The bane of working onlineThere are few things worse than showing up bright and early for work on a Monday morning ready to take on the world and suddenly you're faced with an obstacle even worse than an empty milk carton for your coffee fix...a slow internet connection. Working in an online environment means that you depend on the speed of your connection to get the simplest of things done - here at Bizcommunity we suffer the same misfortune on random occasions that have people cursing, groaning and sighing and even crying - on the inside that is - while IT calmly ponders over what could have gone wrong. It is the bane of online businesses; the nagging thorn in one's side when time after time the page you've been trying to open for the last five minutes "times out". But, all things considered regarding the internet, we have many things to be grateful for; it has allowed the human right of access to information to shine bright, enabling freedoms in many countries worldwide including that of expression, it allows us to connect with old friends and make new ones, it helps distant relatives stay in touch. Communication is faster - you no longer have to wait for a hand-written letter to arrive telling you you're going to be a grandfather. And here's my favourite - news is immediate. Those who work in an online environment probably get news delivered to their desktops as soon as it breaks, whether from an eager journo on Twitter, or an RSS feed from their news agency of choice. There are many other things to be grateful for in the digital era that our great grandparents would never have thought possible. I love my internet, most of the time, and I hope you appreciate yours too. Hears hoping your internet connection has been faster than mine of late! *groan* *sigh* *cry*Cheers, Sindy Peters, Africa editor
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Top stories
Special focus on media freedom
[Carole Kimutai] John Sergon, ICT director at the Directorate of e-Government Kenya in the Office of the President, has lauded Kenya for making efforts towards becoming an open country through promoting citizens' rights to access information provided for in Kenya's new Constitution that came to effect on 27 August 2010. Read more >> [Gregory Gondwe] The Association of Business Journalists (ABJ) has become the only journalist grouping that has cautioned media practitioners to verify materials they get before publishing stories in the face of accusations by President Bingu wa Mutharika that some media outlets are publishing lies to discredit his government. Read more >> DStv held a breakfast launch for the BBC's World News Africa Business Report in Parktown on Tuesday, 7 September 2010, hosted by BBC's Komla Dumor. Speaking at the event, Govan Reddy, former SABC radio head, indicated that the Media Appeals Tribunal could inflict irreparable damage on South Africa's image as a nation that champions free speech. Read more >>NEW YORK: Following Sunday's murder in Angola of Alberto Graves Chakussanga, a radio journalist with a station critical of the ruling MPLA government, authorities must conduct a thorough and transparent investigation exploring all possible leads and bring those responsible to justice, the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Wednesday, 8 September 2010. Read more >>Marketing
[Walter Wafula] Uganda is set to pursue at least 200 wealthy international investors operating in Europe, at the Uganda-United Kingdom Investment Forum taking place on 15 September 2010, at the Barbican Centre in London. Read more >> Advertising
The Loerie Awards will be running the SMS update service during the Loeries Festival Weekend from 1-3 October 2010. In partnership with Vodacom Mobile Media, Loeries will SMS those registered for the service the key programme elements over the weekend. Read more >> CSI
The Football for Hope Centre in Kenya was officially opened early this month with a further six, as part of the 20 Centres for 2010 campaign, on the cards in the next four to five months for Namibia, Mali, Rwanda, Ghana, Lesotho and South Africa. Read more >>Digital
[Carole Kimutai] DotConnectAfrica announced the launch of the 'Yes to a .africa' East Africa campaign during the 2010 AITEC East Africa ICT Summit held from 7-8 September 2010 in Nairobi, Kenya. The initiative is meant to give Africa a regional identity and global presence. Sophia Bekele, executive director, DotConnectAfrica made the announcement during the summit. Read more >> [Carole Kimutai] Google held an event, called Google G-Kenya, that brought together hundreds of tech-savvy entrepreneurs and developers at a web and mobile conference at Strathmore University, Nairobi on 6 September 2010, where over 1200 engineers, product managers, entrepreneurs, students and web developers gathered to discuss the future of web application development, and receive training on Google's products and online business skills. Read more >> [Dumisani Ndlela] Zimbabwean telecommunications firm, Telecontract (Telco) has launched Zimbabwe's first Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services after waiting for nearly 10 years for regulatory approvals. Read more >> Africa brings unique experiences and visions to IT and security. Read more >>A new United Nations report reveals that Africa significantly lags behind the rest of the world in providing affordable broadband access to its population. The UN released new statistics last Thursday, 2 September 2010, revealing a global disparity in fixed broadband access and cost ahead of this month's review of the Millennium Development Goals in New York. Read more >>Eventing
[Walter Wafula] At least 100 experts in the global post communication industry are expected to gather in Kampala next week as Uganda hosts the 2010 Conference of Commonwealth Postal Administrations (CCPA) for the first time. The meeting, which is organised by the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) and Uganda Post Limited (UPL), is scheduled to take place between 17-20 September 2010 at the Commonwealth Speke Resort Hotel. Read more >> Advertisement:
Exhibitions
The 2010 IFRA Expo kicks off in Hamburg, Germany next month from 4-6 October. The global trade exhibition for the news publishing industry plans to present the latest technologies and creative initiatives and show participants present how to best use them. Read more >>Media
[Gregory Gondwe] The Media Council of Malawi (MCM) has facilitated the formation of the Editorial Manager's Caucus (EMC) whose role is to promote and safeguard professional media standards and ethics in Malawi's media houses. Read more >> The UK's foreign secretary, William Hague, confirmed on Thursday (10 September 2010) that the BBC World Service budget would be cut. However, he said that no decisions had been made yet about which country operations would be affected. Read more >>Mobile
[Carole Kimutai] The mobile payment phenomenon has led to the rapid growth of small enterprises in Kenya and seen large corporates embracing mobile payments. However, according to business analyst and publisher of Ratiomagazine.com Andrea Bohnstedt, the big challenge is setting up a back office for client service and developing a sustainable business concept. Read more >> Advertisement:
LONDON: all amber, organiser of Mobile Web in Africa 2010, has announced additional partners and sponsors for the second annual event which takes place 28 September - 1 October 2010. Nokia and BlackBerry have both agreed to sponsorship packages joining Opera Software, InMobi Africa, the World Wide Web Foundation, MobileMonday, the W3C Mobile Web Initiative and Venture Capital for Africa in partnering with all amber. Read more >>According to MTN there has been an overwhelming response to the MTN Zakhele public offer, which opened to the Black public on 30 August 2010. Transaction volumes have been unprecedented, with some investors lodging their applications within hours of the public offer going live. Read more >>African governments need to prioritise the development of critical infrastructure in order for their citizens to be able to benefit from the full potential of mobile telephony, researchers have said. Read more >>The cost of making phone calls from mobile phones in Kenya has dropped drastically by between 50 and 75% in recent weeks, causing the country's inflation rate for the month of August to fall. Read more >>[Jeremy Daniel: Memeburn Editor] Nimbuzz, the mobile social messaging service, may not be particularly well-known in Africa at this point. But all that is about to change, according to Tobias Kemper, the general manager of Nimbuzz Inc. USA, who spoke to Memeburn about his vision for the company and the various ways Nimbuzz is used around the world. Read more >> Newspapers
[Dumisani Ndlela] The much-awaited Daily News newspaper is finally expected to hit the streets in October after a hold-up caused by problems with its printing press. Managing editor, John Gambanga told Bizcommunity.com: "All I can say is that we're coming out sometime in October after refurbishment of our printing press." Read more >> Three major themes emerged from the ninth International Newsroom Summit, organised by the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA): experimenting with paid content, how integrated newsrooms engage better internally and externally, and making content count in the digital and mobile world. The summit took place 8-9 September in London, UK. Read more >>Retail
[Dumisani Ndlela] The Zimbabwe government has capitulated to demands from the affirmative action group (AAG) and has moved to outlaw foreigners from the domestic retail sector. Read more >> ACCRA, GHANA: Closing the inaugural African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) in Accra, Ghana, AGRF chair, Kofi Annan, praised the efforts of public and private institutions, development organisations, the donor community and farmers, to accelerate the green revolution in Africa. Read more >>Hifikepunye Lucas Pohamba, president of Namibia, was awarded the 2010 FANRPAN Food Security Policy Leadership Award earlier this month. The award was announced at the FANRPAN Annual Regional Policy Dialogue in Windhoek. Read more >>[John Yarney] Key figures in Africa's seed business believe that a vibrant seed industry has a critical role to play in Africa's quest to revolutionise its agricultural sector. Read more >> MAPUTO: Mozambique will reverse an increase in the price of bread that sparked deadly rioting last week, and restore some subsidies for electricity and water, the planning minister said on Tuesday (7 September 2010). Read more >>Engen Petroleum, a South African petroleum marketing company has signed Share Purchase Agreements for Chevron's downstream interests in seven countries in sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands. Read more >>TV
LOS ANGELES / PARIS: The fourth edition of DISCOP Africa concluded late last week in Nairobi, Kenya with distributors reporting strong demand for content in the region notably from existing and future television operators possibly set to take advantage of Kenya's migration towards full digital terrestrial broadcasting. Read more >>[Gregory Gondwe] Football followers in Malawi have questioned the BBC World Service for securing rights to carry out commentary of the Barclays Premier League matches in French, Hausa, Portuguese and Somali which are not so common in the country. Read more >> LONDON, UK: Following the annual results announced this week by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC), the firm's sustainability and climate change practice said climate change has been repositioned in businesses' mind in the recovery, leading to strong growth for the team. Read more >>L'ABBAYE, SWITZERLAND: IMD teamwork, networking with clients and fun in the sun - all these ingredients and more were on display as two IMD sponsored teams took part in the Paddle for Cancer DragonBoat Festival yesterday in L'Abbaye, Switzerland. Read more >>DENVER, US: Quark has announced that it has launched the first private-label version of QuarkPromote.com ( www.quarkpromote.com) with Snap ( www.snap.com.au), a leading printing franchise in Australia. Read more >> More International news...
SOUTH AFRICA Ard Matthews and friends MoreSOUTH AFRICA India Fashion Show MoreSOUTH AFRICA J'burg Day 2010 MoreTotal South Africa service stations in the Soshanguve community north of Pretoria will be the first to experience a recently-launched initiative in which Quartz SHD40 oil is dispensed directly into motorists' vehicles. Read more >> More Motoring news...
[Brian Berkman: contributing editor, travel] Ranger Nick is sitting and swinging on the wood-trimmed door of his game vehicle, legs akimbo. He has the enthusiasm of a child doing something he loves. He introduces the nine of us to Stranger - the tracker who will lead our safari into 15 000 hectares of private concession in the Kruger National Park, near the Malelane Gate and the Mozambique border. Read more >> The Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) will present the fourth Hospitality Investment Conference Africa (HICA) taking place in Johannesburg from 31 October to 2 November 2010. The conference programme will explore investment opportunities in the African context, challenges faced by the hospitality sector and review international trends and best practice. Read more >>Dr Ian Cornish, regional MD of International SOS said expatriates, business and leisure travellers should be aware of the current risks of travel to Mozambique and have contingency plans in place. Read more >>Lufthansa has announced that its Airbus A380 service to Johannesburg will commence six weeks ahead of schedule. From 12 September, 2010, it will depart Frankfurt for Joburg twice weekly on Thursdays and Sundays returning to Germany on Mondays and Fridays. The remaining five days of the week will be operated using the Boeing B747-400. Read more >> More Travel news...
[Ruth Cooper] This is a charity gig review for the MyLifE Foundation, so let me try not to be too critical about the bands as the MyLifE Foundation works with homeless youths and children, and is a very worthy cause. I am pleased to say that it raised a commendable R46 000 on the night through an unusual auction (but more on that later). I was seriously blown away by some of the artists showcased, but I must admit that a few found me stifling yawns and wishing I had matchsticks to keep my eyes open. Read more >> [Ilva Pieterse] It's been ages since I've been so blown away. Watching Just Jinjer at the Barnyard Theatre, Cresta on 23 August, 2010 has, without a doubt, been my best eventing experience all year. Read more >> More BizLounge news...
- Structuring your ownership deal EconoBEE - Johannesburg, 15 September
- Key principles of government tendering Taranis - Cape Town, 16 September
- Creative writing course Allaboutwriting - Johannesburg, 22 September
- Cinematography course for beginners Auteur School of Independent Filmmaking - Cape Town, 24 September
- MogallyRock beer fest Mogallywood - Maanhaarrand, 25 September
- Audio visual production Visual Skills School - Pretoria, 30 September
- How to be a effective freelancer IAJ - Institute for the Advancement of Journalism - Johannesburg, 6 October
- ABF lawn bowls fundraiser Advertising Benevolent Fund - Morning Side, 22 October
- Advanced hazop for process control UNI Strategic - Kuala Lumpur, 25 October
- Coaching and mentoring Re:engage - Sandton, 25 October
"A good idea plus capable men cannot fail; it is better than money in the bank." - John Berry "The more informative your advertising, the more persuasive it will be." - David Ogilvy "Goals are dreams with deadlines." - Diana Scharf Hunt
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