AFRICA

Ghana: Avoka calls for non-partisan debate on Information Bill

KUMASI: The Majority Leader in Parliament, Cletus Avoka, has urged civil society groups and other stakeholders to adopt a non-partisan approach to discussions on the Right to Information Bill which is currently before Parliament. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Infographics unpack Africa

Zoom Advertising, part of the Ogilvy group, has a new graphics package, Afrographique. The brainchild of Ivan Colic, an art director at Zoom, it is licensed exclusively to the agency. Read more >>

AFRICA

What personal branding and marketing is not

[Donna Rachelson] Since writing my book, Branding & Marketing YOU, I've come to realise that there is a lot of confusion about what the term "personal branding" actually means. There are many misconceptions floating about and I'd like to clear a few of them up, which is why I've put together this list of four things that personal branding is not. Read more >>

AFRICA

Nigeria: Outdoor advertising gulped N100 billion in 2010 - Survey

According to a survey published in the latest edition of Mediafacts 2010, an annual publication of MediaReach OMD, a media independent agency in Nigeria, a total of N97.549 billion was invested in outdoor advertising (above the line advertising activities). Read more >>

AFRICA

TBWA Africa Conference addresses changing face of African consumer

JOHANNESBURG: The fifth annual TBWA Africa Conference was held in Sandton, Johannesburg late last week. TBWA's head of strategic planning Mariska Oosthuizen's presentation on "The changing face of the African consumer" focused on market and consumer trends in a rapidly evolving and changing Africa. Read more >>

AFRICA

Are you the world's most networked person?

[Issa Sikiti da Silva: @sikitimedia] Western Union, the multinational company specialised in money transfer, is celebrating its 160th anniversary by launching a global online network - a Facebook-linked platform meant to hunt for the most networked person in the world. The South African launch took place yesterday, Thursday 4 August 2011, in Rosebank simultaneously with Ghana, Kenya and Morocco. Read more >>

AFRICA

Rwanda: Registration begins as School of Journalism relocates

Following the relocation of the School of Journalism from the Southern Province to Kigali City, the school has started registering students for the next intake. Read more >>

AFRICA

Innovation dinner confirms speakers

The bi-monthly ITNewsAfrica Innovation Dinner series, designed for Africa's ICT professionals, entrepreneurs and senior business people across all industries in Africa have confirmed the speakers for the upcoming dinner taking place on Wednesday 31 August 2011 at the Michelangelo Hotel in Sandton, Johannesburg. Read more >>

AFRICA

Highway Africa New Media Awards extends deadline

The deadline for the 11th SABC-Telkom-Highway Africa New Media Awards has been extended to Monday, 22 August 2011. Winners will be announced at a gala event during the 15th Highway Africa Conference to be held at the Cape Town International Conference Centre (CTICC) from 19-22 September 2011. Read more >>

AFRICA

Zimbabwe: Econet applies for interdict against Alpha Media

Econet Wireless Zimbabwe Ltd has applied for a High Court interdict to stop Alpha Media Holdings (AMH), the parent company of the Zimbabwe Independent, NewsDay and the Standard, from publishing stories on the company which it deems defamatory. Read more >>

AFRICA

Applications for mLab SA membership now open

Mobile developers and entrepreneurs with a start-up business, organisation or mobile ideas are invited to apply to become members of mLab Southern Africa, a new incubator for entrepreneurs and innovators with a focus on mobile technology. Read more >>

AFRICA

A24 Media re-launches website

A24 Media have re-launched its newly designed website. The new website includes features such as advertising, a photography archive and media sales. It also introduces its new project "Africa: What's Your Story", an online social platform that seeks to give Africans a voice and promote transparency and accountability. Read more >>

AFRICA

Somalia: NUSOJ mourns the loss of a colleague

MOGADISHU: The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) has mourned the death of Farah Hassan Sahal, a media executive at SIMBA Radio, who was gunned down at the premises of the station on Thursday, 4 August 2011. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

International adland recruitment consultancy opens in Jozi

[Herman Manson: @marklives] Fabric, an international recruitment consultancy focused on the media and marketing sectors, has opened its doors in Johannesburg under the leadership of Jacqueline Rose. Fabric also has offices in London and Dubai. Read more >>

AFRICA

2011 PAMRO meeting announces speakers

The 13th Pan African Media Research Organisation (PAMRO) meeting and All Africa Media Conference, to be held from 21-24 August 2011 in Dakar, Senegal at the Le Méridien President Hotel, has announced its top panel of speakers. Read more >>

AFRICA

Malawi government tussles with banks over tax

[Gregory Gondwe] The Malawian government continues to tussle with the banking community over the newly introduced value added tax (VAT) on some of its banking services ever since Finance Minister Ken Kandodo introduced the said tax in the 2011/2012 national budget. Read more >>

AFRICA

African league football now available on MultiChoice

[Carole Kimutai] Subscribers to DStv Access, Family and Compact bouquets across Africa can now watch African league football matches on SuperSport. Viewers are able to watch selected live soccer games with effect from Monday, 1 August 2011 following the launch of SelectSport. Read more >>

UNITED KINGDOM

Marcus John to head MediaCom SPORT

LONDON, UK: MediaCom Worldwide has launched a new global sports division, MediaCom SPORT. Global head of sports Marcus John, who was previously SVP & managing director of IMG Consulting Asia/Pacific, will head it. Read more >>

UNITED KINGDOM

Project your imagination

LONDON, UK: Bombay Sapphire is a brand created by marketing. For all its Victoriana dressing and what's optimistically known in the branding world as 'heritage cues', the gin in the famous blue bottle was actually created in 1987, supposedly based on a long lost recipe from 1761. Read more >>

UNITED KINGDOM

Comment: RIM's launch of five new BlackBerry 7 smartphones

[Malik Saadi] LONDON, UK: RIM unveiled five new smartphones, based on the latest BlackBerry 7 (BB7) Operating System, at one of its biggest ever launches - and the first outside North America - in London this week. The smartphones include the BlackBerry Bold 9900/993, which is RIM's first-ever NFC device, for contactless payments and the BlackBerry Torch 9850/9860 which is an entirely touchscreen device. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

MXit new voting platform for Table Mountain

South Africans can now vote for Table Mountain to become one of the New7Wonders of Nature with the online mobile messenger MXit, which has an estimated 37 million registered accounts in South Africa. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

New Merc coupé no party animal

[Henrie Geyser: motoring editor] Mercedes-Benz South Africa is on a roll and just weeks after unwrapping its new generation C-Class saloons it has added a glitzy coupé to the range - and this time round it is not just a revamped show-off CLC but a true two-door coupé, styled in the classic tradition. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Behind the wheel this holiday weekend? Drive properly

The statistics on distracted driving are startling. In the United States, for example, the US Department of Transportation statistics indicate that in 2008 nearly 6000 people died and more than half a million were injured in crashes associated with driver distractions of all types. And even though this article relates to the US, it is relevant here in SA. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Workers pelt tourists at God's Window

Tourists travelling to God's Window near Graskop in Mpumalanga were pelted with stones by angry strikers who are demanding salary increases of 15%, a R1500 housing subsidy and a R1000 standby allowance, reports The Star. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Mount Grace Country House & Spa open for business

Following several enquiries Mount Grace Country House & Spa would like to assure its clientele, suppliers and partners that the hotel is open for business and operating as usual. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

1time introduces route changes

1time Airline has announced that it would be withdrawing from its Maputo route as of 31 August 2011. Read more >>

NEW ZEALAND

Get the low-down on the Rugby World Cup

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND: World Cup visitors can now get their very own digital guide to the local 'hood' thanks to a new city guide, compiled by a Who's Who of fashion, food, art, shopping and fun in downtown Auckland. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Counterfeiters target cyclists

Consumers looking to purchase a bicycle are being advised to check that they receive the equipment on which they spend their hard-earned cash. Read more >>