EGYPT

Press freedom deteriorates in pre-election Egypt

NEW YORK: The Committee to Protect Journalists has expressed its alarm at the deterioration of press freedoms in Egypt ahead of November's parliamentary elections and next year's presidential vote. In particular, it is concerned over the firing on Tuesday, 5 October 2010 of Ibrahim Eissa, the editor-in-chief and founder of the independent daily Al-Dustour. Read more >>

EAST AFRICA

Somaliland obstructs UK satellite station

NEW YORK: Authorities in Somaliland should immediately lift a suspension order imposed against the UK-based satellite broadcaster Universal TV, the Committee to Protect Journalists said late last week. The order bars the station's correspondents from reporting in the breakaway republic in northern Somalia, Khadar Mahamed, Universal TV senior newscaster and producer, told CPJ. Read more >>

ZIMBABWE

Zim marketers to hold annual convention

[Dumisani Ndlela] The Marketers Association of Zimbabwe (MAZ) is to hold its 2010 annual marketing convention from 9-11 November 2010 at The Troutbeck Resort in Nyanga. MAZ secretary general, Gillian Rusike, said the association had lined up a number of speakers, including a renowned brand expert and an advertising and marketing executive from Zambia. Read more >>

AFRICA

Facebook, Skype join forces

[Staff reporter] Skype and Facebook joined forces on Thursday to let users of the popular Internet messenging and voice-over-IP service chat with their friends on the booming social network. Read more >>

AFRICA

Speakers confirmed for Innovation Dinner

ITNewsAfrica's bi-monthly Innovation Dinner will take place on 27 October 2010 in Johannesburg with ICT leaders addressing the theme 'Our connected future'. Keynote speakers will stimulate discussions surrounding the factors that hinder network deployment and potential solutions to facilitate the delivery of the new generation broadband technology. Read more >>

NAMIBIA

UNESCO sponsors Namibia Media Awards category

WINDHOEK: The Namibian Chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) held the 2010 MISA Namibia Media Awards late last week in Windhoek. The awards aims to recognise the outstanding achievements of Namibian journalists. UNESCO sponsored the Best Community Reporter category. Read more >>

AFRICA

Paper.li makes you editor-in-chief of your online newspaper

[Jeremy Daniel] There is no longer any doubt about the awesome impact that Twitter is having on the media landscape. Every day, the micro-blogging phenomenon cements its place at the centre of news gathering, social networking and information dissemination. But while its basic functionality has been widely accepted, the delivery mechanisms employed are being challenged on various fronts, most notably by the Flipboard app on the iPad, and now by paper.li. Read more >>

AFRICA

10 tips for creating effective online ad copy

[Catherine Murray] There is a mind-boggling array of different online platforms for getting your marketing message across: From classic display banners through to text-based advertorials, tweets, Facebook status updates and emails, the list goes on and on. It is very easy to get carried away with the excitement of using new technology and lose sight of basic advertising copy principles. Read more >>

AFRICA

[IABC Africa] Eskom manager reveals communications plans

[Sindy Peters: Africa editor] On second day of the 2010 IABC Africa Conference in Cape Town this morning, Friday, 15 October 2010, Eskom corporate communication manager Pieter Pretorius, began the day's sessions, saying, "As an organisation, we do believe in the importance of communication... we do believe it is an important component for us." Read more >>

AFRICA

IABC Africa conference kicks off in CT

[Sindy Peters: Africa editor] Thursday morning, 14 October 2010, saw the start of the two-day 2010 IABC Africa Conference at the Vineyard Hotel and Spa in Cape Town, South Africa. Communication strategists from around the country, as well as from abroad, are currently gathered at the event to learn, share knowledge, engage with the lineup of well-experienced speakers, seek inspiration and to network with fellow members of the shared industry. Read more >>

AFRICA

Are Africa's vernacular radio stations 'problematic'?

[Issa Sikiti da Silva] Three years after the post-elections violence in Kenya that left more 1500 people dead, scores injured and some 660 000 displaced, the role played by the media, vernacular radio stations in particular, during and after these events, still puzzles many observers. They continue to wonder whether Africa's vernacular radio stations are tools of nation-building or platforms for fomenting ethnic hatred and violence. Read more >>

AFRICA

SA sets sights on Egypt oil

PRETORIA: South Africa is set to explore more opportunities in Africa's oil-rich countries, with government planning to use President Jacob Zuma's visit to Egypt later this month to discuss possible future oil deals. Read more >>

UNITED STATES

Gap gives way

Clothing giant Gap feels social media heat, scraps new logo. Read more >>

UNITED STATES

America still the most admired country globally

NEW YORK, US: The United States continues to lead the world in global image, according to GfK Roper Public Affairs & Corporate Communications, a division of GfK Custom Research North America and Simon Anholt, the leading policy advisor. Read more >>

UNITED KINGDOM

Interflora vs M&S: Online marketers await outcome with bated breath

LONDON, UK: Flower retailer Interflora has begun legal action against Marks & Spencer for allegedly bidding on its brand name on Google Adwords. According to Matthew Whiteway, client services director at leading search specialist agency and technology firm Greenlight, were Interflora to win this battle, it would set a precedent, with a number of advertisers likely to follow suit. Online marketers meanwhile will be waiting with bated breath. A ruling in favour of Interflora could see them frantically having to review their AdWords accounts. Read more >>

INDIA

The talking newspaper

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Volkswagen brand awareness is notoriously low in India so to launch the Sedan Vento, Volkswagen needed something that would make them stand out in the highly competitive mass-market segment. Read more >>