Kevin Bloom

Where should long-past-it journos go to live out their twilight years? David Bullard suggests the Hunter S Thompson Memorial Home, where volunteer carers write fan letters to the columnists and phone in to the mock radio station.

In a briefing to government and the media at its headquarters in Auckland Park today, the SABC announced a R240,3-million net profit for the 2004/2005 financial year.

It was announced today that The Tuesday Night Show, the only gay and lesbian radio show that broadcasts to a national audience, will be discontinued with immediate effect.

A new entrant in the business print sector is due to be launched in October. Called <i>Maverick</i>, the title is aiming at a circulation of 25,000 to 30,000, and will sell at a cover price of R23,00. The publication will be distributed every four weeks and is to be funded by an institution whose identity, according to publisher Branko Brkic, “will be announced in due course.”

It was revealed today that listed media conglomerate Primedia has acquired alternative media company Altmedia, in a deal reportedly valued at more than R70-million. Outdoor giant Clear Channel Independent has sold its 49 percent stake in Altmedia as part of the deal.

The Department of Arts and Culture has intervened in a long-running copyright dispute over articles and photographs produced by former <i>Drum</i> magazine journalists.

It was announced last week that Michael Markovitz, former special advisor to Icasa chairperson Mandla Langa, has been appointed director of convergence at listed private media company Primedia. Markovitz informs <i>eMedia,</i> that he began as an official Primedia employee on July 1, which is one day after his six-year contract with the regulator ended.

A <i>Citizen</i> lead story entitled "Documentary claims Zuma was plot victim" has elicited a range of animated responses from the media industry. The piece refers to "an explosive TV documentary alleging former deputy president Jacob Zuma is the victim of a trial by media orchestrated by people within the African National Congress".

A <i>Citizen</i> lead story entitled “Documentary claims Zuma was plot victim”, written by executive editor Martin Williams and published on July 4, has elicited a range of animated responses from the media industry. The piece, which refers to “an explosive TV documentary alleging former deputy president Jacob Zuma is the victim of a trial by media orchestrated by people within the ANC."

Media24, the Naspers owned publisher and distributor of magazines, newspapers and online products across Africa, is set to unleash at least four new titles into the local women’s magazine space before the end of the year. The news has left publishers and editors at competitor groups reeling.

Themba Khumalo, newly appointed editor of the <i>Daily Sun</i>, confirmed yesterday that journalist Isaac Mangena has laid a charge at the Orlando Police Station against a group that threatened his life.

In the Mondi Magazine Awards supplement distributed with this issue (we produce and design the booklet on behalf of Mondi) the winning piece by Rian Malan, a riveting profile of JM Coetzee, contains the following: "Our ancestors bestrode Africa like giants, slaughtering game, digging holes for gold, subjugating everyone. "

A website dedicated to questioning the motives and credentials of Moneyweb journalist Julius Cobbett has been uploaded by investment group Elan Suisse Capital. The site appears in the form of a letter in which the directors of the investment group focus on the journalist’s age, qualifications and experience.

Dr Frederik van Zyl Slabbert’s position on Afrikaner culture, as influenced and reflected by the Afrikaans press, accords a unique perspective on a country in flux. Kevin Bloom questions the former politician on these matters, and gets his views on contemporary politics, media freedom and Caxton.

Sources within the Johnnic Communications (Johncom) media stable have confirmed that <i>Business Day</i> editor Peter Bruce has terminated the column of controversial commentator David Gleason. Bruce’s decision is attributed to the columnist’s refusal to "stop writing political pieces", as well as to his seemingly overt support for mining magnate Brett Kebble.

In Johannesburg this morning the Constitutional Court ruled in favour of T-shirt makers and parody specialists Laugh It Off, bringing to an end the heavily publicised legal battle between the tiny company and multinational brewing giant South African Breweries (SAB). But media excitement has been marred by the gag order placed on <i>Mail & Guardian</i> last night.

Writer of this month’s lead article Andy Davis sent through a biting piece of American cultural satire for possible inclusion alongside his story. It’s called "Message From Our Sponsor", by Jello Biafria.

Following Barclays PLC’s recent announcement of its intention to acquire a controlling stake in the Absa Group for a reported R33-billion, it was announced in Johannesburg today that the Absa brand will not be replaced by the brand of its soon-to-be parent.

Why is it that the Cape is the hub of South Africa’s magazine publishing industry when the readers and revenues are up north? Kevin Bloom asks the question and looks at the media sectors where the region is lagging.

Financial wisdom has it that the media sector is not the place to get decent returns on an investment. The initial capital outlay tends to be excessive, ongoing production costs can be up in the stratosphere, and the merchandise that’s flogged to advertising clients is generally intangible. It makes sense then that the media isn’t renowned for its massive salaries.

<i>The Herald</i>, Zimbabwe’s largest government daily – which, incidentally, is also 20% owned by local giant Old Mutual – is about to be distributed and sold in South Africa. Kevin Bloom speaks to the editor.

Their listenership figures outperform all other radio brands in the country and their power to change corporate fortunes is indisputable, so why aren’t the African-language stations in SABC’s PBS portfolio doing better? Kevin Bloom reports.

The question was put by a Thai official who wanted to know why none of the networks had put out an alert. They all have full-time meteorological expertise, all have people who know (or should know) that an earthquake of such magnitude out at sea causes a tsunami.

With new technology on the horizon and the presence of big-name multinationals in the local media research space, can we expect vast changes in the structures and methods of media measurement? Kevin Bloom investigates.

The good news for the weeping editors and owners at our own financial publications is that they’re in good company. Annual advertising revenue at most of South Africa’s business print brands is equal to what it was five years ago — <i>Business Day</i> is more than R10-million down on 1999/2000 figures, and only the <i>Business Times</i> is significantly up.

How does the rest of Africa feels about South Africa’s "media imperialism"? What are the economic motivations for moving into the continent? Does the Western media still look at Africa through a colonial lens? These are some of the queries that the December issue of <i>The Media</i> addresses.

A media owner may put years of work into researching a market gap, but the reader, viewer or listener will only recognise the niche in hindsight. A media brand that awakens its target market to the post-the-fact inevitability of its existence, is a media brand that’s going to be around for a while, argues Kevin Bloom.

This editorial was supposed to be about the "public sphere". The intention was to link a number of the debates raised in the October issue. But in the middle of September the Audit Bureau of Circulations put out "ABC Alert No. 9", their response to Allan Greenblo’s article ("Circulation Conspiracy?") in the August 2004 edition of <i>The Media</i>, so the plan for this editorial had to change.

There are signs that it’s becoming increasingly difficult for the regulator to plug the holes in radio’s public service and community licensing models. Can the SABC justifiably keep its monopoly? Can Radio Today be allowed to maintain its relationship with MoneyWeb? Kevin Bloom speaks to Michael Markovitz, advisor to the Icasa chairperson.

History has shown that Johncom management isn’t scared to fire its editors, so Mondli Makhanya’s position at the helm of the <i>Sunday Times</i> will never be completely safe. At this giant, it’s not easy to juggle the demands of readers, advertisers and good journalism to the satisfaction of everyone concerned. Kevin Bloom reports.

Time for a rant. The whoring of editorial space that masquerades as motoring journalism is the subject. Although the sentiment will sound naïve in the extreme, maybe what we have here is an opportunity to lend some real world meaning to the collective hand-wringing at media’s recent humiliations.

There are two sets of statistics in this issue which, when taken together, suggest a startling disparity between South Africa and the United States in the gender equality stakes. What gives? If the calibre of individuals in the annual "top 10 women in media" feature is anything to go by, South Africa is certainly not short of female flair.