Press freedom takes a knock in EgyptIt's been two weeks since anti-government Egyptians took to the streets of Cairo and other cities across the country calling for the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak. Last week however, we saw a nasty twist in developments as the media became the target of certain factions. Press organisations worldwide including WAN-IFRA, the WEF and CPJ have all condemned the abuse and violence toward media calling for their protection and for media freedom to be upheld. Hopefully we see a firm resolution met this week as the country's economy is steadily falling to pieces. Germany has taken a firm stance with regard to the repressive media law recently passed by Malawi's government, given the nod from President Bingu wa Mutharika. Germany has withdrawn half the planned budgetary aid to the country. This will hopefully send a strong message to the Malawian government that media censorship will not be tolerated. Freedom of the press should be upheld and protected to the furthest extent in every country across Africa and the world. Long live the free press! Here's to the future, Sindy Peters, Africa editor
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Today's top stories
Special focus on media freedom
In a letter to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) and the World Editors Forum (WEF) expressed concern at a series of attacks by government supporters on journalists covering the ongoing demonstrations in the country. Read more >>NEW YORK: As journalists face ongoing attacks and detentions in Cairo, they are increasingly concerned that state broadcasts are creating an atmosphere that is encouraging violence against the media, the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Saturday, 5 February 2011. Read more >>Advertising
[Carole Kimutai] Jubilee Insurance Kenya has appointed Young & Rubicam Brands to provide it with marketing and advertising support across the East African region, the Indian Ocean and West Africa. Read more >> CSI
LAGOS: Airtel Nigeria, last week in Lagos, Nigeria, formally announced plans to adopt primary schools across the country as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy. Read more >>Digital
[Georgia Christian] It goes without saying that if you are a legitimate business, email authentication is vital to secure your brand and online reputation. Email authentication is, quite simply, a way to prove an email is not forged. Read more >> Eventing
[Mary Itumbi] NAIROBI: "One of the things we will be taking to Dakar," says Onyango Oloo, "is [knowledge of] how not to organise a World Social Forum." Oloo was the national coordinator of the World Social Forum when it was held in Nairobi in January 2007, and observed firsthand the acrimonious controversy that surrounded the first WSF to be held in Africa. Read more >> DAKAR: The IPS news agency IPS TerraViva is currently in Dakar, Senegal to report from the World Social Forum, the annual global gathering of social movements dedicated to building alternatives. The forum, currently underway, will conclude on Friday, 11 Febraury 2011. Activists and thinkers from around the world are expected to attend. Read more >>JOHANNESBURG: The Barnard College of Columbia University will host its third annual Global Symposium in Johannesburg, South Africa on 15 March 2011. This half-day event, Women Changing Africa, aims to host exceptional women from across the continent, including leaders in government, commerce, academia, media, and the arts for two panels; Conversations on Leadership and Voices of the Next Generation. Read more >>Media
[Gregory Gondwe] The German government has frozen aid money to the Malawi government because of concerns regarding the recently endorsed repressive media law and human rights abuses. Federal Development Minister of Germany Dirk Niebel announced the aid freeze in a letter to the Malawian Minister of Finance Ken Kandodo. Read more >> Production
The 32nd edition of the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) will take place from 21-31 July 2011. The festival plans to present over 200 screenings of films from around the world, with a special focus on films from South Africa and Africa. Read more >>Recruitment | |
Omni Africa, based in Harare, has signed an agreement with Softline VIP, a supplier of business software and related services, that will see the company increase its footprint into sub-Saharan Africa by establishing a partner network in Zimbabwe. Read more >>WASHINGTON, DC, US: Entries for the 2011 Daniel Pearl Awards for Outstanding International Investigative Reporting are now being accepted. The awards honour the world's best cross-border investigative journalism. Submissions must be postmarked no later than 1 July 2011. Read more >>LONDON, UK: Cream, the online resource for media and marketing professionals, is searching the globe for the 100 best marketing campaigns for a new book. The final 100 campaigns will be published in a glossy coffee-table-style book, launched at the Festival of Media Global, 8-10 May, in Montreux, Switzerland. Read more >> More International news...
PR & Communications
Get all the training you will need this year to improve your communication and presentation skills through the exciting courses offered by Johannesburg-based, marketing communications company, Quo Vadis Communications. Read more >>
Fleur du Cap has announced its 2010 nominees for the Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards, which are given to outstanding individuals for theatre excellence. The annual awards ceremony will take place on Sunday, 20 March, 2011, at 6pm, at the Artscape Theatre, Cape Town. Read more >> More BizLounge news...
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