The Media Online’s weekly round-up of media business moves all in one place.
This week’s BIG move: Cape Town Tourism launches 2026 Visitor’s Guide
Cape Town Tourism’s 2026 Visitors’ Guide is out, and this year it’s doing things differently. The guide ditches the standard tourist checklist in favour of something far more compelling: Cape Town, as told by the Capetonians who know and love it best.
Themed around the award-winning social media series My Cape Town, the guide invites visitors to experience the Mother City through authentic local voices, from favourite neighbourhoods and secret lunch spots to the kind of insider knowledge no algorithm can serve up. Because Cape Town is a lekker place, and the best parts of it don’t appear on any map. They’re discovered with locals.
Flip (or click!) through, and you’ll find real Capetonians sharing their favourite spots to chow and jol, their hidden gems, and their honest tips. The kind of city knowledge that makes a visit feel less like tourism and more like coming home. Every local knows a few things visitors don’t, like how a blue-sky morning can turn into four seasons before lunch (ja, always bring a jacket), or that when it comes to tracking down the best koesisters, gatsbys, or braaivleis, you ask a local.
Marc Lottering, comedian, actor, and national treasure, gave us his Cape Town. Francois van Coke, the rocker with a golden heart and probably sand in his guitar strings, brings his take on the Mother City.
Chef and foodie extraordinaire Karen Dudley, the woman behind the legendary The Kitchen in Woodstock needs no introduction. Karen’s Cape Town is a flavour journey. If she points you somewhere to eat, you go. Full stop. No questions asked.
Acclaimed actress Jawaahier Petersen brings her personal neighbourhood love letters to the page. At the same time, TikTok sensation Aakifah Slarmie shares the kind of spots that make you stop mid-scroll and step outside.
People moves
Mbali Thethani appointed news editor at Kaya 959
Kaya 959 has announced the appointment of Mbali Thethani as its new news editor, effective 1 June 2026. Thethani succeeds Katy Katopodis, who is moving on from the station after her tenure leading the Kaya 959 news operation.
Thethani brings more than a decade of newsroom, broadcasting, and editorial leadership experience across some of South Africa’s leading media platforms. She joined Kaya 959 in August 2025 as a news anchor where she has already played an active role beyond on-air delivery, contributing to the daily news diary, helping to set the editorial agenda, advising reporters, editing stories, and producing deadline-driven bulletins.
David Tiltmann, acting managing executive at Kaya 959, says Thethani’s appointment reflects both continuity and confidence in the future direction of the newsroom.
Commenting on her appointment, Thethani says: “Newsrooms today must be fast, accurate, thoughtful, and audience-aware, and I look forward to collaborating with the team to strengthen Kaya’s editorial offering across radio and digital platforms. My focus will be on credible journalism, strong storytelling and ensuring that our news remains relevant, trusted and connected to the lives of our listeners.”
Breaking Down Borders Africa Tour bursts back with Botlhale Boikanyo as the new face of Season 2
The Breaking Down Borders Africa Tour kicks off with a slate of 10 new African countries, almost a decade after the tour’s acclaimed first outing, with acclaimed poet Botlhale Boikanyo become the programme’s face.
Boikanyo made history as the only poet to win South Africa’s Got Talent. Since her win Botlhale, has established herself as a national treasure with leading roles on shows including e.tv’s ‘Scandal’ and award-winning films ‘The Deal’ and ‘What About the Boys’ in a role she will reprieve in a sequel premiering this month.
“Being announced as the new face of Breaking Down Borders is a dream come true. Taking the reins from Paul Modjadji who successfully launched the platform 10 years ago and carved it into a platform that has global reach and impact is a wonderful challenge and testament to the big shoes I have to fill. It is an honour to embark on my first Africa poetry tour with this incredible initiative in this 50th year of the youth uprising and the 70th year of the 1956 Women’s March,” she said.
Business moves
STUDIOCANAL and Sun Africa Group set major long-term theatrical partnership
STUDIOCANAL has agreed key terms for a long-term theatrical distribution partnership with Sun Africa Group (SAG), a proud member of the Telefilms Group (owner of Sun Distribution Group), for the release of a significant slate of English-language feature films in South Africa, reinforcing STUDIOCANAL’s ambitions in one of Africa’s leading creative and theatrical markets.
Under the partnership, SAG will theatrically distribute STUDIOCANAL’s main slate of English-language feature films in South Africa, including animation titles, films from STUDIOCANAL’s genre label 6th Dimension, and selected South African productions developed by STUDIOCANAL and M-Net.
The first title to be released under the partnership will be the high-profile thriller Pressure, directed by Anthony Maras and starring Andrew Scott, Brendan Fraser and Kerry Condon.
AdConnect, in partnership with Adtopia, adds WildEarth TV to commercial portfolio
AdConnect in partnership with Adtopia have announced the addition of WildEarth TV to their commercial offering, bringing one of the world’s most distinctive wildlife broadcasting platforms to the South African advertising market.
WildEarth TV is a broadcasting and nature tech company that streams live, interactive safari drives and wildlife content 24/7 from African game reserves, connecting millions of viewers worldwide to Africa’s wilderness in real time. For audiences who crave that authentic connection to the wild, WildEarth TV delivers an experience that no other platform can replicate.
AdConnect in partnership with Adtopia will now make WildEarth TV advertising packages and bundles available to South African advertisers, with AdConnect additionally offering tailored branded content and brand partnership opportunities for brands seeking a deeper, more authentic connection with an audience that is passionate about wildlife and the natural world.
This addition sits naturally alongside AdConnect’s existing portfolio, which includes the award-winning Rewilding Southern Africa and Kruger Magazine titles — creating a cohesive suite of premium, nature-focused platforms ideal for brands looking to connect with audiences who are genuinely engaged and invested in the wild.
Minor Hotels partners with Saving the Wild to launch wine collection in support of conservation
Minor Hotels has announced a new partnership with Saving the Wild, a groundbreaking Africa-based conservation charity, with the launch of three ‘Saving the Wild’ wines which will be served in several Minor Hotel properties in Africa.
The wines are produced by Hoopenburg Wine Estate, an award-winning wine farm, and feature a fine art label highlighting the need to protect three key species targeted for illegal poaching.
The conservation collection includes a Cabernet/Merlot blend, a Sauvignon Blanc and a Rosé. Hoopenburg Wine Estate in the Stellenbosch region of South Africa is nourished by pure underground water, and the unique dry-land bush-vine vineyards produce grapes of exceptional taste and flavour.
A percentage of the proceeds from the Saving the Wild wine collection supports Saving the Wild’s work to advocate for specialised courts and better legislation for all endangered species.
Instants: Instagrams latest feature
Instagram has launched Instants, a new way to share in the moment with spontaneous, unfiltered photos– with friends. Instants are ephemeral to viewers, but are saved in your archive for up to a year and can be reshared as a recap to Stories.
Friends can react and reply, with replies going straight to DMs. There’s also an Instants companion app for quicker camera access. Full Teen Accounts and Family Center protections apply, including shared time limits, Sleep Mode, and parental supervision.
Campaign moves
Nestlé KitKat fuels South Africa’s Formula 1 fever
Formula 1 has evolved beyond the track into a global cultural and entertainment platform, shaped by shared experiences and digital communities that bring fans together well beyond race day. Nestlé KitKat’s partnership reflects this shift, reinforcing its long-standing message of taking a break and positioning the brand as a natural part of how fans experience the sport today.
Built on Nestlé KitKat’s well-known slogan, Have a Break, Have a KitKat, the joint venture comes to life through the KitKat Pit Crew which reflects Formula 1’s efficiency, precision and teamwork – to make people’s breaks the best they can be.
In South Africa, the campaign is about giving consumers breaks at Formula 1 speed through a vibrant mix of retail activations and on the ground experiences, all designed to driving the speed of breaks.
A key part of the campaign is through student led activations at various universities, including the University of KwaZulu Natal, the University of Pretoria and the University of Cape Town throughout the month of May. Campus spaces will be reimagined as Pit Crew moments, giving students a chance to experience the speed and efficiency of Formula 1® in a way that feels authentic to the sport.
Beyond campus, fans can look forward to live race screenings, creator led watch parties and in store promotions. These moments turn ordinary breaks into shared experiences, reaffirming Nestlé KitKat’s commitment to tapping into culturally relevant spaces.
Castle Lager’s FIFA World Cup campaign celebrates the fans
South Africa’s homegrown beer, Castle Lager, is set to celebrate the nation’s football faithful, as Bafana Bafana return to the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 16 years.
The brand has launched its FIFA World Cupcampaign, aptly titled The Fans That Stood the Test of Time. The first chapter of the campaign sees Castle Lager partnering with Bafana coach, Hugo Broos, to search for Mzansi’s Ultimate Superfan.
In a search sparked by coach Broos’s LinkedIn post, fans are invited to follow @CastleLagerSA on their platform of choice and submit a 30-second video explaining why they deserve to be named South Africa’s biggest Bafana Bafana Superfan.
To enter, fans must post their video and tag @CastleLagerSA. Entries close at midnight on 1 June 2026, after which six successful candidates will be shortlisted for the final round of the competition.
The chosen Superfan will play a key role in rallying national support by attending fan viewing events, Castle Lager led watch parties, engaging with fans and embodying the passion and spirit of South Africa football culture.
White Star launches new TVC: The heartbeat of South African kitchens
White Star recently launched a new, fresh, bold television commercial ( TVC ) that tells a story many of us know too well: the kitchen as the arena where tradition meets the next generation’s flair.
Crafted by Mullen Lowe, the film captures the electric showdown between the seasoned Queen of the Pots and the lively Gen Z challenger. It’s a playful battle, but at its heart a celebration of what White Star has always been: an essential ingredient that brings families together over a warm meal, and friends together around a pap and wors braai.
The advert brings this to life with authenticity, featuring a SePedi voice-over paired with English, a nod to the rich cultural fabric White Star was born from. What starts as playful rivalry turns quickly into a mutual respect; a reminder that no matter the generation, everyone delivers exceptional pap when White Star is involved.
Making moves
Let’s talk about sex, baby! The Brave Sex Talk event in Joburg on 25 May
Women talk about careers. Money. Relationships. Wellness. Motherhood. But when it comes to sex, intimacy and desire, many are still navigating the conversation quietly – and often completely alone.
That’s exactly why The Brave Collective an inclusive woman’s empowerment community is launching Brave Sex Talk, an intimate event designed to create a safe, honest space where women can openly unpack the realities of sex, relationships, body changes, hormones, mental load and emotional intimacy.
Taking place on 25 May 2026 at The Tryst, the morning event is intentionally different from the sensationalised “sex talks” women are used to seeing online.
Instead, the focus is on real conversations backed by clinical knowledge, medical science, psychology and lived experience.
“This isn’t about shock value. It’s about honesty,” says Taryn Hunter Sharman, founder of The Brave Collective, a women’s empowerment platform focused on meaningful conversations and community.
“Women are navigating relationships, expectations, body changes and emotional complexity, yet we’ve been taught to stay quiet about one of the most fundamental parts of being human. This event opens that conversation.”
Facebook spotlights African cinema in ‘Made by Africa, loved by the world’ campaign
Facebook has launched the sixth edition of its pan-African campaign, ‘Made by Africa, loved by the world: Where stories spark community,’ ahead of Africa Day on 25 May. This year’s focus: African cinema.
The 2026 campaign features a five-part vodcast series profiling five internationally acclaimed actors and filmmakers from Nigeria and South Africa, hosted by leading African podcasters I Said What I Said (Nigeria) and Because We Said So (South Africa).
Speaking about the campaign, Kezia Anim-Addo, Communications Director, Africa, Middle East & Turkey at Meta, said: “For six years, Made by Africa has spotlighted talent from across the continent making a mark globally. This year, film takes centre stage. From Nollywood to South African cinema, African stories are reaching audiences worldwide, and Facebook is at the heart of how people come together around cultural moments like these. This campaign backs the filmmakers driving that momentum.”
Good Hope FM to broadcast live from Sky Hotel
Cape Town’s Original, Good Hope FM, is turning Sundays into the city’s favourite vibe scene, bringing Cape Town’s Original Sundaze to life at Hotel Sky on 31 May 2026.
Cape Town’s Original Sundaze with its respective hosts – Irma G, Peadon Smith, LV And Sonic6teen – is all about being the best soundtrack to legendary, chilled Sundays in the Mother City, and now these jocks are making the on-air heat come alive in a magical event that you can be part of!
From 12:00 to 22:00, the station will broadcast live from the venue, blending nostalgic R&B, ballads and old-school classics from the 80s, 90s and naughties with a vibrant on-site experience that celebrates food, music and great company.
Making OOH bigger
Out of home remains one of the most visible and effective media channels, but its growth has been modest compared with digital platforms.
Burr Smith, president, chairman and CEO of software giant Broadsign (including recently acquired Place Exchange) and Kelly Parker, chief media officer of WPP Media UK, will outline what the OOH industry needs to do to be more relevant to the way agencies want to work in the new AI-powered digital planning and buying environment.
The session will be one of the highlights of the forthcoming World Out of Home Organization Annual Congress to be held at the Park Lane Hilton, London, from June 3-5. Around 800 delegates are expected to attend. Smith and Parker will say that the Out of Home industry needs to look more to the bigger media picture if it is to match the performance of the digital platforms.
For the Congress Programme and to register please click here.
The Springboks unbox the Galaxy S26 Ultra
Samsung South Africa, as an official partner to South African Rugby, recently linked up with a few Springbok favourites for a fun unboxing session featuring the new Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, Galaxy Buds4 Pro and Galaxy Watch Ultra. Handré Pollard, Willie le Roux, Ruan Nortje, Marco van Staden, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Canan Moodie got hands-on with Samsung’s latest Galaxy devices, putting some of the coolest features to the test.
From reacting to the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s epic 100x Zoom and smooth horizontal lock video feature, to pulling out the built-in S Pen like seasoned pros, the players explored what the device can do. The Privacy Display also sparked plenty of interest, giving the Boks a glimpse into smarter, more secure viewing on the go.
The Boks also checked out the Galaxy Watch Ultra and its Galaxy AI-powered wellness insights, while the Galaxy Buds4 Pro delivered an immersive audio experience worthy of a victory playlist.
