Motor sales are booming and ad spend is following suit. Is this trend likely to continue and what are the challenges facing marketers and the media Kirsty Laschinger reports.

Since the banning of tobacco advertising, South Africa’s big three cellular providers have offered hope to media owners through substantial year-on-year growth in advertising budgets. They are now all in the top 12 in terms of local spend. Kirsty Laschinger finds out whether the upward trend will continue, and where this year’s money will go.

With the printing industry always acting as an accurate barometer of the state of the economy, what is the outlook for print media’s production costs in 2006? Will paper prices increase? Kirsty Laschinger looks at the macroeconomic and market-based indicators.

Although the TV broadcasters are cagey on how much they spend on local content, the government’s quotas are not something they’re complaining about. Kirsty Laschinger reports on the positive outlook.

How do the media budgets of South Africa’s big four banks rate in comparison to their market share? Kirsty Laschinger looks at the figures and speaks to the banks’ marketing executives about strategy.

The relaxation of ownership rules and the prospect of new licences has Primedia and Kagiso battling one another for private radio’s spoils. Can the shareholders stomach a price war? Kirsty Laschinger reports.

Last year’s results out of Johncom and Naspers were excellent, providing the strongest evidence possible that local media has emerged from the doldrums. Kirsty Laschinger compares the performance of these South African giants.