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SA Media

• 09.18.09
  Oh Peter! You're just being sentimental SA Media, print vs online | (16)

  Duncan McLeod, former associate editor of the Financial Mail, recently burst onto the scene with a great new addition to my regular daily reads. On his new Techcentral site there have been two articles that caught my attention -- the first being a fiery piece by former Vodacom CEO Allan Knott-Craig, and now an interview with respected local newspaper editors: SA editors mull the future of newspapers in a digital world. I'm familiar with print-online politics: I've had the benefit of working in an online role for a progressive print company, the Mail & Guardian, for more than seven years. I've ...
• 08.11.09
  Furious MXIT lashes out at media SA Media, online media business | (5)

  MXIT is a world-wide mobile instant messaging tool (now evolving into a social network) with around 15-million users (claimed). It's based in South Africa but has offices around the world and substantial numbers in countries like the Phillipines. Every time there is an incident via their platform, journalists with scant understanding of the technology tend to focus on MXIT as the source of the problem, rather than the real issues. Mainstream media, in particular, tend to get it wrong. It's part of an ongoing problem with journalism and media here, which sees a lack of seniority and too many junior reporters ...
• 08.03.09
  10 questions for new Google SA head: Stephen Newton Interviews & press, SA Media, google, online media business | (8)

  New Google SA Head Stephen Newton (Credit: FM Tech). Stephen Newton is the country's new Google head. He's an American who has been living in the UK. He's now based in Johannesburg, heading up the local Google office. He studied as a lawyer, has previously been the GM of Hitwise UK, a Vice President at Double Click, and then Google EMEA Head of Analytics & Commerce. Newton describes South Africa as "Africa’s entrepreneurial heart" and is looking at ways of broadening the country's internet access. He's a rugby fan, and a nice, down-to-earth guy to have lunch with. I asked him 10 ...
• 03.05.09
  The internet in South Africa: A tale of woe and hope Africa media, SA Media, online media business | (10)

  The tale of doom and gloom about the uncompetitive South African telecoms market is all too familiar. It's kept a stranglehold on internet growth in this country, meaning the country has performed way below its potential in this sphere in comparison to the rest of the world. Arguably we are now moving in the right direction, and we should be headed for a belated boom in broadband connectivity. But it's all going very slowly. And it's hard to be anything but sceptical when every year we hear about the "potential" and how its all going to change. I'm sick of myself ...
• 02.17.09
  Times election site SA Media | Comments Off

  The local Times launched their elections play today. It's pretty basic (although I'm lead to believe this is just phase I), but here's what I think is really clever and innovative about it: 1. They've launched it on a completely new domain called "SA elections". That says, "we own election coverage", not to mention the fabulous SEO this will create for them. It's nice positioning and marketing. 2. They're aggregating. They're aggregating their competitors and themselves. They're putting themselves, one step back, in an overview role for the whole elections. Again, nice positioning. 3. The online supporters is neat, basic but neat. Online ...
• 08.14.08
  Primedia's 702 to make big web play? SA Media | (5)

  Now if my sources are correct -- Primedia's 702 is about to make a big web play, which will involve extending their authoritative news brand online. It will probably entail the creation of a new top level domain and news brand, linked to 702. My guess -- and this is a guess -- is that it will most likely be called eyewitnessnews.co.za, their radio news brand. A quick look at the whois confirms that Primedia in fact owns the domain and booked it a while ago. If this is indeed the case -- its the right strategy: Leave 702.co.za as the ...
• 06.13.08
  M&G Online launch diary: Registering new features SA Media, web 2.0 | (3)

  Late nights at the office. What weekend? What public holiday? Here's a snippet of some of the new site features. Registered users are getting dashboards, allowing us to profile users and serve more targeted content, advertising and develop a closer, better relationship with readers. ---- SNIP ---- Register with the Mail & Guardian Online and take advantage of the advanced functionality built for your browsing pleasure: Save clippings of your favourite articles and publish on your clippings blog StoryPredictor™: Articles suggested according to your interests Manage your newsletter subscriptions Use advanced article printing functionality StoryHistory™: Articles saved while you browse NewsFeed: ...
• 06.11.08
  Wheels24 relaunch site SA Media | (3)

  Just got word from Elan Lohman, distant cousin of Lindsay Lohan, that Wheels24 has relaunched. I think their design still needs a bit more work and there are still a few gaps here and there, but its a great effort. I like the overall navigation and the site is well structured. More significantly, however, it is the first 24.com site to be launched on the company's new global content management system (CMS) that they built in-house... no small task for a web publishing company that attracts near 3-million UUs monthly. Congrats guys.
• 06.01.08
  At the ETV 24-hour news satellite channel launch party SA Media, media launches | (1)

  On Sunday night I found myself at the launch party of the new E-news 24-hour satellite channel at the exclusive Melrose arch rooftop venue. The black-tie event was awash with blue, with plasmas, media executives and a few parliamentarians. It was a slick launch and full of the glamour you would expect from a TV business on the up. And it was an historic moment. It is the country's very first 24-hour local satellite news channel. There is a need and gap in the market so large for such a service, that it is bound to work. Add to this the ...
• 05.09.08
  ZA Tech show: A local podcast worth listening to SA Media | (1)

  Been meaning to write about this for a while now. The ZA Tech show, journalists "indulging in beer and opinion", is fast turning out to be one of the country's top podcasts. This week's podcast, with Simon Dingle, Ben Kelly, Brett Haggard, Jon Tullett and Duncan McLeod, is particularly good. They have the hilarious David Bullard as a guest... love him or hate him, he's hilarious. Bullard speaks about his firing from the Sunday Times over his controversial column, and his relationship with editor Mondli Makhanya. They also look at the "future of media" with Stuff Editor and gadget guru Toby ...

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