About News Consulting Group

As senior market development executive for US-based Gannett’s multi-billion dollar newspaper division from 1991-2003, she led change and revenue-development initiatives.  In her work globally, Michelle has developed and implemented programs that increase market share, create new and diversified revenue sources, deepen engagement among audiences, and put data into the heart of decision-making. She is one of the founding members of International Media Development Advisers (IMDA). Michelle holds a BA in Asian Studies, a Master’s degree in business, speaks Chinese, and has lived in Taiwan, China, and Cambodia. She now resides outside Washington D.C.

“At the core of our work is a passion for news that creates a meaningful and positive impact.”

Jama Abshir

Consulting Partner

Jama is the founder of Radio Daljir, the largest network of FM radio stations in Somalia, with a network of 10 FM stations with coverage throughout Somalia, parts of the Somali region of Ethiopia, and the Gulf Coast. Radio Daljir is often the only FM broadcaster in these areas.  He established Radio Daljir Women’s Desk (dWd), an all-woman team that reports on, and advocates for, Somali women and girls’ human rights and rights to education, training, employment, and dignity.  To help at-risk Somali youth develop resilience, he also established the Daljir Youth Learning Center (DLC), an education and skills improvement center providing training and employment opportunities. DLC programs focus on media, information technology, and construction while helping young people prepare for employment.

Jama has extensive experience in finance, management, and venture capital. He cofounded Somalia’s earliest mobile telecom, securing financing from local and international financial institutions.   He also cofounded and is a former Treasurer and Board Member of the Somali Development Center (SDC), Inc., a Boston, MA and Manchester, NH-based (USA) not-for-profit advocacy and social service agency, and is a cofounder of Mudug Relief & Development Association (MuRDA), an educational and mentoring institution for youth and youth related services operating in Puntland, Somalia.

Jama holds a BS degree in business and is a CPA and speaks English and Somali.   He resides in Boston.

Filip Ivanovic

Consulting Partner

Filip brings first-hand experience with growing digital audiences and revenue to NewsCG’s partners.  As head of digital operations for Vijesti, the largest newspaper in Montenegro, he has successfully transitioned key areas of the business into digital channels.  Data-driven decision making has fueled audience expansion and deepened engagement, and he has led efforts to implement a subscription platform.  Under his leadership, digital revenues initially grew more than 200%.  He has an MSc in Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Practice and a BA, and speaks Serbian, English, and Italian.   He resides in Podgorica.

David Licko

Consulting Partner
David Licko is former CFO and SVP, Finance for the Denver Post and Indianapolis Star. He specialises in guiding news media through business transformation.

At the Denver Post, David helped to create and test new business models to grow revenues from digital sources while simultaneously converting operations to a single newsroom and reducing staffing. This focus on strategic initiatives while reducing the cost structure by $150 million allowed continued profitability.

David has also been the Central Region Group Finance Director and Vice President, Finance, for Gannett Company Inc., responsible for financial leadership of its newspaper division and its 90+ newspapers and portfolio of digital platforms. He helped implement division-wide strategies that achieved growth of 60% from $1.25 to $2.4 billion. David is a CPA with a BS in Business Administration.

Trish Mbanga

Consulting Partner
Trish has expertise in managing a news organization with a dedicated, resourceful team operating across borders. Since January 2005, Trish has been the chief sub-editor and co-founder of The Zimbabwean and The Zimbabwean on Sunday. A Zimbabwe native, Trish trained as a journalist and worked for newspapers, magazines, and public relations organizations before becoming executive director of the Zimbabwe International Book Fair. The Netherlands awarded her its inaugural Prince Claus Award for Culture and Development.

She and her husband Wilf live in self-imposed exile in the U.K. and South Africa after being declared enemies of the state by the Zimbabwean government. The couple are co-authors of Seretse & Ruth: The Love Story, detailing how one family played a central role in Botswana’s development.

Wilf Mbanga

Consulting Partner
As editor and co-founder of The Zimbabwean, Wilf has substantial experience in running a news organization operating under government constraint. Formerly a foreign correspondent, he founded the national news agency ZIANA at the request of President Robert Mugabe and later headed the Community Newspapers Group under the Zimbabwe Mass Media Trust. Frustrated at the regime’s increasing repression, he established an independent news organisation which published The Daily News – a newspaper that was subsequently bombed and then banned. Mbanga was arrested for anti-government activities and, although subsequently acquitted, he was declared an “enemy of the people”.

Wilf, along with his wife Trish, founded The Zimbabwean, a newspaper originally printed outside the country and with in-country distribution. By 2008-2009 those had become Zimbabwe’s largest circulation independent newspapers. In recent years it successfully completed a digital transition and is now digital-only, allowing its content to reach broader regional and international audiences.

Charles Rice

Consulting Partner
For most media, success is determined by developing audiences, content, and revenue. As an award-winning former journalist with the Associated Press for 10 years, Chuck knows great content.

Since 2003, he has worked with media in development contexts to reach audiences with unique, compelling stories. His focus, in NewsCG’s media development programs, is creating improved content that engages wider audiences and delivers greater revenue potential.

Chuck has led large-scale development programs in countries including Azerbaijan, Malawi, Tajikistan, and Timor-Leste, and trained media in Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia, and Somaliland. He is CEO of Developing Radio Partners, a former Knight International Journalism Fellow, and holds a degree in Psychology with further study of Indonesian Politics.

Joni Silverstein

Consulting Partner
Joni is an expert in media management and marketing; she assists NewsCG with in-depth business environment analysis. She has worked with media organizations on business and audience development and is skilled at utilizing research to identify opportunities for business growth. A former newspaper publisher, Joni has held other executive positions, including the senior-most market development position at the corporate level of Gannett Co., Inc.

Joni believes that the overall growth and success of society is enhanced by engaging all members of a community – and that media can and should be at the center of this effort. She has a substantial track record of positioning media companies as community partners with resulting increases in brand strength and financial performance. Joni has a BS in Business Administration and a Master’s degree in Liberal Studies; she resides in the United States.

Media development

NewsCG consults with media development programs globally, helping news media in restricted environments to survive and grow.

Contact us if you are interested in NewsCG joining your organisation in media development initiatives covering: