6 Feb 2012

Africa | Marketing & Media

 
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The good news and the sad news

Like in any industry, there's always the good news and then there's the bad news. Well in this case, some sad news

Firstly, the sad news is that the acting executive director of the Media Council of Malawi, George 'Sly' Dambula, passed away on Thursday, after succumbing to Malaria and lung infection. We at Bizcommunity.com extend our condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.

Secondly, two editors were given jail terms in the Central African Republic, allegedly for their critical coverage of a top official constitute political censorship and thirdly, the murder of a journalist in Somalia highlights the country being as being the most dangerous place in Africa for media.

On a lighter note, the good news is that Malawi shows some positive growth in media after facing many challenges over the past two years. This is according to a report released by the Civic and Political Space Platform, which is a group of civil society organisations in Malawi.

In Mozambique, the Ministry of Science and Technology signed a 20 year agreement to access international broadband fibre connectivity on the SEACOM network. Beneficiaries include the Mozambique Research and Education Network and the Government Electronic Network, which are government-led projects established to improve online public service access and capability.

Africa's first handheld tablet, Way-C, went on sale last week.The Congolese inventor, Verone Mankou, says the tablet is an equivalent to those found in the Western market. I think it's too early to make any assumptions, but let's wait and see.

PS: A reminder that the deadline for entries for the IABC African Gold Quill awards is this Friday, 10 February 2012. So get your entries in before the end of the week.

Have a great week!

Evan-Lee Courie (@evan1985)

Responses to this column welcomed in our online editor's column archive. Send all your Africa marketing news to africanews@bizcommunity.com and opinion pieces to contributors-africa@bizcommunity.com, also take a look at our guide "How to contribute to Bizcommunity, from op-ed pieces to news". Follow Bizcommunity on Twitter @Biz_Africa and join our Facebook page.

Top stories


Editorial news

Marketing & Media


AFRICA
Creating a mobile marketing competition
[Staff Reporter] Running a mobile marketing competition can be a troubling task, at first. What questions do you ask, what can you give away and how will you implement it? Taking it one step at a time and ticking off a few simple tasks can ensure that a mobile marketing competition grows from seed to success. Read more >>

Special focus on media freedom & right to know


AFRICA
Two editors given jail terms in CAR
NEW YORK: The convictions of two journalists in the Central African Republic over their critical coverage of a top official constitute political censorship, the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Tuesday, 31 January 2012. Read more >>

Marketing


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Advertising


SOUTH AFRICA
A role for media agencies in solving the modern media blur
[Herman Manson: @marklives] London-based media company PHD Worldwide, a part of the Omnicom Media Group, recently stepped up its investment in the South African market with its purchase of a 70% shareholding in strategic media planning company page three. [video] Read more >>

CSI


SOMALIA
ICRC remains committed to helping Somalis
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) regrets the decision of the Office for Supervising the Affairs of Foreign Agencies of the Harakat Al-Shabaab Al Mujahideen to terminate the agreement under which the ICRC was allowed to deliver emergency food aid in Al-Shabaab administered areas of Somalia. Read more >>

Digital


MOZAMBIQUE
SEACOM signs 20 year agreement with Mozambique
The Mozambican Ministry of Science and Technology has signed a 20 year agreement to access international broadband fibre connectivity on the SEACOM network to Europe and onwards to the rest of the world. Read more >>

CONGO
Congolese inventor puts African tablet on sale
BRAZZAVILLE, REPUBLIC OF CONGO: Africa has its first handheld tablet, Way-C, to rival the iPad and similar western inventions, which went on sale in the Republic of Congo on Monday, 30 January 2012, its inventor Verone Mankou said. Read more >>

Events & Conferencing


Media


MALAWI
Media Council of Malawi acting executive director passes away
[Gregory Gondwe: @Kalipochi] George Sly Dambula, the acting executive director for Media Council of Malawi (MCM) passed on in the early hours of Thursday, 2 February 2012, in Lilongwe, after succumbing to Malaria and lung infection. Read more >>

MALAWI
Media grows despite challenges
[Gregory Gondwe: @Kalipochi] In a report released by the Civic and Political Space Platform (CPSP), a group of civil society organisations in Malawi, it was established that the media in Malawi has had positive growth over the last two years, despite numerous challenges which almost derailed its progress. Read more >>

SOMALIA
Murder of journo highlights most dangerous place in Africa for media
The director of the leading private radio and television network in southern Somalia was murdered last week, report the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) and other IFEX members. Hassan Osman Abdi, a senior journalist and director of Shabelle Media Network, was shot dead outside his home in Mogadishu on 28 January, after being followed by five men in a sedan, says NUSOJ. Read more >>

KENYA
Google Kenya head claims she 'decided to leave' in wake of Mocality scandal
[Stuart Thomas] After initial reports that she had been fired, Google's Kenya head Olga Arara-Kimani now claims she left the internet-giant of her own accord. Read more >>

Mobile


UGANDA
Airtel Money launches in Uganda
Airtel Uganda yesterday launched its mobile money platform named Airtel Money. The service provides consumers with convenient access to affordable and innovative financial services through their mobile phones. Read more >>

AFRICA
Do smartphones alter our thinking?
[Reshaad Sha] It's no secret that the mobile phone environment has shown incredible growth globally. The technology has evolved into an indispensable tool that is swiftly changing the way we do business and relate to one another. In Africa, mobile networks have proven the most financially viable answer to the logistically difficult and expensive process of laying physical telephone and data networks. Read more >>

Newspapers


ZIMBABWE
Foreign newspapers to be banned in Zimbabwe
The Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) has reportedly enlisted the service of the police in a bid to stop foreign newspapers without local offices from circulating. Publications that might be affected include: The Sunday Times, Mail & Guardian, Business Day and The Zimbabwean. Read more >>

Online Media


BOTSWANA
Street view coming to Botswana
Google has added five Western Cape wineries to its popular Street View service in Google Maps and will begin collecting images in Botswana in the next few weeks, the internet giant says in a new blog post. Read more >>

PR & Communications


AFRICA
marcusbrewster signs on hotel group in Africa
The Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, a recent merger of two hotel groups, has appointed PR firm marcusbrewster to manage the corporate PR account for its Africa business development division. Read more >>

Radio


ANGOLA
National radio launches new programmes
LUANDA, ANGOLA: The National Radio of Angola (RNA) launched on Friday its new programmes, and began broadcasting on Saturday, 4 February 2012. Read more >>

Recruitment


AFRICA
Recruit your way to the top!
[John Boe] Essentially a sales manager's primary responsibility is to recruit, train and motivate his or her sales force to achieve peak performance. Of these three vitally important tasks, recruiting is the least understood and by far the most challenging. Read more >>

Retail


AFRICA
Standard Bank maintains top spot in Africa
The Standard Bank Group has for the second consecutive year ranked the most valuable banking brand in Africa, according to the 2012 global Top 500 Banking Brands report compiled by Brand Finance Banking. Read more >>


International
UNITED KINGDOM
GlobalWebIndex identifies new trends in global internet behaviour
LONDON, UK: According to GlobalWebIndex, social network activity now a key brand contact point for nearly a third of consumers. There is also a rise of multiple platform internet TV with key increases in streaming, on-demand and live viewing, while Google Search reaches 85% of internet users with Android, Chrome and Google+ also expanding. Read more >>

TURKEY
Turkcell looking to bring case against MTN in US
Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetlera AS (Turkcell), which was unsuccessful in attaining the second GSM telecommunications licence in Iran, is looking to bring a case against South African mobile services provider MTN in a US court. Read more >>

FRANCE
Cannes Lions announces three jury presidents
CANNES, FRANCE: The organisers of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity have announced the appointment of three more jury presidents for this year's event taking place 17-23 June. David Jones is to chair the Creative Effectiveness Jury, Mainardo De Nardis has been named Media Jury president and Iain Tait is to lead the Cyber Jury. Read more >>

SWITZERLAND
Festival of Media 2012: first brand speakers announced
MONTREUX, SWITZERLAND: The organisers of the Festival of Media 2012 has have announced the first six brand speakers - with more to come. Collectively, the six brand speakers represent over US$5bn in media expenditure worldwide. Can you afford to miss them or the Festival of Media 2012 in Montreux? Read more >>

FRANCE
Young Lions Design Competition launches
CANNES, FRANCE: Cannes Lions has announced the addition of a Young Lions Design Competition to the 2012 International Festival of Creativity, taking place from 17-23 June. Read more >>

SWITZERLAND
Festival of Media 2012: SA represented in judging panel
MONTREUX, SWITZERLAND: Newly confirmed members of the judging panel include South Africa's Chris Botha (The MediaShop), Jakob Kalkar (Carlsberg), Gerhard Louw (Deutsche Telekom), Melanie Varley (MEC), Frederic Joseph (ZenithOptimedia), Nick Vale (Maxus), Nikolas Badminton (DDB Canada) and Vishnu Mohan (MPG). More judges will be announced soon. Read more >>

FRANCE
South African appointed director of World Editors Forum
PARIS, FRANCE / DARMSTADT, GERMANY: In a double first, a South African, Cherilyn Ireton, has been appointed executive director of the WEF, and she is the first woman to head the global organisation of world's editors. Read more >>

CZECH REPUBLIC
The road to Advocacy
More International...


Partners
SOUTH AFRICA
Manufacturing to boost GDP on resurgent PMI
Although most economists are downgrading their 2012 SA gross domestic product (GDP) forecasts, a resurgent seasonally adjusted Kagiso Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) in January could mean a revising of forecasts upwards in coming months as production finally catches up with strong consumer demand. Read more >>


Company news

Digital


SOUTH AFRICA
ITWeb appoints Africa editor - ITWeb
ITWeb has appointed Gareth van Zyl to be editor of ITWebAfrica, its soon-to-be-launched ICT news and information website dedicated to English-speaking African markets. Read more >>


Africa
SOUTH AFRICA
Le Touessrok honoured in the 2012 TripAdvisor Traveler's Choice Hotel Awards
Le Touessrok has won the '2012 Travelers' Choice Awards' in the 'Top 25 Luxury Hotels in Africa' and 'Top 25 Relaxation & Spa Hotels in Africa' categories. Read more >>

More Africa...


Galleries
SOUTH AFRICA
J&B Met 2012

More


Government
SOUTH AFRICA
Transnet delay costs SA billions: DA
The DA has accused the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) of "dragging its feet" and losing out on potentially billions of rands from Africa's lucrative west coast gas and oil-platform repair business. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA
Mining industry must transform - Shabangu
[Francis Hweshe] Mineral Resources Minister Susan Shabangu has called for sustainable growth and development in the mining sector to "ensure the speedy realisation of government's transformation objectives". Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA
Editors: State control of media not the way to go
Editors from SA's biggest newspapers want the industry to be self-regulated and are opposed to state control, saying that it not in the interests free speech or democracy, reports Business Day. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA
Basic Education's efforts pay off
Despite the challenges facing education in the country, the Department of Basic Education has managed to scoop two Public Sector Excellence Awards. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA
Gordhan's budget should boost business confidence
South Africa's upcoming Budget Speech needs to boost business confidence while at the same time, 2012 needs to be a year of implementation, says Business Unity South Africa (BUSA). Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA
Secrecy bill not explained properly
[Paul Vecchiatto] No attempt was made to really explain the Protection of State Information Bill (POIB) to members of the public at the first two township public hearings, says Hennie van Vuuren of the Right2Know Campaign. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA
'President Zuma not involved in SABC recruitment'
President Jacob Zuma was not involved in the recruitment process or any internal process at the SABC, the presidency said in a statement yesterday, 31 January 2012. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA
Minister Pule enters SABC top job row
Communications Minister Dina Pule has stepped in and asked the SABC board to suspend its search for a new chief operating officer. This follows an uproar at the public broadcaster after talks that the acting COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng, who reportedly did not possess a matric qualification, was being earmarked for the R2-million a year job. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA
Former Deputy President appointed to APRM panel
Former Deputy President, Baleka Mbete, has been appointed to serve on the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Panel of Eminent Persons. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA
Zuma: Africa upbeat despite economic crisis
The economic crisis occurs under very upbeat circumstances for Africa said President Jacob Zuma. Read more >>

More Government news...


Motoring
SOUTH AFRICA
Vehicle sales improve in January
Vehicle sales in January, although subdued, have improved, the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (NAAMSA) said. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA
Ford's quirky Kuga pounces... at last
[Henrie Geyser: motoring editor] Ford's quirky and rather controversial Kuga mid-sized SUV has finally arrived in South Africa after it has been dividing opinion in Europe and elsewhere since it first hit the dealer showrooms over there about four years ago. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA
Sharp, safe, sensible and smart Civic
[Henrie Geyser: motoring editor] Honda has revitalised the 9th generation Civic with a stylish make-over, a generous dash of Botox, plus a couple of injections of safety and luxury features - and then topped it all by adding a new 1.6-litre baby to its popular family of four-door saloons. Read more >>

More Motoring news...


Travel
SOUTH AFRICA
Air Zimbabwe suspends flights
Air Zimbabwe has been placed under judicial management and City Press says that it appears likely the airline will be declared bankrupt as it struggles with debts of US$140m and also owes its workers US$35m. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA
Lonrho Hotels to manage Grand Hotel Kinshasa
Lonrho Hotels, a wholly owned division of Lonrho Plc, has announced that it has entered into a ten year management agreement for the 450-room Grand Hotel Kinshasa, formerly the InterContinental Hotel, in the capital of Democratic Republic of the Congo. Read more >>

UNITED KINGDOM
Searches for holidays to Africa overtake North America and close gap with Europe
LONDON, UK: Online holiday searches totalled 3.1 million at the latter end of 2011 and the African continent saw a surge of queries far exceeding those for the Caribbean, Far East or South East Asia, according to leading digital marketing agency, Greenlight's latest report Holidays Issue 11. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA
Hôtel & Lodge: Long Beach is "Best Resort" in the world
Hôtel & Lodge magazine, a much respected French magazine that aims to offer a unique view on hotels, private retreats and lodges across the world, recently awarded its "Best Resort" commendation to Long Beach. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA
Carlson, Rezidor establish Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group; starts 2012 in Africa on high note
MINNEAPOLIS, US / BRUSSELS, BELGIUM: Carlson, a global hospitality and travel company, and The Rezidor Hotel Group, one of the fastest growing hotel companies in the world, recently announced that they have established The Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. The group is also starting 2012 in Africa, on a high note... Read more >>

More Travel news...


BizLounge
SOUTH AFRICA
Dealing with the ultimate problem child
[Eugene Yiga] It's tough being a parent. On the one hand, kids are incredibly expensive. (Local insurance companies recently estimated the cost of raising a child from birth to age 18 at R3.5 million.) On the other hand, they bring up all sorts of inner worries. Will I be a good parent? What if my child doesn't love me? While many parenting books already cover these issues, they tend to ignore one. What if my child turns out to be an absolute monster? What should I do then? Read more >>

More BizLounge news...


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Quotes
"You can't buy attention anymore. Having a huge budget doesn't mean anything in social media...The old paradigm was pay to play. Now you get back what you authentically put in. You've got to be willing to play to play. (via Saucy Social Media)" - Alex Bogusky
"The effect of the mass media is not to elicit belief but to maintain the apparatus of addiction. (via Search quotes)" - Christopher Lasch
"The secret isn't growing a huge fan base. We have 100,000 Facebook fans, but those fans have all come to us organically. We believe the more organic the growth, the more loyal the fans, the more likely they will be repeat customers. (via Saucy Social Media)" - Cam Balzer


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