Bola Ray, one of Africa’s most influential media figures and Executive Chairman of BR Institute, will deliver a guest lecture at the TN Africa Digital Journalism Masterclass on September 23, 2026, in Accra.
The award-winning broadcaster and media entrepreneur will lead a 90-minute session titled Building a Career in Digital Journalism, speaking directly to journalists and students about what it takes to survive, grow, and lead in African media at a time when the industry is being reshaped by artificial intelligence, the creator economy, and shifting audience behaviour.
Why Bola Ray
Few figures in African media have navigated as many transitions as Bola Ray. From radio presenter to television host to media executive, his career has tracked every major shift in how African audiences consume content, and how media organisations generate revenue.
As Executive Chairman of Despite Media Group, he oversees one of Ghana’s largest and most diversified media conglomerates, spanning radio, television, and digital platforms. His experience places him at the intersection of journalism craft and media business — precisely the combination this masterclass is designed to address.
Bola Ray also serves as Patron of TN Africa, a role that reflects his commitment to building the next generation of African media professionals.
His session will cover the current state of Africa’s digital media landscape, the decisions that shape a long-term career in the industry, how to understand the business behind journalism, personal branding for journalists in the digital era, and the role of AI in expanding what African media professionals can do and earn.
A Masterclass Built for Where the Industry Is Going
The TN Africa Digital Journalism Masterclass is designed for journalists and digital media professionals who want to deepen their practice and build careers that are not dependent on a single employer or a single platform. Bola Ray’s session sits alongside modules on AI tools for newsrooms, climate storytelling, and monetising journalism with AI.
Senanu Damilola Wemakor, Lead Convener for TN Africa, said Bola Ray’s participation strengthens the event’s focus on practical, experience-led learning.
“Bola Ray has built something lasting in African media. That is exactly the conversation our participants need to be in, not with someone telling them what the industry should look like, but with someone who has actually built it,” Wemakor said.
The masterclass takes place on September 23, 2026, at AfricaWorks, Accra, with both physical and virtual attendance available. Registration is open at thenewsroomafrica.com.
TN Africa’s Take
African media produces talent consistently. What it does not always produce is the institutional knowledge of how to turn that talent into a sustainable career. Bola Ray’s career is one of the clearest examples on the continent of what is possible when craft meets business sense meets a genuine understanding of the African audience. Putting that experience in a room with the next generation of African journalists is not just a good event decision. It is the kind of knowledge transfer the industry needs more of.