Media Moves… TheMediaOnline’s weekly round up. No more Glow TV. HiTec Sure appoints Douw Gerber as head of sales and marketing. Virseker firmly behind Afrikaans high school rugby with the Virseker Beeld Trophy. TB, HIV and Aids awareness Z-CARD produced for Lesotho government. Hamiltons Advertising moves offices. Lesedi FM reinvents itself. Jupiter CT’s Ross Chowles represents SA at the One Show. Airtel, Facebook partner to being basic internet services to Nigerians
This week’s BIG move: No more Glow TV
As from 30 June 2016, the entertainment channel Glow TV will no longer be available on media platforms. Glow TV, which brings viewers eastern-inspired programming across various genres, was launched by Kagiso Media in October 2013 and brought Indian soapies and dramas to viewers across Southern Africa.
Urban Brew Studios CEO, Trish Taylor, said the current economic climate and the higher cost of programming contributed to the decision to close the channel. “Glow viewers have been supportive, loyal and dedicated. They are the ones most affected by our decision. We thank our valued viewers, advertisers and the satellite platforms for their amazing support of Glow TV over the past two and a half years,” said Taylor.
Kagiso Media Group CEO Mark Harris explained that while this decision was not an easy one, it is in the best interest of the broader group. “We are in the business of making great television but we also have to make sure that the business models associated with channels and programming work for the broader group,” he said.
One of the biggest production studios in Africa, UBS produces much-loved programmes across all genres including youth, entertainment, factual, drama series and Telenovelas. Flagship shows include YOTV, Gold Diggers and Live AMP to name a few.
The channel thanked its valued viewers, advertisers and the satellite platforms for their support since its inception.
Who’s moved where
HiTec Sure appoints Douw Gerber as head of sales and marketing
HiTec Sure, specialists in data and communications services, has appointed Douw Gerber as head of sales and marketing. The position was created as a result of exponential growth over the past year when HiTec Sure launched its MYiweb home broadband offerings and later Hitec Sure Business in early 2016.
Originally focused on the consumer market, HiTec Sure’s reach has expanded to include the local B2B marketplace. With its current focus on Gauteng’s SME environment, immediate plans include a national footprint with eventual expansion across Africa.
Gerber has been active in the ICT industry for 19 years while recently holding positions of senior sales engineer and later senior account manager at Verizon Business and MTN Business respectively. He managed large national and multi-national customers such as KPMG, Microsoft and Barclays Africa to name a few.
His expertise covers areas such as managed enterprise networks, IP communications, IT security and cloud based services.
Who’s won what
Virseker firmly behind Afrikaans high school rugby with the Virseker Beeld Trophy
Afrikaans insurance brand, Virseker, has announced its sponsorship of the Virseker Beeld Trophy.
Virseker is well-known for its service delivery in, and support of, Afrikaans, through stage productions like Afrikaans is Groot, as well as the promotion of Afrikaans education, where more than R10 million has been invested in, amongst others, Akademia, the Rapport Onderwysfonds and the development of Afrikaans study apps.
“Virseker pitches its weight firmly behind Afrikaans arts and education, so the expansion to Afrikaans sport development was a natural next step”, says Dawid Botha, spokesperson for Virseker.
“This trophy has been a symbol of Afrikaans high school rugby pride in the Northvaal area for the past 96 years – a platform where some of the biggest rugby legends of tomorrow are shaped. It is a huge privilege for us to become involved as sponsor.”
Action Ford will also be involved as prize sponsor and will, amongst other contributions, be putting a Ford Tourneo school bus to the value of more than R660 000 up for grabs.
“South Africa is a goldmine of world class rugby talent”, Botha concludes, “We know that the Virseker Beeld Trophy will not only aid in the discovery, shaping and showcasing of our country’s talent, but will also help to further the growth of a passionate, proud, Afrikaans rugby culture.”
TB, HIV and Aids awareness Z-CARD produced for Lesotho government
Lesotho’s Health Education Department, responsible for advocacy for health, communication for health and social support as well as social marketing for health, has selected a Z-CARD for communicating information about Tuberculosis (TB) and HIV and Aids to communities across the country.
According to the chief health educator, Khabiso Byron Ntoampe, the Z-CARDs were distributed to Lesotho’s general public via various means including parliamentarians, senators, government ministries, non-governmental organisations, district administrators, TB and HIV and AIDS stakeholders, health facilities, churches and mosques, hotels and private businesses.
“The feedback we keep on receiving is ‘we need more of that material’,” says Ntoampe.
Who’s making moves
Hamiltons Advertising moves offices
Hamiltons Advertising’s brand new agency home is a 700m2 space located on Tygervalley’s Durban Road. The new office is a showcase of the agency’s skills. Reminiscent of the strong creativity that they employ with the in-store design of their biggest client, Food Lover’s Market and Freshstop, the space is one beautiful celebration of innovation, creativity and functionality.
“We were running out of space in our old office and had been there for about 10 years. It had become quite cramped. Moreover, the flow of the office was dated for how the agency has grown over the last 20 years – the finance department was split from the rest of the agency, which meant that the team was never really together,” says Lisa Currey, MD of Hamiltons Advertising.
Meanwhile, the creatives, who have been working on various exciting store designs, as well as the new Food Lover’s Market Head Office, were hankering for their own project.
“It really was a no-brainer to look for a space that was more reflective of the agency style,” says Currey.
The new offices, are located in Bella Rosa Park and boast a new addition to the agency, Hamiltons in Production, which has a separate 250m2 film and photography studio, with it’s own fully equipped kitchen.
“To be more efficient, we really wanted our own film studio. At the moment we shoot about five commercials a month and as our clients are in food retail, we needed a suitable adjoining kitchen space and photography studio as well. We do quite a bit of stills photography on a weekly basis and we needed a fully equipped kitchen that could accommodate our photographers and stylists as well,” says Currey.
Lesedi FM reinvents itself
Lesedi FM is a contemporary radio station that has reinvented itself as cheerful, fresh and daring to be different, while still fulfilling its PBS mandate to educate, inform and entertain. The current Lesedi FM logo has been in existence for over 12 years part of the exciting big reveal is the Lesedi FM programming innovations and new logo.Lesedi FM station manager, Dirara Mokoena says, “Lesedi FM listeners have evolved, they are more demanding and have various choices and needs. They are now exposed to more things in the world than they were 14 years ago.”
The changes will be revealed on Friday in Bloemfontein at a gala dinner this changes will include the launch of a new logo/brand identity and TV commercials.
Jupiter CT’s Ross Chowles represents SA at the One Show
For the first time in One Show history, South Africa will be represented at the One Club Board meeting taking place in New York this week. Ross Chowles, creative strategist from The Jupiter Drawing Room Cape Town, was appointed to the International Board of Directors at the end of 2014 – the first South African to take on this role.
The Board is currently made up of representatives from Brazil, Japan, South Asia, Australia, the UK, China, Germany, France and Sweden.
What makes Chowles attendance at the Board meeting more important this year is that Africa will be a key focus in the meeting. “In previous years, we have looked at China and the innovation and growth in the industry in Asia. This year, we’ll be unpacking what is happening locally, and the impact The One Show workshops will have in terms of identifying black talent in our industry.”
The One Show Creative Week is currently taking place in New York City and draws to a close on 13 May.
Airtel, Facebook partner to being basic internet services to Nigerians
Bharti Airtel Africa, a telecommunications service provider with operations in 17 countries across Africa, has announced that it has launched Free Basics in Nigeria in partnership with Facebook.
Nigerians with an Airtel mobile connection will be able to access all the services that are available through Free Basics without paying extra for data charges or rental. Free Basics provides basic mobile websites and services for free to people around the world and demonstrating the value the internet can provide.
Christian de Faria, MD and CEO of Airtel Africa said, “We’re pleased to take this big step forward in our partnership with Facebook, bringing more people online in Africa’s most populous country and helping to further narrow the digital divide. This builds on our vision of using our widespread 3G network to help improve lives and communities by empowering them with access to digital content and services that are tailored to their needs.”
Free Basics will launch in Nigeria with more than 85 free services dedicated to health, education, jobs, and finance. To date, Facebook estimates that its connectivity efforts, which include Free Basics, have brought more than 25 million people online who wouldn’t be otherwise.
