Kim Novick

Outdoor advertising in Africa, not unlike the continent itself, is defined by its own set of challenges, writes Kim Novick. But outdoor media owners are living up to that challenge and adspend on the rest of the continent has doubled in the past seven years.

They are grabbing adspend and stealing readers. Do custom magazines pose a threat to the mainstream market? Kim Novick reports.

Local television content is more popular than ever but hidden costs and the allure of cheaper high quality international productions are slowing the industry. Kim Novick reports.

Alternative media has a more definite understanding of "convergence" than its mainstream cousins. For this sector, it’s about dominating the spaces where people and unfilled time come together. Kim Novick speaks to the media executives and marketing bosses that get the concept.

The sense Kim Novick gets on talking to the big players in the African outdoor environment is that there’s every reason for optimism, but tough lessons await the unwary. Less gung-ho and more softly-softly is the new order.

The obsession with reality television is not new – it taps into voyeuristic viewing habits that stretch back to 1948, with the first flighting of <i>Candid Camera</i>. Kim Novick explores the evolution of the phenomenon with SA’s content bosses.

Magazine publishers within the parenting and bridal niches are seeing a strong upward curve in circulations and revenue. Can the trend continue? Kim Novick looks into the superwomen sector.

The media directors assert that the titles don’t get read, that there’s no accountability, that sales methods are dodgy. The publishers counter that few sectors produce better results for clients. Kim Novick presents the sensitive arguments in the custom publishing debate.

In a media universe increasingly dominated by sensationalism, scandal and smut, some big South African radio news and talk brands are finding success in "old school" news values. Kim Novick looks at a sector that gets real-world results.

Can alternative media go where mainstream media supposedly can’t? Can it give advertisers real "reach" in the elusive youth market? Kim Novick writes that the smart brands choose a mix of platforms.

The outdoor market in Africa is mushrooming, a sign for many that consumerism on the continent is becoming more entrenched. Kim Novick speaks to some of the major players about the challenges and opportunities.