Know thy social media (Pt two)I've been a huge supporter of the local rock / alternative / indie music scene in South Africa ever since Bizcommunity launched the BizLounge. I've attended gig after gig - from The Dirty Skirts to The Rudimentals to Goldfish - and we have some great talent here. I've watched bands grow from small-time Cape Town bands into artists playing on one of the biggest national radio stations with their hits making it all the way up the charts. Some have transcended national borders and are touring overseas. It just irks me that at times some of these artists and their managers / publicity managers have not come to grips with how to use social media tools and how not to. A prime example occurred last week on Facebook when a band referred to itself in the third person; understand that this is extremely alienating to fans who would like to believe that the band actually runs the Facebook page and that they are communicating with the band. This is of course not always the case in reality but at least pretend that it is. All musicians continent-wide should embrace social media in marketing themselves; it is, however, imperative that the platforms' ins and outs are grasped thoroughly before using them unwittingly to the band or artist's detriment. Ciao, Sindy Peters (@sindylp), Africa editor
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[Issa Sikiti da Silva] As governments across the African continent come under increasing pressure from critical media, 'vulture' ruling parties believe the only way to deal with this 'surrogate opposition' is to regulate it through statutory mechanisms that will eventually dent its wayward reporting. But some African voices of reason, such as Zambia's Fred M'membe, argue that the restriction of good media never produces good media. Read more >> NEW YORK: Unidentified gunmen killed an Al-Jazeera cameraman and wounded his colleague near the eastern rebel-held city of Benghazi in an ambush on Saturday, 13 March 2011, according to the Qatar-based satellite station. This is the first confirmed death reported in the Libyan conflict, the Committee to Protect Journalists said. Read more >>[Gregory Gondwe] The Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has taken to court the matter over the amendment to Section 46 of the Penal Code that allows the information of minister to ban publications he sees contrary to public interest. Deputy director of MHRC Chrispin Sibande says they have taken the matter to the High Court so that it invalidates the amendment because it is inconsistent with the Malawi Constitution. Read more >> Both Niger presidential election candidates announced their commitment to promote freedom of expression and review media legislation if elected. The World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) and the World Editors Forum have welcomed the endorsement by both Mahamadou Issoufou of the Social Democratic Party and Seini Oumarou of the National Movement for a Developing Society of the Declaration of Table Mountain. Read more >>[Issa Sikiti da Silva] Due to the lack of a strong and united political opposition, the media in Africa, at least those that are critical of government policies, becomes a powerful force called a surrogate opposition, Prof Tawana Kupe, dean of faculty of humanities at Wits University, said this week in Johannesburg. Read more >> [Gregory Gondwe] The Media Council of Malawi (MCM) has condemned the assault of a Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) journalist on Wednesday, 9 March 2011, at the trial of former president Bakili Muluzi at the High Court in Blantyre. Supporters of the former president receive coverage offered by the state-controlled broadcaster with a pinch of salt as they claim it always reports negative stories. Read more >> [Issa Sikiti da Silva] Until 1992, journalists and editors in Ghana, and the independent media in general, have suffered a lot at the hands of undemocratic regimes, which cracked down on critical reporting and imposed strict restrictions limiting media freedom. As a new, liberal constitution was being written in 1992, media activists came out guns blazing, demanding that media suffering end and reporting become free. [ view twitterfall] Read more >> [Issa Sikiti da Silva] As the independent media in Africa is engaged in a fierce battle against repressive and not-so-democratic governments keen to sweep their corrupt wrongdoings under the carpet, the issue of self-regulation has become almost like a daily bread in many parts of the continent. [ view twitterfall] Read more >> [Issa Sikiti da Silva] The right of access to information is being hampered in many parts of the world, especially in Africa, by government officials wary of journalists' desire to 'embarrass' them, and the state's 'insincere' reason of hiding behind the issue of national security. This emerged today, Wednesday, 9 March 2011, at the Regulations and Rights media conference at Wits University in Johannesburg. [ view twitterfall] Read more >> [Issa Sikiti da Silva] The press is powerful, and as judges we are aware of the power of the press, and when you are in a position of power, self-reflection is very important, former Constitutional Court judge Kate O'Regan said today, Wednesday, 9 March 2011, at the Regulations and Rights media conference currently taking place at Wits University in Johannesburg. [ view twitterfall] Read more >> Marketing
[Ivo Vegter: @sxswsa] Here is a roundup of the posts published on sxswsa.co.za this weekend. We're over halfway through SxSW Interactive, but there's still plenty material in the works, so keep an eye on the blog for another few days. Also, follow @sxswsa, or the entire #sxswsa Twitter list. [ view twitterfall] Read more >> [Georgia Christian] When you think of a brand, or specifically your brand, what comes to mind? Broken down, a brand constitutes a name, tag line, logo and design, all of which should ultimately define your business perfectly. A brand, we now know however, is much more than that. It is the voice, attitude, style, familiarity and feeling that people get when they think about a business or company, and it's hugely important. Read more >> [Shaune Jordaan] The latest hype around the SEO world has been the clampdown by Google on paid link advertising. And regardless of whether you are a small starting-off company or a powerhouse that has been around for years, you are being targeted. JCPenney and Forbes.com, two internationally known and respected companies, were penalised by Google because they used paid links to advertise their websites. Read more >> Digital
The Google Inc. Charitable Giving Fund of Tides Foundation announced on Tuesday, 8 March 2011, that it is awarding five grants totalling US$5 million to African projects in support of improving internet access and to enable African countries to participate in and contribute to the global Internet. One grant will assist in expanding the online Nelson Mandela archive. Read more >>WASHINGTON: US computer security authorities warned on Friday (11 March 2011) that online scammers may seek to exploit the earthquake in Japan. Read more >>South African-based office automation company, Outsource Digital is opening a new branch in Botswana, in partnership with Botswana-based entrepreneur, Thapelo Letsholo. Read more >>JOHANNESBURG: The Africa Top Level Domains (AfTLD) organisation on Wednesday, 9 March 2011, announced its decision to seek a mandate from the African Union Commission (AUC) and to apply to ICANN to manage the .africa registry. Read more >>Media
[Carole Kimutai] The Dag Hammarskjöld Scholarship Fund for Journalists is now accepting applications from professional journalists from developing countries for its 2011 Fellowship Program. The application deadline is 6 April 2011. Read more >> Mobile
[Ray Maota] South African telecommunications giant MTN has been named the continent's most valuable brand by an online resource that tracks the performance of the world's top trademarks. The results were released by Brandirectory, which compiles internationally relevant financial results, trademark histories and marketing news about notable brands. Read more >> Mobile operator MTN Group on Thursday (10 March 2011) announced several leadership changes in its African operations, including the appointment of Ahmed Faroukh as its vice-president for the west and central Africa region. Read more >>WASHINGTON: On Tuesday, 8 March 2011, International Women's Day, Cherie Blair, founder of the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, participated as special guest speaker at a ceremony at the International Finance Corporation's (IFC) headquarters, where the Village Phone program received the annual IFC CEO Gender Award for outstanding achievement in promoting women in business. Read more >>Online Media
WATERLOO: The Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) recently announced that the Africa Portal has reached a large, worldwide audience since its launch late last year. The online knowledge resource, which became active on 25 November 2010, offers open access to a suite of features aimed to equip users with research and information on Africa's current policy issues. Read more >>[Uzair Parker] The recent Egyptian revolution which saw the overthrow of former President Mubarak garnered worldwide publicity with millions of viewers tuning in to Al Jazeera for live broadcasting on the day-to-day events. Read more >> DAKAR: An online magazine analysing and commenting on events in Africa, established by French journalists, was formally launched in Dakar on Monday (7 March 2011) to give "an African vision of Africa" in its coverage. Read more >>PR & Communications
AFRICA AfDB appoints head of external relations, communicationRichard Uku has been appointed head of external relations and communication at the African Development Bank. Uku has been group head, brand and communication at Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), and head of communications at the Africa Finance Corporation. He was previously speechwriter to the deputy MD of the International Monetary Fund and head of communications for the World Bank's Africa region. He also worked for the international PR firm Burson-Marsteller as VP, government and emerging markets. AFRICA Hylton Ross appoints Marcus Brewster PublicityHylton Ross Exclusive Touring, part of the JSE-listed Cullinan Holdings, has appointed Marcus Brewster Publicity's Cape Town office to handle stakeholder and media relations for the South African travel company. Originally only a Western Cape-based operation, the company recently expanded its services to Gauteng, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia. Radio
Late last week saw the launch of Mozambique's first adventure-fantasy serial radio drama Madjuba: Quest for the Talisman. Madjuba is a 13-part radio drama available in Portuguese, Changaan, and Sena, initiated by UNESCO with support from SIDA, produced by CMFD (Community Media for Development) Productions. It will be distributed to community radio stations across the country. Read more >>Research
The 13th PAMRO meeting and All Africa Media Research Conference will take place from 21-24 August 2011 in Dakar, Senegal at the Le Méridien President Hotel. Updates on media audience research activities from countries from all parts of Africa will be provided. Read more >>JOHANNESBURG: According to a new report released by CIVICUS, women in civil society in Africa are particularly prone to intimidation and harassment. CIVICUS has called on African governments, regional bodies, the international community and civil society to do more to protect women human rights defenders on the continent. Read more >>[Carole Kimutai] TNS RMS has started an omnibus study in East Africa that will involve regular surveys. The results of individual questions remain the property of the client and will not be shared with other clients. Read more >> IPS Africa hosted researchers, reporters and policy advocates in Johannesburg last month to review the outcomes of its DFID-funded 'Changing Lives: Making research real' project and its impact on research uptake in the region. The roundtable discussion sought to review the programme and develop research communication best practices to support research uptake. Read more >>Retail
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has signed an agreement for a US$90.6 million loan to Tanzania that will aim to enhance access to rural financial services and markets and promote private-sector development in the country, the United Nations rural poverty agency announced. Read more >>[Miriam Mannak] While the food price spikes of the past few years have had a negative impact on food security and poverty in sub-Saharan Africa, where people on average spend 70% of their income on food, they may also present the region with opportunities. Read more >> CAPE TOWN: South Africa is helping neighbouring African countries to develop various transport corridors in a bid to boost regional integration and create a larger marketplace for Africans, the Minister of Trade and Industry Rob Davies said yesterday, 8 March 2011. Read more >>BAMAKO: Experts on livestock farming, trade and security on Monday, 7 March 2011 in Bamako, the Malian capital, began a three-day meeting to validate the draft strategic action plan for the development of livestock farming in ECOWAS member states. Read more >>SINGAPORE: Launching the newly designed 2011 website, the Spikes Asia Advertising Festival has announced that they will be introducing Mobile and PR as two new entry categories and recognising the Independent Agency of the Year at this year's Awards. Read more >>BOGOTA, COLOMBIA: Newspapers in much of the world are facing dual challenges from digital development and from pressures on freedom of the press. In many places, the issues are intertwined. Read more >>LONDON, UK / JOHANNESBURG, SA: The Independent Agency Selection & Search Company (IAS) and UK counterpart the AAR, recently conducted a survey and polled the top 25 CEOs of global adverting agency networks and 15 UK counterparts. Read more >>OSLO, NORWAY: Opera Software, a leading provider of mobile browsers around the world, has announced that the Opera Mobile Store is now open and available at mobilestore.opera.com. Read more >> More International news...
Mobile
Germany's International Broadcaster works with Starfish Mobile East Africa Limited to supply new mobile services in Kiswahili. Read more >>
SOUTH AFRICA Goldfish at Kirstenbosch MoreSOUTH AFRICA Green Renaissance More[Henrie Geyser: motoring editor] A caddy is one of the pleasures of playing golf because it means that somebody else gets to hump a rather heavy and unwieldy collection of clubs, balls and a sundry collection of golfing accessories in a heavy bag around a usually undulating golf course in the pouring rain or scorching sunshine. Read more >> The Automechanika South Africa trade fair, which opened at the Johannesburg Expo Centre yesterday 9 March 2011, saw international and local supporters express their support of the automotive industry in South Africa and Gauteng in particular. Read more >>[Henrie Geyser: motoring editor] For the first time in the 26-year history of the South African Car of the Year competition, two cars, the VW Polo and the BMW 530d, tied for the top honours. Read more >> RESTON, US: comScore, Inc, a leader in measuring the digital world, has announced the availability of an expanded competitive set of insurers and aggregator sites for its online auto insurance benchmarker. In Q4 2010, these additional sites accounted for 724 000 submitted quotes, making up 8% of quotes submitted online. Read more >> More Motoring news...
[Mariette du Toit-Helmbold] ITB Berlin is the world's leading travel trade show with some 100 000 trade visitors and more than 60 000 members of the public that will visit the show between 9 and 13 March 2011. Read more >> ANDORRA: Switzerland, Germany and France have the most attractive environments for developing the travel and tourism industry, according to the fourth Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report, just released by the World Economic Forum at the Global Tourism Forum 2011 (GTF) held in Andorra. Austria, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Spain and Singapore complete the top 10. Read more >> More Travel news...
[Ilse van den Berg] Goldfish rocked up on Sunday, 6 March at Kirstenbosch Gardens with an amazing energy that literally raised the hairs on the back of my neck. Having seen them previously perform an unforgettable show at St. Yves Club, Camps Bay, I was really excited to see what they would be able to do in front of a crowd easily four times that size and in an open-air venue like Kirstenbosch. Let me tell you, I was not disappointed. Read more >> [Johann Smith] Nothing new can be said about The Crucible. Its history and story are in many books and plastered all over the Internet. Arthur Miller's classic, written in 1953, is a central work in the canon of American drama and has won several awards. Read more >> [Johann Smith] Words cannot describe music. Syllables cannot substitute chords. Paragraphs will never possess the power of a melody. A music review is reality trying to illustrate and paint the abstract. After all, language is limited and, therefore, we reach for the arts. Music, in its own right, exists in a world of its own and language is alien. Read more >> More BizLounge news...
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- John Matisonn - The Arab revolution of 2011 Cape Town Press Club - Cape Town, 15 March
- Future of media agencies - are they under threat? AMASA - Johannesburg, 16 March
- The SAB eat in produce awards night market Traffic Integrated Marketing - Cape Town, 17 March
- National rock day Toprock - Pietermaritzburg, 19 March
- What is a carbon footprint? Global Carbon Exchange - Online, 24 March
- QS world MBA tour - Africa QS - Johannesburg, 29 March
- ECM make waves/business innovation at work IBM - Johannesburg, 31 March
- Macro photography Visual Skills School - Pretoria, 1 April
- The secret to event management The Hedgehog Event - Fourways, 5 April
- Marketing wine online USB Executive Development Ltd - Cape Town, 28 April
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