The Media Online’s weekly column delivering news of award wins, entries, competitions, dates to note and winners in the media.
Top 5 announced for Good Hope FM Presenter Search 2026
Cape Town brought the fire this past weekend as the Good Hope FM Presenter Search 2026 auditions lit up the SABC Auditorium in Sea Point with a staggering amount of entries, before the announcement of the Top 5 who will be the station’s on-air guests this week.
After a full day of good nerves, absolutely electric vibe and stellar auditions, five rising stars emerged as the official Top 5 finalists for Good Hope FM Presenter Search 2026. They are Sasha Japtha, originally from Cape Town, raised in Durbanville and now living in Blue Downs; Dineo Lekometsa, originally from Bloemfontein; Caleb Alonzo, originally from Cape Town with roots in Table View, Gordon’s Bay and Somerset West, now studying at Stellenbosch University; Clifford Demas, originally from Westlake in the Southern Suburbs and now based in Parow; and Anslin Gysman, originally from Philippi.
Listeners can follow their journey all week as the Top 5 join The Great Drive for live on-air interviews from 16 to 19 March, giving Cape Town the chance to hear their stories, feel their energy and rally behind their favourites. It all builds up to the epic finale on 20 March.
MultiChoice and Canal + Celebrate the Creatives Who Defined This Year’s SAFTAs
Among the biggest winners at this year’s SAFTAs was Multichoice, a Canal + Company, which took home 48 Awards across reality, scripted, documentary and lifestyle programming. The South African Film and Television Awards celebrated the creative brilliance and talent behind the scenes and on screen who continue to set the benchmark for exceptional storytelling.
Mzansi Magic’s storytelling was on full display as its stars swept all four acting awards in the Telenovela category with Bonko Khoza winning Best Actor (iThonga), his second win; and first time winners Zenande Mfenyana for Best Supporting Actress (Inimba); Anele Matoti for Best Supporting Actor (Gqeberha – The Empire) and Nelisiwe Sibiya for Best Actress (iThonga). Showmax’s teen drama Youngins picked up the most wins in the Telenovela category, including the award for Best Telenovela, bringing the show’s total to four awards. In a public vote for the country’s most popular telenovela, Inimba claimed the top honour.
Scriptwriting was another area of recognition with Inimba, Law Love & Betrayal, Magda Louw, and Suidooster all earning SAFTA awards for scriptwriting in their respective categories. Tshedza Pictures (Youngins, iThonga) once again proved its creative strength, emerging as the most awarded production company of the year.
Carte Blanche extended its streak in the Best Current Affairs Programme category, winning it the fourth time this year. M-Net’s hit dramas Reyka S2 and White Lies tied with three SAFTA for each, including Best TV Drama for Reyka S2. The first season of the crime drama was sold to over 150 territories. Showmax’s sci-fi feature film The Fix took home four awards. The awards also celebrated the success of School Ties and Chasing the Sun 2, both International Emmy nominees, with School Ties winning Best Made for TV Documentary Series. and Chasing the Sun 2 taking home the award for Best Achievement in Editing for a TV Documentary Series.
The kykNET comedy Magda Louw delivered a strong showing on the nights, earning multiple awards in the TV Comedy category, including Best Actress for Desiré Gardner and Best Actor for Hannes van Wyk. Suidooster, which celebrated its 10‑year milestone last year, added further recognition with two wins. Veteran performers Frank Opperman (Nêrens, Noord‑Kaap Deel 2) and Tobie Cronjé (Pronk Primêr) – both recent recipients of Lifetime Achievement Awards – also took home top honours, each winning in their respective acting categories.
The awards also celebrated exceptional contributions and representation in the industry. Erik Holm was honoured with the Special Disability Award for the work on Binnelanders, while Bobby Heany received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his long standing contribution to the industry and nurturing the next generation of storytellers through the MultiChoice Talent Factory.
SABC’s Video Entertainment congratulates its winners for the 19th edition of the South African Film and Television Awards
SABC1 won five awards. Notably, Vele Manenje walked away with the Best Supporting Actress Award in a TV Soapie for her role as Evelyn Maswahla on SABC1’s daily drama Skeem Saam, while Aubrey Poo received the Best Actor Award for his portrayal of Khumo Moroka in Generations – The Legacy.
Demonstrating the channel’s success across genres, Soon Comes Night, which debuted on the channel in July 2025, secured the Best Achievement in Visual Effects (VFX) award. In addition, Deal or No Deal Celebrity, hosted by Katlego Maboe, earned the Best International Format award, and the channel concluded its recognition with Ingono Yomsamo being named Best Educational Format.
Winning Best Achievement in Editing – Documentary and Best Children’s Programme, respectively, are Chasing the Sun and Behind the Rainbow for SABC2.
Voted by the public, Fezile Mkhize, who presented Top Travel on S3 was voted as Best TV Presenter.
Completing this year’s list of honourees, the Lifetime Achievement award went to Bonny Heaney and Magic Hlatshwayo.
Nedbank Pitch & Polish returns to scale South Africa’s next generation of growth-ready businesses
Nedbank Pitch & Polish, one of South Africa’s most consistent engines of entrepreneurial growth, has opened entries for its 16th season alongside long-standing headline partner Nedbank.
Over 15 seasons, the programme has supported entrepreneurs in refining their strategy, strengthening their systems and building more resilient businesses. What sets the programme apart is its proven ability to develop entrepreneurs through a deliberate blend of competition, one-on-one mentoring and entrepreneurial learning, where contestants engage in a battle of business pitches for their chance to win the R1-million prize package. In the process, they gain entrepreneurial skills and knowledge through intensive mentorship and commercial training delivered through Africa’s leading business incubator, Raizcorp.
Watch Season 16 of Pitch & Polish on the official series platform, at https://pitchandpolish.com/ and learn alongside South Africa’s emerging entrepreneurs. The programme unfolds across multiple elimination rounds and is released as a 16-episode online series, creating a public learning environment where viewers also gain practical insight into business fundamentals.
To apply for season 16 and submit your entry, visit the Nedbank Pitch & Polish website and complete the application form before 10 April 2026.
Standard Bank named Africa’s and South Africa’s Most Valuable Bank Brand for the 5th consecutive year
Standard Bank, Africa’s biggest bank by assets, has once again been ranked as Africa’s and South Africa’s Most Valuable Bank Brand by Brand Finance for the fifth consecutive year, with brand value growth of 19% year-on-year from R37.8bn to R45bn.
Brand Finance evaluates over 5 000 of the world’s biggest brands annually across sectors to assess their brand strength, financial performance, and stakeholder perceptions. Standard Bank’s sustained brand performance is driven by the power of its purpose, the reliability of its delivery and the sense of agency, confidence and growth that it gives to its people and clients.
Sim Tshabalala, Standard Bank Group Chief Executive, says, “Five consecutive years as Africa’s Most Valuable Banking Brand is not something we take for granted. The recognition affirms that our clients, partners, and communities across the continent continue to place their trust in us. In line with our purpose, ‘Africa is our home, we drive her growth’, we remain committed to driving sustainable development on the continent.”
Jacaranda FM’s JacPod dominates Spotify 2025 charts
Jacaranda FM’s digital audio offering, JacPod, has reached new heights in 2025 as two of its flagship podcasts were honoured by Spotify South Africa for their exceptional quality and listener engagement. The accolades showcase Jacaranda FM’s position as a leading creator of premium on-demand content that resonates deeply with the South African audience.
Season three of the popular Afrikaans podcast Mevrou Mevrou secured a prestigious spot in the Top 5 of the Spotify SA Editor’s Pick for 2025 for the episode titled ‘Mevrou kry lelik stry oor die lys vir Kerspersente’. The episode struck a chord with listeners as hosts Gerda de Sousa and Dianne Broodryk unpacked the relatable stresses of festive season planning.
Further cementing the station’s digital success, ‘True Crime South Africa – die Afrikaanse weergawe’s third season was selected as one of the Top 10 podcasts on Spotify for 2025.
Cannes Lions entries open for South Africa’s Young Lions
Ster-Kinekor, the official South African representative of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, has announced the launch of the Cannes Young Lions South Africa 2026 competition, in partnership with Heineken® Beverages.
The Young Lions competition remains one of the most significant opportunities for emerging talent, giving teams the chance to represent South Africa at the Festival of Creativity and benchmark their abilities against the world’s best.
“At Heineken Beverages, creativity is not just a craft, it is a growth driver and a cultural force. Cannes Young Lions represents the very best of what young talent can achieve when given a platform to challenge conventions and push boundaries. We are proud to continue investing in South Africa’s creative future and enabling the next generation of industry leaders,” says Andrea Quaye, marketing director at Heineken Beverages.
“Ster-Kinekor has always been passionate about storytelling and the power of ideas to move audiences. Cannes Young Lions is a natural extension of this belief. We are excited once again to support young creatives as they bring fresh perspectives, bold thinking, and new energy to the table, and the industry,” adds Lynne Wylie, chief marketing officer at Ster-Kinekor Theatres.
Terms and conditions apply: https://lion.box.com/s/fqtp3bkzbraqzg7eyijdjjb776a3tjah
Applications open for Red Bull Basement 2026
Applications are now open for Red Bull Basement 2026, the global innovation programme empowering first-time founders and students to turn ideas into products using AI-powered tools, mentorship and world-class resources.
Following the success of South Africa’s 2024 national champions, Ndzilo Fire Solution, who represented the country on the world stage with their AI-powered wildfire detection system, Red Bull Basement continues to make innovation more accessible.
Red Bull Basement runs as a global incubator in collaboration with Microsoft and AMD, providing participants with access to AI tools that help move ideas from brainstorm to prototype. The South African national winner will be invited to the World Final in Silicon Valley, USA, where teams compete for USD 100,000 (around R1.6 million) in equity-free funding, while retaining full ownership of their idea, along with additional Microsoft Azure and Replit AI credits and mentorship from Red Bull Ventures.
For full details and to apply, visit www.redbullbasement.com.
Growth in creativity places Joe Public and its clients at the top of the 2025 Loeries Rankings
Joe Public has once again affirmed its position as one of Africa and the Middle East’s most formidable creative agencies, sweeping the 2025 Loeries Rankings with 11 Number One positions, a rare achievement that reflects both exceptional individual talent and sustained client success.
Beyond agency accolades, the rankings underscore the power of long-term, trust-based partnerships. Joe Public clients Chicken Licken, Nedbank and AbInBev ranked among the Top 4 most awarded brands at the 2025 Loeries, reinforcing the agency’s belief that enduring creativity is built through consistency, cultural insight, and shared ambition.
“These rankings belong as much to our clients as they do to our people,” says Xolisa Dyeshana, Chief Creative Officer at Joe Public. “Chicken Licken, Nedbank, and AB InBev are brands led by courageous teams who believe in creativity as a growth driver. When that belief is mutual, the work doesn’t just perform, it leads.”
WPP dominates WARC Media 100 for ninth consecutive year
For the ninth year in a row, WPP has been named the world’s leading company on WARC’s 2026 Media 100 list. This sustained recognition reaffirms WPP’s unparalleled leadership in the global media landscape, showcasing its commitment to delivering transformative, integrated and award-winning media strategies for clients around the globe.
WPP’s media capabilities were further highlighted by Mindshare Worldwide securing the esteemed Media Network of the Year top spot, with EssenceMediacom and Ogilvy also ranking in the top five. WPP agency brands placed highly amongst the global media agencies, with Mindshare Mumbai, Mindshare New York, Mindshare London and EssenceMediacom New York securing spots in the top ten.
WARC, the publisher of respected industry journals including the Journal of Advertising Research, services more than 75,000 marketers and advertisers across 100+ markets globally. The WARC Media 100 ranks the world’s most awarded media companies and campaigns and is widely recognised as the industry benchmark for global media excellence.
2026 INMA Global Media Awards finalists announced
The International News Media Association today unveiled 200 finalists for its 2026 INMA Global Media Awards — a diverse shortlist drawn from a record number of entries across 46 countries that highlights innovation in journalism, audience engagement, and AI-driven products ahead of this year’s INMA World Congress of News Media in Berlin.
News brands with the highest number of finalists are the Schibsted news media brands (12); News Corp (eight); Funke Media, Jagran Prakashan, and Mediahuis (seven each); Stampen (six); Bennett, Coleman, & Co., NZME, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and SPH Media (five each); Amedia, Hearst, Manorama, Newsday, and Stuff (four each); and Grupo RBS, The Guardian, Nine, Politiken, Prothom Alo, Ringier, Russmedia, and South China Morning Post (three each).
South African finalist is News24 with:
- Best Use of an Event to Build a News Brand: Media24, Cape Town, South Africa, Saturday Night Fitness
- Best Idea to Grow Advertising Sales or Revenue: News24, Cape Town, South Africa, Lula and News24 Partnership
