EGYPT

Journalists beaten, websites blocked amid protests in Egypt

NEW YORK: The Committee to Protect Journalists has condemned the violence against journalists covering demonstrations in Egypt. Plainclothes and uniformed security personnel have beaten at least 10 journalists between Tuesday and Thursday this week and detained others. Read more >>

MALAWI

Malawi: Mutharika assents to repressive media law

[Gregory Gondwe] President Bingu wa Mutharika has assented to a media repressive bill, effectively making it a law that now empowers the minister of information to ban publications he deems contrary to public interest. Speaker of Malawi's national assembly Henry Chimunthu Banda confirmed that the head of state has indeed signed the bill. Read more >>

AFRICA

Seven viral email marketing tips

[Georgia Christian] With viral marketing the principal objective is to increase awareness of a product, service or concept using word-of-mouth behaviours. To put it into context, where spam is based on massive distribution of unsolicited emails, viral emails use popular social networking aspects to achieve their goal of reaching the masses. Read more >>

ZIMBABWE

Media group in advertising awards partnership

[Dumisani Ndlela] Zimbabwe's growing media group Alpha Media Holdings (AMH) has joined hands with Meet the Challenge Conference to create a new advertising awards brand, AMH Ngoma Awards, an announcement from the organisers said. Read more >>

AFRICA

Facebook rolls out 'Sponsored Stories': What you need to know

[Catherine Murray] Facebook has this week announced a new ad format, already rolling out across the site from 25 January, which will turn some of your friends' shared activities into promotional content. Read more >>

AFRICA

Africa Cellular Towers founder steps down

AltX-listed telecoms equipment manufacturer Africa Cellular Towers on Thursday (27 January 2011) announced changes to its board of directors, including Chris Kruger, founder and previous executive chairman, who has stepped down as executive chairman of the company. Read more >>

ZIMBABWE

Zim: Potraz targets rural areas for telecom services

[Dumisani Ndlela] The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) has begun a process to roll out telecommunication services to rural areas through the Universal Service Fund (USF), which has been idle for years. Read more >>

AFRICA

APO appoints executive director

The African Press Organisation announced on Wednesday, 26 January 2011, the appointment of Eloïne Barry as executive director. Barry was chosen following a recruitment process and comes after serving five years as PR Newswire EMEA media relations team leader. Read more >>

NIGERIA

Nigeria: New refinery for Golden Sugar

Golden Sugar Company on Wednesday, 26 January 2011, signed a US$143.3 million, five-year syndicated multi-currency contract to finance the construction of a new sugar refinery complex in Lagos State, Nigeria. Read more >>

ZIMBABWE

Zimbabwe ban hits Country Bird exports

[Micheal Blebly] Country Bird Holdings had lost sales of 600 tons of chickens a month to Zimbabwe as a result of the reworked chicken controversy that broke out last month, financial director Robbie Taylor said yesterday (26 January 2011). Read more >>

UNITED KINGDOM

Global SMS traffic to reach 8.7 trillion in 2015

LONDON, UK: According to the latest forecasts from Informa Telecoms & Media, SMS will remain a significant source of revenues and traffic for mobile operators on a global basis until at least 2015. The company reckons SMS traffic growth will be driven by enterprise, emerging markets and social networks. Read more >>

UNITED KINGDOM

Cannes Lions 2011: Jean-Marie Dru heads first Creative Effectiveness Jury

LONDON, UK: The International Festival of Creativity has announced that Jean-Marie Dru, chairman of TBWA Worldwide, will head the inaugural Creative Effectiveness Lions Jury at the 2011 Cannes Lions Festival. Read more >>

UNITED STATES

Deloitte launches Centre for Collective Leadership

NEW YORK, US: Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited ("Deloitte") has launched of its Deloitte Centre for Collective Leadership ("the Centre"), a global research and learning centre that aims to understand, define, and advance knowledge in the field of collective leadership. Effective immediately, Stephen Langton will be executive director of the centre and is based in London. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Meetings Africa 2011 promises to be bigger and better

Business Tourism's growing importance to South Africa's tourism industry will be in the spotlight when the annual Meetings Africa is held at Johannesburg's Sandton Convention Centre from 21-23 February 2011. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Jagersbacher new area president for Hilton Worldwide, MEA

MCLEAN, US / DUBAI, UAE: Rudi Jagersbacher has been appointed area president, Middle East and Africa, for Hilton Worldwide. Based at the Hilton Worldwide area offices in Dubai Internet City, Jagersbacher will lead the company's operations across the area. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Infecting The City Festival 2011

The Infecting the City Festival 2011, a project of the Africa Centre, will be held between Monday, 21 to Saturday, 26 February 2011, in Cape Town. The festival schedule will be available on the website from 1 February, 2011. Read more >>