizman
Email: lr2259@columbia.edu