The Media Online’s weekly round up of people, account and business moves in media.
This week’s BIG move: Deadline for submissions to the independent inquiry into media ethics and credibility extended
SANEF has launched an inquiry into media ethics with a panel of commissioners headed by retired judge Kathleen Satchwell, including panellists Nikiwe Bikitsha and Rich Mkhondo.
The aim of the inquiry is to investigate what went wrong with some of our journalism in recent years and how we can strengthen it so that trust and alliances between us and the public can be built.
If you are aware of any ethical breaches, evidence of capture of journalists by their sources, capture of publications or media houses, bribery of journalists or any other issues linked to credibility or ethics, including examples of best practice journalism, please contact the panel via this email address: panel@mediainquiry.co.za.
Please note the deadline for written submissions is 31 January 2020. Submissions can be sent to the same email address. There is no specific format for submissions but please back all your claims with evidence and facts and ensure that you include your contact details.
Click here for a link to the terms of reference of the Inquiry.
People moves
Queen of social media speaks at Twitter Conference
Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter, was seen rubbing shoulders with ‘Queen B’ Bonang Matheba in Houston, Texas. She was invited to speak at #OneTeam 2020 Conference moderated by Twitter’s head of social strategy and operations, Alphonzo Terrel, along fellow panelists author, Shea Serrano, and actress and media personality, Jameela Jamil.
“It is such an honour to be in a room with unique and great voices who shape powerful conversations that are important and interesting. This has definitely given me a new perspective on connecting with people all around the world,” Bonang said.
#OneTeam 2020 is about bringing together powerful voices, who are real, authentic and impactful on Twitter.
Matheba has won numerous international awards for her online influence including the recent E-Entertainment People’s Choice Awards for African Influencer of the Year. Her phenomenal reach via Twitter, including media traction, includes an enviable following of 3.8 million followers.
Last year, Dorsey indicated he will return to Africa mid-2020 saying “Africa will define the future”.
Conroy, Tshabalala join Ogilvy PR team
Ogilvy has ushered in the new year with two powerhouse appointments to further strengthen the agency’s impressive PR capability – eNCA co-founder Patrick Conroy and content editor Lerato Tshabalala.
With their deep industry experience and abilities, the two join the leadership of Ogilvy’s Public Relations and Influence division, boosting Ogilvy’s ability to make brands matter for industry-leading clients across sectors.
The announcements follow last year’s appointment of Lebo Madiba, who currently heads up Ogilvy PR.
Conroy began his career at Talk Radio 702 and gained agency experience at the Jupiter Drawing Room before moving into television. In 2016 he became managing director of entertainment satellite platform OpenView, taking the service from 300 000 viewing households to more than a million within 17 months.
Lerato Tshabalala, Ogilvy’s new content director for PR & Influence, has almost 20 years’ experience in media, and has held several top positions at leading print publications.
She became women’s editor of Drum magazine at only 22 and edited the Lifestyle supplement at South Africa’s largest Sunday paper, Sunday Times, for five years.
Facebook Appoints Derya Matraş as regional director for Middle East, Africa and Turkey
Derya Matraş has been appointed as regional director of Facebook in the Middle East, Africa and Turkey. In this role, Matras will lead Facebook to serve businesses and communities and to grow the company’s economic and social impact across the region.
“The fast-growing Middle East, Africa and Turkey region is an important market for Facebook. Derya’s wealth of experience in emerging markets and her pioneering spirit will help us further drive impact and value in this uniquely diverse region, while maintaining our mission of bringing people together and building communities,” said Nicola Mendelsohn, Facebook’s Europe, Middle East Africa vice president.
Matras spent most of her career in emerging markets and was previously the Facebook country director for Turkey. Prior to joining Facebook, she was vice president of Dogan Media Group, the largest media conglomerate in Turkey. She has also held leadership roles in management consulting at McKinsey & Company, advising private sector and governments around the world, especially on the digital economy.
“I am honoured to lead this diverse region for Facebook where our goals of building new experiences that meaningfully improve people’s lives and supporting millions of businesses that rely on our services to grow and create jobs, truly come to life,” she said. “As a woman leader, I am very proud to be appointed to this region where diversity is of crucial importance, and I am looking forward to continuing to drive our significant economic and social value contribution.”
Viacom unveils management restructure
ViacomCBS Inc. has unveiled a management restructure of its international networks division, which is intended to leverage the company’s expanded operations post-merger to drive new growth opportunities across brands in key international markets. The reorganisation will simplify ViacomCBS Networks International into two brand groups and three pan-regional management hubs, reporting to David Lynn, President & CEO of ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI).
Kerry Taylor, currently executive vice president of MTV International and chief marketing officer for VCNI UK has been promoted to Executive Vice President of VCNI Entertainment & Youth Brands reporting to David Lynn and Chris McCarthy, President of Entertainment & Youth Brands, ViacomCBS Domestic Media Networks.
Jules Borkent has been promoted to executive vice president, VCNI Kids & Family, reporting to David Lynn and Brian Robbins, president, Kids & Family Entertainment, ViacomCBS Domestic Media Networks. Borkent has been with Nickelodeon since 2001, having led channel operations and content strategy including programming, acquisitions, originals and digital for Nickelodeon International, which has delivered continued growth during his tenure.
Maria Kyriacou, who most recently was president of International for ITV Studios, will now join the newly expanded division on February 3, 2020 with a new brief as President, ViacomCBS Networks UK & Australia.
At the same time, Raffaele Annecchino, who is currently President of the division’s operations across Southern and Western Europe, the Middle East and Africa, will also take on an expanded role in the new structure, with additional responsibility for the company’s operations in Northern and Eastern Europe and key Asian markets. As President, ViacomCBS Networks Europe, Middle East, Africa & Asia (EMEAA), Annecchino will aim to deliver additional growth in European markets through the closer alignment of its operations across the continent as part of an EMEA structure.
JC Acosta will be the third of the division’s senior pan-regional leaders, having recently been promoted to President, ViacomCBS Networks Americas.
Burson-Marsteller founder Harold Burson passes away at age 98
Harold Burson, founder of Burson-Marsteller [the company which became BCW (Burson Cohn & Wolfe) following its 2018 merger with Cohn & Wolfe] passed away in Memphis, Tennessee on 10 January 2020. He was 98.
Burson played a leading role in transforming the practice of public relations from a cottage industry to a global business that engaged thousands of employees. In 1999, a survey by PRWeek, a leading public relations industry trade publication, named Burson as “the century’s most influential PR figure”.
Robyn de Villiers, chair and CEO of Burson Cohn & Wolfe Africa said: “When Arcay Communications Africa became part of Burson-Marsteller, Harold Burson made a welcome video to mark the occasion, expressing his excitement about this big step in the globalisation of Burson-Marsteller’s geographic footprint, not only moving onto its 6th continent, but doing so through the leading network that truly spanned Africa, and his support did not stop there. We celebrate the life of Harold Burson. His contribution to the PR industry and to the lives of all who met him, will live on. His support of me and the BCW Africa network, will be missed but never forgotten.”
Business moves
Sportscene launches new in-store radio station to truly connect with customers
Sportscene, one of the 18 retail brands in the Foschini Group’s comprehensive portfolio including clothing, footwear, jewellry, sportswear, mobile phones, technology products and home stores as well as an online presence, has launched an in-store radio station to truly connect with its customers.
Created and programmed by inBroadcast, Sportscene Radio was launched via a live broadcast from the chain’s new store in Sandton City. Programming includes a weekly live show by live DJ’s broadcast from AMPD studios in Newtown Junction, and daily music compiled by inBroadcast’s The Eye radio team.
A new division of full-service agency HaveYouHeard, inBroadcast is innovating the broadcast media and branded content spaces.
Headed by Jon Savage, a leading figure in production and broadcast globally, it was created in response to the many different and cost-efficient opportunities that are emerging to challenge the traditional broadcasters’ role, from bespoke platforms built to amplify a single message through to brands themselves becoming broadcasters.
“As a broadcaster, Sportscene Radio will be able to forge closer relationships with their customers, ensuring that its communication with them is relevant, highly targeted and timeous,” said Savage.
“inBroadcast is able to offer this communications solution to Sportscene through The Eye, a facility that runs 3rd party radio stations, which is what makes it an economical solution for brands,” said Savage.
Business growth expert Pavlo Phitidis to speak at the Standard Bank SME Summit, presented in partnership with Business Day TV
Business growth expert and author of ‘Sweat Scale $ell’, Pavlo Phitidis, has joined the line-up of high-profile speakers at the Standard Bank SME Summit presented in partnership with Business Day TV. Phitidis joins a list of experts committed to the development of entrepreneurship and SME success, who will be sharing their insights at the event, which takes place on 5 March 2020 in Parktown, Johannesburg.
Other confirmed speakers and panellists at the SME Summit include:
- Dion Chang: Founder of Flux Trends;
- Dominic Gaobepe: Author of ‘Change your Story, Change your Life’;
- Keneilwe ‘Kenzy’ Mohapi: Host of the Weekends with Kenzy Show on Jacaranda FM;
- Phumi Mashigo: MD of Ignitive;
- Jonathan Smit: Founder and MD of PayFast;
- Rapaleng Rabana: Founder of Rekindle Learning;
- Ernest North: Co-founder of Naked;
- Pierre Cassuto: Global CMO and CEO for Africa at Humanz;
- Verushen Reddy: Head of Digital Strategy at Promise Group;
- Brett St Clair: Digital disruptor and co-founder of Teraflow;
- Tshibvumo Sikhwivhilu: CEO, Lamo Solar;
- Lynette Magasa: CEO of Boniswa Corporate Solutions.
Joint headline partners of the Standard Bank SME Summit in partnership with Business Day TV, include Hewlett Packard Enterprise and SYSDBA. Corporate partners include Adams & Adams, BDO, FPD Business School, Payfast, and Santam.
For additional information, please visit www.smesummit.co.za
Audi and FC Bayern heading toward the future together
Audi and FC Bayern München are heading toward the future together: The two premium brands have formed a strong team since 2002, and have prolonged and expanded the substance of their partnership until 2029. Audi is FC Bayern’s exclusive automobile partner.
The next decade will be focused on strategic collaboration in the areas of innovative marketing and electrification. As a clear reference to this commitment, all licensed players of the record champion will receive an all-electric Audi e-tron in 2020.
Making moves
New decade of change as IAS master classes for agencies move to GIBScampus
After more than 10 years at the Institute of Directors, the IAS is moving its agency master class programme to the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) campus in Illovo.
“Our master class programme for agencies is one of our core services to subscribers, and we have increased in size, number of agencies and number of sessions per annum over the past 10 years. We simply out grew the IoD venue – which was very good for us as a neutral and central venue for the IAS master classes,” said Johanna McDowell, founder and CEO of the IAS,
2020 sees 10 master classes scheduled for the year with some key and cutting edge topics such as:
- Leadership in agencies
- What marketers are looking for in the new decade from their agencies
- Six steps to better business results
- Ad Forum Global Summit – New York feedback
- B-BBEE – the new frontier
- AGENCY SCOPE South Africa 2020 trends
The first IAS master class for agencies takes place on 28 January at GIBS – with the topic of “ What marketers are looking for from agencies in this new decade” More detail on that plus the full programme of master classes for the year are available on www.agencyselection.co.za or from Robynne Adams on robynne@agencyselection.co.za
The media’s carbon footprint
A collaboration between computer scientists at the University of Bristol and nine major media companies, including ITV and BBC, will help the media industry understand and manage the significant carbon impacts of digital content.
The 12-month collaboration, facilitated by sustainability experts, Carnstone, will see University of Bristol researchers working with sustainability and technology teams at the BBC, Dentsu Aegis Network, Informa, ITV, Pearson, RELX, Schibsted, Sky and TalkTalk, to map the carbon hotspots of digital media content and services.
The aim is to create an online carbon calculator, DIMPACT, available to any company offering digital products and services.
This is the first serious collaborative attempt to create a tool that takes the complexity out of calculating digital carbon emissions, backed by some of the world’s most innovative media companies and the world-class researchers at the University of Bristol. The eventual tool will help the industry understand and manage the carbon impact of digital media.
Cheaper data, higher incomes to lift app market in 2020
South Africa’s mobile content and applications market looks set for a boost in 2020. The Wireless Application Service Providers’ Association (WASPA) said an expected uptick in both mobile app development by its almost 300 members and consumption by South Africa’s over 22 million smartphone users comes on the back of three recent positive developments.
“They say bad news comes in threes but with recent announcements to do with mobile data, salaries and the inflation rate, the same could be said of good news,” said Greg Brophy, WASPA chair.
The recently completed Competition Commission market enquiry into mobile data pricing found a failure of free competition in the local mobile data market. While the mobile networks are still digesting the implications of the Regulator’s report, it is likely mobile data prices will continue their steady decline that already began some time ago.
“Basic economics says reducing the price of goods and services will increase their consumption. More affordable mobile data will mean greater consumption of data-intensive mobile services and this will, in turn, spur WASPA’s members to develop an even greater variety of mobile content and applications for use on smartphones,” Brophy said.
The Tokyo Media Centre is now accepting accreditation applications
The Tokyo Media Centre (TMC) is a facility established by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to serve as a media coverage base for domestic and international media during the Tokyo 2020 Games. It is now accepting accreditation card applications through the TMC official website. By obtaining an accreditation card, you can make use of the TMC’s workspace and other facilities during the Games, as well as utilise its services, including press conferences and media tours. Along with this news, the TMC has announced its official concept Connect in Tokyo as well as published a message from Governor Koike on its official website.Even media who don’t have accreditation for the Tokyo 2020 Games can use the TMC’s services.
For the diary
What do South African CEO’s really think of 4IR?
What do South African CEO’s really think of 4IR? This and other dynamic topics focussing on the impact of the fourth industrial revolution have been announced for the inaugural Business Day Focus 4.0 conference and exhibition, which will take place at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit & International Convention Centre on 3 March 2020.
Business Day Focus 4.0 is presented in partnership with Cold Press Media and is billed as a new platform for information-sharing and debate that intently examines the impact of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) in South Africa.
“The immediate rush of interest that was generated when the event was announced last year required the shift to a venue that could accommodate the demand of conference delegates and exhibitors, Taryn Westoby, head of Arena Holdings’ Events Division. “It’s clear that CEO’s across all industries in South Africa find the onset of 4IR a pressing issue, for which they need their businesses to remain ahead of the curve.
The line-up of speakers includes:
- Musa Kalenga – CEO & Founder, Bridge Labs
- Reshaad Sha – CEO, Liquid Telecom South Africa
- Alison Jacobson – Director, The Field Institute
- Prof. Brian Armstrong – Chair: Digital Business, Wits Business School
- Tashmia Ismail-Saville – CEO, Youth Employment Service (YES)
- Jonas Bogoshi – CEO, BCX
- Kirtan Sita – Managing Director: Technology, Accenture
- Marius Oosthuizen – Futurist
- Suren Govender – Group Chief Digital Officer, Life Healthcare Group
- Tumelo Seaketso – Organisation Transformation & Talent Director, Deloitte
- Dr Ntsibane Ntlatlapa – Impact Area Manager: Networked Systems and Applications, CSIR
- Prof. Tawana Kupe – Vice Chancellor, University of Pretoria
- Dave Ives – Digital Advisory Executive, Altron Karabina
- Vino Govender CM(SA) – Executive: Strategy, Mergers & Acquisition and Innovation, Dark Fibre Africa
- José Casado Suarez – Professor IE University/ School of Human Sciences & Technology, IE University
- Nomso Kana – Nuclear scientist & Founder, Sun n Shield 84 Tech
- Jon Foster-Pedley – Dean & Director, Henley Business School
Media personality and entrepreneur Andile Khumalo will perform the MC duties, supported by panel moderators Dominic Gaobepe (business consultant and author), and Joanne Joseph (presenter on 702 and eNCA).
The conference agenda, consisting of thought-provoking presentations and panel discussions, will touch on the following topics:
- The fourth industrial revolution is here: are South African businesses ready?
- Platform economy in 4IR
- Redefining the future of your business
- Business leadership for 4IR
- The dark side of digital
- The future of the workforce
- The future of digital in healthcare
- What do South African CEOs really think of 4IR?
- The road to connectivity
Soweto Techfest back for 2020
The 4th Ekasi Techfest & Gaming Expo, now simply called “Techfest Expo”, aims to meet the needs of technology and gaming enthusiasts in Soweto and the surrounding areas which are together home to several million people, most of them under 30 years of age.
The Techfest Expo will return to the prestigious Soweto Theatre from 26 – 27 June 2020, with more entertainment, more exhibitions, esports tournament prize pools and the best gaming to accommodate the drastic growth of the event.
Tickets to the Techfest Expo will be on sale on Friday, 1 February 2020, online at at all. Tickets will also be on sale at the door.
Day Pass (valid for entry for one day only): R80; Weekend Pass (valid for entry for all 2 days): R120
