When journalists move from the newsroom to the boardroom

JournalismPakistan.com | Published 1 hour ago | Shafaat Yar Khan

A first-person analysis of the challenges and advantages journalists face when transitioning from newsroom leadership into management and boardroom roles.
Summary

SYNDEY — The shift from newsroom leadership to corporate responsibility changes both role and mindset. I see this transition from both sides, with empathy and caution. The move from the hustle of the newsroom to the quiet power of the boardroom is neither simple nor neutral. It reshapes how a journalist thinks, behaves, and is perceived by former peers.

On the downside, once a newsroom professional joins the ranks of management, a subtle but undeniable shift often occurs. The journalist starts thinking like a manager. Targets, controls, compliance, discipline, and cost efficiencies begin to dominate conversations that were once driven by curiosity, urgency, and editorial instinct.

From editorial instinct to managerial logic

Inevitably, distance grows between the manager and the newsroom team. The camaraderie of deadline pressure, the adrenaline of breaking news, and the madness and excitement that define journalism slowly fade into memory. Managing journalists is very different from being one, and many newsroom leaders struggle with this transition. In trying to impose order, they risk alienating colleagues who still live in the chaos and passion of daily news production.

There is also the emotional cost. The newsroom is not just a workplace; it is a living organism, loud, argumentative, imperfect, but deeply alive. Stepping away from it can feel like leaving the frontline. The danger is becoming disconnected from the pulse of news, reduced to spreadsheets and reports, while the real story unfolds elsewhere.

The boardroom advantage of newsroom experience

Yet, the other side of the argument is equally compelling. A newsroom leader in the boardroom can be an enormous advantage if they remain grounded in their journalistic roots. Someone who has grown up in the news understands its intricacies in ways no outsider can. They know how stories are built, how pressure works in the field, and what journalists truly need to do their jobs safely and effectively. They have their finger on the pulse of news, not as a slogan, but as a lived experience.

My own career journey reflects this duality. I began as a field reporter, moved into the newsroom as a news editor, and eventually transitioned into management roles within major media organisations such as MBC Group, Al Arabiya, and Al Jazeera. That journey shaped my belief that management informed by newsroom experience can be more humane, more practical, and more protective of journalistic values.

When it comes to providing facilities to journalists, especially those working in the field, negotiating contracts with vendors and suppliers, or building partnerships with other news organizations, someone from a news background understands the stakes. They know why safety equipment matters, why fast logistics save stories, and why editorial independence must be protected even in commercial negotiations. This insider knowledge places them in a stronger position to safeguard both the organization’s interests and the rights of journalists.

Ultimately, the real test is balance. The challenge is not moving into the boardroom, but carrying the newsroom with you, its ethics, urgency, and passion, while navigating the realities of management. Those who succeed do not abandon journalism when they become managers; they defend it from a different seat at the table.

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