AFRICA

TV ads and the 'Super Bowl' effect

Oresti Patricios, CEO of Ornico urges local markets not to be blinded by the US hype, but to remember that Africa should feature foremost as a source of the local industry's inspiration, research and advertising insights. Read more >>

AFRICA

Cultural leadership training for Southern Africa

An initiative of the African Arts Institute, in partnership with the Goethe-Institut, the Southern African Training Hub will host a three-year programme in cultural leadership, governance and entrepreneurship will be launched in Johannesburg, South Africa during May 2012. It will host candidates from Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. Read more >>

NIGERIA

PROPAK West Africa gains momentum

PROPAK West Africa, the event aimed at the emerging West African packaging industry has gained momentum as international companies start recognising the potential for business expansion opportunities in the market. Read more >>

AFRICA

Chinese publisher launches base in Africa

Beijing Review, a subsidiary of China International Publishing Group (CIPG), on Friday, 30 March 2012, unveiled its new publishing base, ChinAfrica Media and Publishing in Pretoria, South Africa. Read more >>

AFRICA

Gary Alfonso resigns from ABN360

Africa Business News (ABN360), home of CNBC Africa and Forbes Africa, have announced the departure of Gary Alfonso, who has served as the group's managing director for its Africa operations. Read more >>

AFRICA

MTN Group appoints new operations executive

MTN Group today, 3 April 2012, announced the appointment of Themba Khumalo, currently MTN Uganda chief executive officer, as operations executive for the group. Khumalo's appointment is part of MTN Group's recent changes to the company's organisational model to improve organisational effectiveness. Read more >>

UGANDA

Ugandans get free access to Wikipedia

[Walter Wafula] Ugandans who subscribe to Orange Uganda's network can now access Wikipedia for free, according to the company publicist, Patience Tindyebwa. Read more >>

AFRICA

Mobile money to penetrate Africa through Facebook

Business leaders behind ZunguZ, a multi-tiered platform that integrates deeply into the social graph and a host of financial services to empower the consumer, claims that the concept of using Facebook as a secure channel to exchange mobile money between friends will grow in significance and quickly. Read more >>

RWANDA

Rwandese wins US$50 000 prize in TV show

[Walter Wafula] Clarisse Iribagiza, a Rwandese entrepreneur won the US$50 000 cash prize of the inaugural season of Inspire Africa, a new reality television show aimed at transforming Africa by discovering and empowering the continent's budding entrepreneurs. Read more >>

AFRICA

ESPN renews rights to broadcast AFL

ESPN has made the announced of a new deal with the Australian Football League (AFL) to bring viewers live television coverage of the AFL Premiership in the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Canada and sub-saharan Africa. Additionally, it has secured co-exclusive live television rights in the Caribbean and Israel. Read more >>

SPAIN

Can media compete with sport?

MADRID, SPAIN / PARIS, FRANCE / DARMSTADT, GERMANY: Newspapers no longer just cover sports - they compete with them... The footballer Cristiano Ronaldo has 42 million fans on Facebook. Nike puts out a sports magazine as good as any done by the traditional press. Fan sites are the go-to destination for millions who once turned to newspapers as the primary source for sports news. Read more >>

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Emirates launches new global brand platform

DUBAI, UAE: Emirates has launched a new global brand platform and direction, themed "Hello Tomorrow," which aims to position the global airline as the enabler of global connectivity and meaningful experiences. Emirates is embarking on an integrated marketing communications campaign with a new brand promise as the company continues its evolution from a travel brand to a global lifestyle brand. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

RamsayMedia a founding partner in CSI portal

RamsayMedia has taken its CSI initiatives to the industry in a very public way. The company is one of the founding businesses to join WeCanChangeOurWorld (a bizcommunity.com partner), which is a sustainable social transformation portal showcasing the CSI efforts of corporate and non-profit organisations. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

South African businesses are unaware of their water footprints

The World Economic Forum's (WEF) Global Risk Report 2012 lists a global water supply crisis as the second most important global risk, second to a major systemic failure of our financial systems, according to this report, courtesy Global Carbon Exchange - http://www.globalcarbonexchange.com/. South Africa, for example, faces a looming water shortfall of 2,7-billion cubic metres by 2030. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Public protector could investigate MTN allegations

Allegations that network operator MTN unduly influenced SA's foreign policy could be investigated by the Public Protector, Advocate Thuli Madonsela says. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Business confidence falls - SACCI

The SA Chamber of Commerce and Industry' s Business Confidence Index (BCI) for March declined by 3.8 index points to 95.7 after rising by 2.4 points in February 2012, the body said. "The March 2012 reading is the worst since March 2009, when the BCI stood at 93.1," it said. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Govt addresses public concerns on petrol price hike

Government says it has taken note of the nation's concerns regarding the petrol price increase, which came into effect at midnight last night. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

President, FET principals to talk skills development

President Jacob Zuma will on Wednesday meet principals of Further Education and Training (FET) colleges to deliberate on the central role FETs play within the country's skills development strategy, particularly government's new infrastructure development priority programme. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Industrial policy attracts investment

The latest version of the Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP) will see the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) investing R102bn in IPAP sectors in the next five years, Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies said on Monday. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Modest increase in new vehicle sales

[Henrie Geyser: motoring editor] There was a modest 4.8% gain in the sales of cars and commercial vehicle sales in March this year when 56 110 units were sold compared to the 53 558 in March 2011. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

SA motorists gear up for Easter holiday despite fuel price hike

High fuel prices aren't going to deter most South Africans from taking road trips this Easter weekend, according to a recent survey conducted by BP Ultimate, one of SA's premium fuel brands. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Titanic sails off in 3D

[Daniel Dercksen] Fifteen years ago, James Cameron brought us Titanic- an epic, action-packed romance set against the ill-fated maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic. It will be interesting the see how a new generation of romantics and adventure seekers will team up with undying diehard fans of Titanic sailing off on the big-screen spectacular 3D. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Spoegwolf release video for Lenie Blou

[Sindy Peters] In the shadows of a Stellenbosch vineyard lurks a hairy, gleaming-eyed monster called Spoegwolf (Spitting Wolf). The monster, seeking world domination, isn't scary at all - unless, of course, you're terrified of Afrikaans folk-rock. The band of four recently released a video for Lenie Blou and, it being their first video, described the process as incredible, long, and tasting like Powerade... Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

The crime of the century

[Johann Smith] Despite the rain, the majority of the audience stood outside smoking and drinking, trying hard to figure out what to make of Dansmettieduiwels. But for us here tonight, there are several opposing views that will never meet. God only knows. Or rather: only God knows. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

K-day - once was not enough

[Jordan Scott] Once a year is definitely not enough! The first thing that needs to be said is a huge thank you to KFM and Santam for organising a day to be enjoyed by four-year-olds to 50-year-olds and everyone in-between. One may think that having some 13 500 people in one place would be chaotic, uncomfortable and simply irritating, but Kday was everything but that. Everything was laid out in the simplest of ways and the organisation was phenomenal. Read more >>