Media moves: Henry Nxumalo investigative reporting grants launched, Grey wins Mazda, new board for ACA

The Media Online’s weekly round up of moves in media.

This week’s BIG move: Wits Journalism announces the Henry Nxumalo Grants for investigative reporting

Wits Journalism is offering grants to encourage investigative reporting in the tradition of pioneering 1950s reporter Henry Nxumalo.

For 12 years, Wits Journalism has offered the Taco Kuiper Grants, which has enabled some remarkable reporting. About R3.5 million has been awarded to 60 projects.

Some of the work supported by this programme has been Jacques Pauw’s The President’s Keepers; Pieter-Louis Myburgh’s The Republic of Gupta; Lucas Ledwaba and Leon Sadiki’s Broke and Broken; and Lukhanyo and Abigail Calata’s My Father Died For This, among others.

This grant system is now being expanded and renamed in honour of Nxumalo. Over R600 000 will be available annually for individual reporters, groups of reporters or news institutions who have investigative projects of public interest. Nxumalo, often known as ‘Mr Drum’, did groundbreaking undercover work for Drum Magazine in the 1950s, including first-hand exposés of prison and labour conditions. He was killed in 1958 while investigating illegal abortions.

Click here for full details about the grant.

People moves

ACA board of directors and executive for 2019/20 announced

The new board of Directors of the Association for Communication and Advertising (ACA) for the 2019/2020 fiscal have been elected. They are:

Jacaranda FM appoints new marketing manager

Jacaranda FM has appointed Leith Smith as marketing manager. The appointment follows Smith’s four years at the station in the role of project manager on all key events including Jacaranda Day, Spring Walk, Business Breakfasts, Carols by Candlelight, and Off the Beat ‘n Track.

“I have a passion for the radio industry and am thrilled at how I’ve been part of the growth of the Jacaranda FM brand over the last few years. I am also looking forward to leading an amazing team, and step-changing the way we do marketing in the most innovative way to connect with our current and new audiences,” Smith said.

Jacaranda FM’s GM, Kevin Fine, added: “Leith is a firm favourite with the team and clients and brings an immense set of skills to the table. He has a strong track record in radio and has already made an incredible impact on the brand’s growth.”

Maria Wilson is the new business unit director at OLE! Connect

Following the merger of OLE! Connect’s former conglomerate companies, HoneyKome, MobiMedia and TeamTalk, the business has appointed Maria Wilson as new business unit director. She is tasked with building a sustainable marketing team to exceed current client expectations and deliver stellar work while increasing the company’s client base.

Wilson said that in order to manage a profitable unit that drives company culture, delivers on strategy and creative ideation, her priority lay in building sustainable solutions.

“I have been tasked with building a business that will successfully drive our vision and increase our client base.  I am therefore focusing on building a team whose strengths will complement each other within an open and flat management structure that promotes successful innovation.”

FuseForward appoints new local managing director in South Africa

International cloud solutions and managed services provider FuseForward has announced IT industry stalwart Premie Naicker as its new managing director. He will help grow FuseForward’s footprint in the region.

FuseForward is expanding its presence in South Africa and has seen rapid growth locally. The company specialises in cloud and analytics solutions, with a specific focus on Amazon Web Services (AWS).

Business moves

Mazda Southern Africa appoints new advertising agency

Mazda Southern Africa has appointed Grey Advertising Africa, effective 01 November 2019, as its advertising agency.

Grey will be responsible for all of Mazda’s above the line and below the line creative work. The agency will play an integral part in the brand’s journey to solidifying its position in the alternative premium space.

“We’re excited to be partnering with such a dynamic marketing team on the iconic Mazda brand which is going from strength to strength in South Africa. The automotive sector is undergoing seismic shifts in technology and the way consumers perceive and own their vehicles. We look forward to playing an important role in helping the brand meet these future consumers’ expectations,” said Paul Jackson, CEO of Grey Advertising Africa.

BMi Research introduces improved features to Print Ads app

BMi Research has announced improvements and upgrades to its print promo ad tracker making the app even more user friendly.

The app allows clients to track promotional prices 24/7 via their smart device, providing an easy online reference to competitor promotional activity. BMi Research’s Print Ads solution gathers data from all national daily, weekly, monthly and community newspapers and magazines, and makes the information available within 24 hours of capture and the recently introduced upgrade to the app reduces the number of steps required to obtain information.

“We understand that our clients are busy people and as such, this upgrade is intended to make the app more time efficient, as well as more visually appealing,” explained Danie Botha, sales manager at BMi Research.

Distell sponsors agri-business and eco-tourism forum, Angola-South Africa

With less than two months to go, the countdown has officially begun for the inaugural Agri-Business and Eco-Tourism Forum, Angola-South Africa, to be held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) on 26 and 27 September 2019.

Co-Hosted by the Angola Private Investment Agency and Promotion of Exports (AIPEX) and the Angola South Africa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CACIAAS), the inter-continental event is all set to promote trade and investment in southern Africa.

Distell, South Africa’s leading producer of wines, ciders and alcoholic beverages, has committed to support the event in terms of a sponsorship.

Distell Angola’s managing director, Filipe Barros, said Distell had operated successfully in Angola for the past 20 years and when AIPEX and CACIAAS started talks about hosting a conference that would promote and facilitate foreign private investment and future business relationships between Angola and South Africa, it was a no-brainer that the wine and alcoholic beverages giant would throw its weight behind the event.

PR Solution Global to launch online etiquette institute

Etiquette means behaving yourself a little better than is absolutely essential. The well written quote by Will Cuddy indicates the importance and value of etiquette in the social and business world. Recognising the importance of etiquette in the people’s life, PR Solution (PRS) Global is soon going to launch International Institute of Corporate Etiquette(IICE), the World’s largest online etiquette institute, to teach the people on etiquette and social graces of the daily life.

The courses offered in the International Institute of Corporate Etiquette includes Ambassadorship and people skills, persuasive communication skills, executive presence, business etiquette, dining etiquette, grace and style, media savvy, cross cultural communication skills, hospitality management training, etiquettes for men and women, image mastery, dressing sense, impressing women, entrepreneurship skills, social graces, public speaking, personality development and many more

Malaicha.com makes life easierfor Zimbabweans in South Africa

For Zimbabweans who are far from home, ensuring that their family is fed and looked-after is one of their most fundamental goals. This is often easier said than done, when faced with costly solutions, the potential for damaged goods and uncertainty of whether or not their groceries may even reach their final destination. Malaicha.com has revolutionised the manner in which Zimbabweans in South Africa are now able to send goods and groceries to their loved ones.

Already renowned for their international money transfer service – Hello Paisa is recognised for offering a person-to-person, outward remittance service for migrant workers across the continent. – the new ‘Malaicha’ app will complement the company’s existing financial services suite.

Malaicha.com is available for same-day collection and free delivery in the following areas: Harare, Bulawayo, Mutare, Masvingo and Gweru.

Making moves

Boost with Facebook workshops help entrepreneurs in South Africa to unlock digital growth opportunities 
 

Facebook is partnering with Digify Africa to launch the Boost with Facebook training programme, with the aim of training close to 3 000 small South African businesses in vital digital tools and technologies. This builds on the training’s Facebook delivered from 2017, training more than 3 000 small businesses in South Africa.

Boost with Facebook (formerly known as Boost Your Business) is an opportunity for learning and skills development for entrepreneurs, including small businesses, jobseekers, and other community leaders, allowing them to find the resources and training they need to thrive in the digital economy. It also lives as an interactive, audience-curated website that houses and organizes the many services, resources, and training’s available to small businesses, job seekers, and community leaders across Facebook’s family of apps and services.

Available as half-day workshops with are free and open to everyone, the training sessions will help participants develop powerful tool to help grow their businesses.

SPARK Media celebrates strong women!

In celebration of this week’s upcoming Women’s Day, and as a nod to August as Women’s Month, SPARK Media invited each of its female colleagues to flex their feminine muscles.

The iconic image originates from World War II and was created to boost female worker morale during a dark time for everyone.

The image represents the strength, ingenuity, and enduring ability that women at SPARK show on a daily basis. 77% of SPARK Media’s fantastic team are women, and we couldn’t be prouder of their commitment to always going above and beyond in everything that they do.

CEO of SPARK Media, Gill Randall, had this message: “To all our Spark women, we would like to celebrate you this women’s month for your incredible creativity, resourcefulness, and can-do attitude that ultimately defines our business. You are an inspiration to us all.”

TruFM launches the 2019 Trutalent Search

The South African Broadcasting Corporation’s (SABC) radio station, trufm will be embarking on the fourth annual edition of truTalent Search. Listeners between the ages of 15 – 34 are invited to audition in two of the five categories: Music; Radio Presenting; Comedy; DJ’ing and a Listener’s Choice Award for the Best trufm Presenter Category, where listeners vote for their favourite trufm Presenter.

Comedians are requested to email their demo of 5-10 minutes and DJs are also invited to email their 10 – 20 minutes mixes to 2019trutalent@sabc.co.za. The closing date for all digital submissions is Sunday, 22 September 2019.

The station will travel to five different towns within the Eastern Cape namely: Mdantsane City Shopping centre – 10 August, Peddie -17 August, Mbizana – 24 August, SABC Bhisho – 31 August and Mthatha – 7 September

The top two successful candidates from each category and town will visit the station in Bhisho for workshops on 27 – 29 September 2019. The workshops will be conducted by a mentor for each category where contestants will be taught more about the intricacies of their category to equip them with the knowledge that will enable them to take their talent to the next level.