CEMMP fellowship program supports professional growth of Chinese media executives, builds bridges in global media community
Seventeen Chinese media executives were back in Daniels classrooms in July, participating in a “mini media MBA” program and learning about recent developments in the global media industry.
The executives visited Daniels as part of its Chinese Executive Media Management Program (CEMMP), the first cohort after a five-year, COVID-19-prompted hiatus. The international executive development program was designed by John J. Sie, a former DU trustee and the founder of Starz Encore Group, and his wife Anna. John is a Chinese native and came to the U.S. at the age of 14.
In 1999, their daughter, Michelle Sie Whitten, who leads the Anna and John J. Sie Foundation, worked with former finance Professor Ron Rizzuto, several other DU professors and the Cable Center, to establish the CEMMP. The Sie family foundation funds the program, which celebrated its 17th class this year.
“The CEMMP fulfills Mr. Sie’s vision of establishing an educational program that would promote mutual learning, understanding and cooperation among media professionals from the two countries,” said Tracy Xu, an associate professor at Daniels’ Reiman School of Finance.
In 2016, the Anna and John J. Sie Foundation provided a $2 million gift to establish an endowed chair in honor of Ron Rizzuto’s exceptional teaching and research at Daniels. Since then, CEMMP has operated under the Ron Rizzuto Endowed Chair for Excellence in International Executive Education. Xu assumed leadership of the position this summer.
CEMMP 2024
The CEMMP equips Chinese media executives with the business skills to support a successful future for the Chinese media industry. Fellows participating in the program are selected by the National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA), a ministry-level government agency directly under the State Council of China, which is responsible for the administrative management of China’s radio, television and online audio-video industries.
Since the program was created, more than 170 people have taken part, representing China Media Group (the country’s predominant radio and television broadcaster), the Academy of Broadcasting Science (an NRTA research organization that researches and recommends radio and TV standards in China) and other organizations.
The three-week program is dedicated to professional growth and global media collaboration, but does not cover issues such as freedom of speech or media censorship, Xu said.
“The CEMMP curriculum is structured to enhance the business and analytic capabilities of our participants,” Xu added. “Areas of study include digital marketing and social media, trends in content creation and search, new media technologies, business planning, media financial management, media merger integration and media regulations.”
This year’s program involved lectures and guest speaker sessions from DU faculty and professionals from local and national media companies, including Allen Media Group, Ascend Sports and Entertainment, High Noon Entertainment, Needham, and Roku. The lectures covered topics such as new media trends, the economics of media businesses, and social media’s impact on broadcast and TV advertising.
The program also includes field trips to a variety of media organizations, including the Cable Center, CableLabs, Disney, NBC Universal and China Television Corporation.
“These meetings provided valuable insights into the latest media trends, emphasizing the importance of digital transformation, content creation strategies and the evolving landscape of media consumption,” Xu shared. “These experiences highlighted how media companies are adapting to and shaping the future of media.”
The first two weeks of this year’s program took place on the DU campus. Following CEMMP fellows’ business plan presentations and a graduation ceremony, the final week of the session moved to Los Angeles for meetings with more U.S-based media companies.
“Content is King”
Participants reacted positively to the 2024 program.
“The lessons were diverse, with sessions from DU and guest professors,” said Jia Xu with the International Cooperation Department of the NRTA. “This helped us to learn systematically about new trends, new characteristics, new features and business types in the United States audio-visual industry in a more in-depth manner.
“What has impressed me most is the production, the broadcast of sports programs in the United States, and many professors during the classes emphasized that content is king. This principle is also fulfilled in China. We also desire to make high-quality content,” he said.
Xu also commented on the positive impact of the growing fraternity of CEMMP fellows in China. “The CEMMP has created a very big family in China,” he noted. “We have developed a profound friendship going through this program together, which will help us in the work we do in China.”
Tracy Xu added, “The strong bonds that CEMMP has cultivated within the Chinese media community will help enhance DU’s visibility in China and create pathways for U.S. media executives.”