The Media Online’s weekly round up of people, account and business moves in media.
This week’s BIG move: SANEF saddened to learn of the closure of New Frame
Launched on 16 August 2018, on the sixth anniversary of the massacre of striking miners at Marikana, New Frame is closing barely weeks away from the tenth anniversary of the Marikana massacre shattering the country’s hopes of sustainable and growing independent media voices.
“We note that it came into existence offering the South African public unique news coverage that gave due weight and dignity to the lives and struggles of ordinary people,’ said the South African National Editors’ Forum in a press release.
“It was also an initiative that while beginning its work from Johannesburg, promised to progressively become a more pan-African publication in terms of both reach and orientation. As a result, it earned itself a rare brand of being referred to as the ‘people’s media house’ by its well-wishers and admirers within the noticeably short space of its existence,” the industry body added.
“SANEF lamented the dilapidating state of the media as we witnessed the country’s small and independent publishers, community print and broadcasters as well as big multiplatform media companies retrenching hundreds of journalists, due to the negative impact of Covid-19 since 2020.”
The demise of New Frame also comes at a time when SANEF is seized with the critical national debate on potential public funding models to sustain news media platforms in the country.
New Frame editorial noted that “there is no commercial model to sustain it … there is no constituency within the public willing and able to fund it at a viable scale”.
“We are also grappling with the nature of state-managed subsidies, which could be raised by taxation on the big data companies to sustain media for the public good to play its role in our democracy.
SANEF wishes to stress that the closure could be avoided if a funder comes forward to support this fresh and significant voice, which has added crucial diversity and plurality to the media landscape.”
People moves
Nunu Ntshingila-Njeke steps down from Meta
After seven years, Nunu Ntshingila-Njeke is leaving Meta in Africa, saying in a LinkedIn post that she had decided to step down.
“Working for Meta in Africa has been a privilege of a lifetime. I have had an incredible time experiencing my continent in a deep and profound way. I have learned so much about the role of technology to accelerate the trajectory of development, especially for young people, for women, for underserved communities and for small businesses in Africa,” she wrote.
“I have also become acutely aware of the need to promote responsible, less harmful, equitable and inclusive technology for a better Africa,” she said. “I am eternally grateful for the colleagues and partners who have supported me over the seven years. For now, I look forward to stepping down and spending more time on development projects, ventures and boards that are close to my heart.”
Sakina Nosarka is the new President of South Africa’s shopping centre council
Sakina Nosarka has been appointed president of the South African Council of Shopping Centres (SACSC), bringing over two decades of hands-on experience in the property sector to the role.
As President of SACSC, the highly-regarded head of retail for Old Mutual Properties (OMP), who takes up the position of CEO of OMP from 1 August 2022, intends to build on the council’s work spearheading and implementing ground-breaking solutions that cement the retail landscape as a key contributor to South African society.
“The role of retail in shaping our country’s economy and the future of its people cannot be overemphasized. Our industry is innovative, bold and resilient. During the extraordinarily trying times of the past two years, we have adapted, created opportunities, identified possibilities, persevered and made digital advances to move beyond traditional shopping, lifestyle and entertainment. We have recreated ourselves. Our agility has enhanced, enriched and, in many ways, redefined retail as a destination,” said Nosarka.
Business moves
HaveYouHeard Group launches pioneering design studio with international ambition
HaveYouHeard has added in_trepid to its stable of innovative and specialist creative communications businesses.
Billing itself as a pioneering design studio, in_trepid has global ambitions, and intends to partner with clients who recognise that functional excellence is not enough and that the way products are designed, packaged and experienced is what separates them for consumers emotionally.
Leading in_trepid as creative partner is Alan Cronje, whose 25 years in the industry culminated in the founding of ‘Intrepid Fox’ with his long-time colleague Gavin Whitfield in 2017. The duo won numerous local and international awards and were subsequently rated in the top 30 agencies in South Africa. No mean feat for a two-man studio.
Founded 14 years ago as a word-of-mouth marketing specialist, HaveYouHeard has grown organically to a full-service integrated communications agency and is now the focal the focal point of a group specialist creative communications businesses.
As a member of this group, in_trepid will be supported operationally by the agency, as well as its group MD Victoria Gabler and group ECD Dan Berkowitz.
Chas Everitt has found a new home with brand agency Stratitude
Realestate groupChas Everitt International has appointed Stratitude to enhance its brand strategy and implement a new omni-channel marketing campaign, with a focus on digital.
“What attracted us to Stratitude was their methodical approach and their focus on implementing outcomes-based marketing campaigns. They first partnered with us to renew and refocus our overarching brand strategy, then translated that strategy into a creative campaign that is being applied on a national, regional and local level,” said Chas Everitt International CEO Berry Everitt.
“Having a full team of digital marketing experts on hand to manage our marketing across web, search, social media and email, will ensure a consistent message across all channels and platforms, and create lead generation opportunities for our agents. This will require strategic alignment, investment and expertise, which is why the agency has integrated with our existing public relations consultancy, MegaTrends Media,” he said.
GLHF partners with SNTV for worldwide video distribution
With a global team of experienced journalists and editors, GLHF will provide comprehensive coverage from all angles of the video game and esports industry including breaking news, exclusive interviews, insightful reviews, player-friendly guides, and more.
Focusing on both quality editorial and SEO, GLHF’s content already drives millions of monthly views to its partner platforms, engaging both new and existing audiences.
sntv, a joint venture between The Associated Press and IMG, continues to expand its content partner relationships, ensuring clients around the world have access to the widest range of complementary video content. The addition of GLHF’s editorially relevant gaming and esports content will enhance sntv’s already extensive offering, providing media organisations with the ability to grow their audiences through rich storytelling across all platforms.
Karl Mikael Cakste at GLHF, said: “We are very happy to be working with sntv to enable distribution of GLHF’s video content all over the world. We’re working hard to expand gaming coverage on mainstream media platforms, and we are proud to partner with sntv on this mission.”
Making moves
Provantage Media Group is hanging Lives and communities by investing in early childhood development
“For nations, the price of not investing in early moments is children with poorer health, fewer learning skills and reduced earning potential,” states UNICEF report, ‘Early moments matter for every child’. “It is a weaker economy and a greater burden on health, education and welfare systems. It is intergenerational cycles of disadvantage that hinder equitable growth and prosperity. For children, especially children from disadvantaged communities, the price of this failure is lost potential.”
PMG believes that this price is too high, and that it is therefore critical to invest in the early development of our country’s children. This is why PMG has chosen to support the Ekukhanyeni Relief Project, an organisation that has been actively promoting early childhood development – along with food and nutrition security – since 2005.
PMG is committed to helping to build a better future for South Africa, and believes that the best way to do this is by investing in the education and wellbeing of our youngest citizens.
“Protecting and developing young children is a good in itself,” says Chris Hitchings, PMG’s Director: Human Capital and Special Projects. “It is also a way to break the cycles of poverty and inequality, and to nurture a healthy, happy society in future. We want to contribute to realising a country of healthy, talented, resourceful citizens. As such, we’re honoured to support the incredible work the Ekukhanyeni Relief Project does. This is a way to invest in what matters, and what works.”
Channel Africa line-up changes
Channel Africahas announced the launchof its brand-new sound. The digital radio platform will introduce its new station imaging and launch a new line-up. The new line-up will introduce new and seasoned presenters from across Africa. Channel Africa – which broadcasts in English, Chinyanja, Kiswahili, French and Portuguese languages – is accessible across the continent on DStv 802, Satellite PAS10 and Open View channel 628 and online.
The weekday, morning current affairs programme, Africa Rise & Shine, will be presented by radio host Aurielie Kalenga, followed by the dynamic duo Benjamin Moshatama and reality TV personality and radio host Palesa Tau on a show called On the Move. The station also introduces a weekday drive time show, The Upside, which will be co-hosted by seasoned journalists Zikhona Miso and Lloyd Nedohe with the 13h00 to 14h00 timeslot gaining an exclusive offering of all things business in the African Perspective with the show Business Africa hosted by Naledi Moleo.
The new weekday evening programme Afrika Tonight will be filled with robust and thought-provoking conversation and will be hosted by Khumbelo Munzehele. The station will wrap up the evening weekday programming with a broadcast from Buyalwayo in Zimbabwe through the music programme Afro Republic, which has been moved to a new timeslot from midnight until 2am. The show continues with presenter Morris Touch.
The weekend line-up will be filled with back-to-back music and leisure with the return of the legendary Richard Nwaba who will continue to host African music show Africa in Song from midnight to 02h00 on Saturdays. Channel Africa also introduces a new flavour to its fresh line-up with TV presenter and Actress Gabisile Tshabalala presenting the music show, Africa Chart Toppers between 12h00 and 14h00 on Saturdays.
The Sport show, Africa @ Play will be presented by Neto Chemane with an innovative approach to sport across Africa. The Chinyanja language service continues with its well-loved show Malonje hosted by Stella Longwe on a Saturday and Portuguese listeners will be kept dancing with Jacob Tivane on Ritmos Culture. The French language service introduces Mix Vibrations which offers Informal Knowledge Building content and presented by Jean-Jacques Dhybondo. The Kiswahili language service introduces the current affairs programme Darubini ya Afrika on weekdays between 17h00 to 18h00, which comprises of News and Current Affairs and will be presented by Ayam Shekifu.
Acting Channel Africa business manager Karabo Rangwetsi says, “This new programming line-up is versatile, inclusive and attractive, not only to the academics but to the ordinary people and youth as well. We have decided to have an inclusive programming approach that will be appealing to young adults, people at grass root level and more mature audiences. This is demonstrated in our Current Affairs and Informal Knowledge Building programmes, known as IKB, which aim to educate, inform and entertain”.
Instinctif Partners Africa has moved to a new office
Instinctif Partners Africa has moved to a new office at the 5 Star Green-rated Oxford Park precinct.
“We can’t wait to host you in our new space soon! To ensure you can find us, we have included our new address at this ‘South Africa Excellence’ design designated location below:
- 2nd Floor, 8 Parks Boulevard, Oxford Parks, Dunkeld, Johannesburg, 2196.
- Our GPS co-ordinates are 26°08’27.2″S 28°02’34.8″E.
- Our telephone number remains the same.
- The parking entrance is located atBasement Entrance 1: 48 Eastwood Road, Dunkeld.
