Banking group Absa was the most-reported-on company in leading South African media in 2004, according to research conducted by Media Tenor South Africa.
Absa was followed by telecommunications group Telkom and gold miner Harmony.
All articles in the business, opinion and news sections of leading print media, as well as all reports on television news, were analysed over a period of 12 months, totalling 190 229 reports.
While Absa and Telkom generated continuous coverage throughout the year, Harmony benefited from increased coverage in the last quarter of 2004, mostly attributed to its hostile bid for Gold Fields, which in turn ranked sixth overall.
Mining giant Anglo American came fourth, with Standard Bank taking fifth position, Old Mutual seventh, and Nedcor, Sasol and MTN in position eight to 10.
Among the top 10, Absa, Standard Bank and MTN generated proportionally the most positive coverage.
The research also found that, for the first time in five years, black CEOs topped the list of most-quoted managers in the media.
Head to head were Patrice Motsepe and Tokyo Sexwale, followed by Cyril Ramaphosa. In fourth position, the only woman, Maria Ramos of Transnet, was quoted 315 times, followed by Saki Makozoma.
Tom Boardman of Nedcor received 181 quotes, followed by Sizwe Nxasana of Telkom, Peter Matlare of the South African Broadcasting Corporation, former South African Airways CEO Andre Viljoen, and Brett Kebble in 10th position.
According to Wadim Schreiner, MD of Media Tenor, this trend clearly shows that black economic empowerment companies are increasingly using the media’s editorial space to communicate messages to its stakeholders, a “domain” previously occupied by white managers.
Not surprisingly, President Thabo Mbeki emerged as the most-quoted — by far — politician in leading South African media. Deputy President Jacob Zuma took second place, followed by Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel. Opposition leader Tony Leon ranked fifth.
Among the non-South African personalities, United States President George Bush emerged the clear winner, followed by Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Minister of Health Manto Tshabalala-Msimang emerged as the most-quoted woman in leading local media in 2004, followed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille. — I-Net Bridge