Media Moves…TheMediaOnline’s weekly round up on who’s moved where and which companies have scored what accounts. All the moves in media
Karabo Kgoleng joins Talk Radio 702 weekday line-up
Talk Radio 702 has welcomed Karabo Kgoleng to the station as presenter of the early breakfast show, from 4am to 6am on weekdays.
Although barely 30 years old, Kgoleng already has a wealth of broadcast experience after three years of community radio and her most recent stint as host of Afternoon Talk on SAfm as well as their Sunday Literature show.
Her primary passion is books, literature and reading and she is the 2009/2010 South African Literary Award winner for journalism. She has also been acknowledged by the Mail & Guardian in both their 200 Young South Africans to take to Lunch supplement and the publication’s Book of South African Women 2009 for her contribution to arts and culture.
Karabo is currently the books editor at City Press and Vice President of Alliance Francaise, Johannesburg. “I see the media as a channel to change people and our country, ideals that 702 has long been living up to,” said Karabo. “This is a wonderful opprtunity and I’m looking forward to joining this team.
Jonathan Harris to establish new project for Magazine Division.
Media24 Magazines announced that Jonathan Harris, general manager of the Developing Market business unit, has been appointed to lead digital projects in the tablet magazine space for the division.
As a result, the Developing Market unit will be disbanded and the brands incorporated into the remaining units. True Love, Real, Move! and Kuier will move to Women’s Interest, FHM and Kick Off to Lifestyle and TVPlus returns to the Weeklies.
Harris joined Media24 in 2007 when he established Thought24, a 50/50 joint venture through the sale of Real Magazine, which he launched in 2005. Thought24 later became a wholly owned entity of Media24 with the addition of True Love and Move! and more recently became the Developing Market unit with the inclusion of FHM, Kick Off, TvPlus and Kuier.
“This is a unique challenge that gives me the opportunity to develop a business focused on answering some of the big questions about the long term future of magazines in a complex and fast changing tablet landscape,” Jonathan says. “To remain within the magazine division and be asked to think out of the box in a bleeding edge technology space was a rare opportunity I could not resist,” he said.
John Relihan, CEO of Media24 Magazines, has expressed his satisfaction with the appointment. “Jonathan has always been keen to challenge the thinking around the future of magazines and this project will certainly focus that thinking.”
Avusa Media live grows in strength and numbers
Elan Lohmann, formerly general manager (GM) of Avusa Media Live (AML), has been promoted to Managing Director of Avusa Group Digital: a move that will both strengthen the group’s digital strategy as well as position it firmly as a market leader in the South African digital arena. Although his new role sees him focusing more on the overall success of the group’s digital division, which includes businesses such as CareerJunction, I-Net Bridge, MapIT and Exclusives Online, Lohmann will continue to drive both publishing trade and consumer strategies together with the AML team.
Specialising in business communication and digital implementation, Derek Abdinor now heads up AML as its general manager. With over a decade’s experience in digital media, Abdinor has extensive management experience and was integral in the development of Avusa Media’s group-buying website Zappon.
The new appointment of Marc Hershowitz to lead the commercial operations of AML is a further indication of the group’s strategic drive to ensure its leading standing in the digital landscape. Hershowitz, formerly Business Development Manager of MediaMind Africa (previously Eyeblaster) and most recently Key accounts manager at The SpaceStation, brings with him a wealth of managerial experience in the digital as well as online media spaces.
Rohenie Naidu joins the AML sales team as its sales account manager. Naidu, brings to the table over 10 years’ of sales and digital media strategy experience most recently at Habari Media.
Shana Kay has been appointed senior business analyst at AML. Her experience in co-founding two IT businesses, namely Maxxor and Infointeg, makes her well-suited in her new role. Kay will be responsible for evaluating and creating business processes across all functional areas, facilitating and leading workshops for new products and projects as well as liaising with all business units to gather requirements for new interventions.
With an eye to growing the division’s trade relationships and communications strategies, newly-appointed Laetitia van Rensburg joins AML as its trade marketing manager. Working in synergy with the commercial and marketing team, Van Rensburg – who has a strong background in digital marketing, project management, campaign and sales operations – will focus on marketing strategies that help raise the profile of the division’s assets to the trade media.
Due to its considerable growth since inception in March this year, Brent de Beer – an online marketing and sales specialist – has been appointed as sales manager for group-buying website Zappon. He’ll also be responsible for creating online sales opportunities to the SME market across all of AML’s online platforms. De Beer brings with him over 15 years’ experience in both the digital publishing and online marketing spheres at senior level.
SAfm secures another top presenter, makes other moves
From Monday, SAfm welcomed a new voice and a great talent in the media industry to the station. Masechaba Moshoeshoe joins the station as the presenter of The Talk Shop, 7pm– 9pmMonday to Thursday, which was presented by Ashraf Garda.
Masechaba is a well-known and experienced radio and TV presenter and TV Actress. Her previous live and interactive TV and Radio work has equipped her well for SAfm, where interaction with the listener is key.
Dennis O’Donnell, station manager for SAfm said “We are really excited about Masechaba joining the station, because of the high caliber of her work. She will bring a whole different dynamic to the platform and hope it will reap positive results”.
With Masechaba taking over The Talk Shop, Mr. Ashraf Garda will drive the Afternoon Talk slot, 14h00 – 16h00, which was presented by Ms. Karabo Kgoleng. He promises to bring a very different feel to afternoon listening. Ashraf will continue to present the highly acclaimed and respected Media @ SAfm on Sundays, 09h00 – 11h00. He also presents Special Assignment on SABC 3.
Christina Scott will be presenting the SAfm Literature programme, 1pm – 4pm onSundays for a while in addition to her regular Science Matters programme on Thursday nights, 9pm-10pm.
In another move, Sibahle Malinga takes over the overnight programme on weekends, midnight to 4am on Saturday and Sunday from Mathumo Manaka. Ms. Malinga also presents the programme InTune on Saturdays from 12pm-1pm, that deals with issues pertaining to South African youth.
Former True Love Editor joins Primedia Lifestyle
Busi Mahlaba has been appointed as the National Marketing Executive for leading shopping centre marketing consultancy Primedia Lifestyle. Former editor of True Love Magazine and Market Development Manager at Media24 Women’s Magazines, Busi takes up her new role at the Unlimited subsidiary where she’ll be at the helm of marketing Primedia Lifestyle’s Old Mutual Property Portfolio.
Having honed her career at Media24 Women’s Magazines division as the market development manager, Mahlaba was responsible for identifying marketing initiatives and pursuing new business opportunities. As the former editor of True Love Magazine, she consolidated the publication’s brand identity in a competitive market, making it one of the top English-speaking women’s magazines in SA at the time.
She also has under her belt four years as a presenter on MNet Africa, as well as having been a talk show host on SABC 2. Since graduating from Rhodes University and travelling extensively whilst with SAA, Busi has gained invaluable experience in consumer research, marketing and advertising strategy, working for AC Nielsen South Africa as a Director on leading FMCG brands Cadbury, Adcock Ingram and GSK, and at JWT where she worked on the Unilever brand, Nestlé and RBK.
Doug Mayne, Primedia Lifestyle’s MD comments, “We’re honoured to have Busi’s intellectual capital and prowess behind the national marketing portfolio and believe that she will be a hugely positive influence in maintaining our leadership position in the marketplace. Her retail and brand building experience are invaluable to us and we look forward to her strategic marketing contributions.”
Dart new creative director at Spaghetti Media
Anthony Dart has been appointed as the new creative director at Spaghetti Media. Dart, who is highly regarded in the design industry for his creative work, joins Spaghetti Media at a time of rapid growth for the agency.
Dart describes his talents as those of a multi-disciplinary designer / director working in the fields of graphic design, typography, motion design and music production. His appointment at the production house is seen as a leap ahead and completes a multi-disciplinary approach that Spaghetti Media offers its clients, which includes the business aspect, creative design, composition and direction. He believes that his new role as Creative Director at the production house performs an integral role and is “the perfect fit”.
Andrew Lester, director at Spaghetti Media and the entrepreneurial spirit behind the team, notes that the addition of Dart to the skills set at Spaghetti Media, coupled with the creative skills available complete the team and create a formidable player in the industry. “I have always admired Anthony’s work. We are excited to have him as part of the team. We have some pretty big ideas and Anthony gives us the creative nous to achieve a lot of these.”
New National Sales Manager for TLC
Mike van Tonder has been promoted to National Sales Manager at Unlimited’s indoor advertising company, TLC. Van Tonder is a long standing employee at Unlimited, having begun his advertising career at Icon Media and Mamba Media before joining the TLC team in 2009.
“You won’t meet a more energetic and conscientious individual,” says Brett Tucker, TLC’s Joint MD. “Mike has the natural ability of endearing himself to everyone he meets and is well focused and passionate about the business. We are privileged to have Mike as part of our management team and have no doubt he will ensure that we not only stay ahead of the game, but that we drive TLC to the next level. He fully deserves the promotion.”
New appointments at Primedia Lifestyle
Ashvina Bhana has been appointed as Primedia Lifestyle’s Marketing Manager of The Workshop in KZN.
Nikisha Deoduth has been appointed as Primedia Lifestyle’s PR Manager at Gateway Theatre of Shopping
New Appointment at Primedia Unlimited
Lauren Mcdonald has been appointed as Group Marketing Co-ordinator at Primedia Unlimited.
A couple of new appointments at Campus Media
The leaders in outdoor and interactive advertising to the student market, Campus Media, have recently acquired various specialists to compliment their team:
Camagu Sam, Media Consultant
Kevin Kyle, Media Consultant
New Primedia Unlimited division wins in-store advertising for Edgars
Evolving its stable to house an additional media platform within the retail space, Unlimited’s latest subsidiary, Fashion Media, has successfully been launched and has secured the national in-store advertising rights for Edgars department stores nationwide.
Fashion Media is evolving Edgars Department Store window display areas into 3D industrial brand theatres and offers brands prominent advertising space on in-store escalators, hanging banners, lifts, gondola ends and bleepa sleeves. Fashion Media will also manage the group’s in-store promotional space and all advertising platforms within the Edgars fitting rooms.
Fashion Media CEO Sean Reed explains, “The Fashion Media business has been added to the Unlimited stable to compliment retail advertising and activation specialists Primall Media, TLC and Mall Active, to ensure that the group offers advertisers a 360° in-store and in-mall media solution.”
Bester Burke Wins I&J Account
Bester Burke has been appointed to handle the advertising for Irvin & Johnson Limited (I&J).
