Reflective mood as TBWA\South Africa celebrates 25th anniversary

[Issa Sikiti da Silva] The mood is at a reflective zenith at the headquarters of TBWA\South Africa in Sandton, Johannesburg, as the pan-African advertising agency this week celebrates its 25th anniversary. Senior management and staff at all 13 independent offices nationwide have been rallying around new CEO Derek Bouwer to reflect on the road travelled and the objectives met - and not met - in the last quarter of a century, and finally meditate on the future.

Drive, dive, feel alive

[Henrie Geyser] If diving is your scene and you enjoy hitting the road to find interesting, out-of-the-way places to explore the underwater wonderland of the southern African coastline then allow me to introduce a buddy to take with you whenever the mood for wet adventure grabs you.

Believe it cause it's true

[Ruth Cooper] Born eight years ago, long before Jack Parow and Die Antwoord, Corné and Twakkie are probably the first satirical zeffers ever, maybe. What with their porn star mo's, tight shorts (that are dangerously far from the knees) and mangled Afrikaans accents and sayings, Corné and Twakkie are the epitome of zef. Well aware of this they included a quick parody of Die Antwoord's Enter the Ninja in their Most Amazing Show last Friday night. (Aiie aiie aaa, I am your dragonfly.)

Lazy Sunday lunching at Fraai Uitzicht 1798

[Riccardo Spagni] When was the last time you spent Sunday lunch at a place that made you never want to leave? I mean, when was the last time you felt so comfortable and so blissful that you genuinely wanted to stay till supper and for a few hours thereafter? Just recently I dragged my wife to Robertson on a blistering Sunday to review Fraai Uitzicht 1798, and it was just such a place.

Y&R to restructure, refuses comment on Lamb resignation

[Herman Manson] Following the recent surprise announcement that Fraser Lamb had resigned as group CEO of Y&R, a wall of silence around the resignation seems to have been erected around the company by its management. But that's not all: the Y&R group of companies, which includes Y&R SA, Wunderman Johannesburg, aquaonline and BaseTwo, will be restructured into only two units by January 2011.

Oh the joys of flight...

[Brian Berkman] The reason that not much is written about positive experiences in flight is that unless one is travelling in first class it is at best bearable. Most often, however, it is unpleasantly challenging to our very core.

What radio should learn from reality TV

[Daryl Ilbury] There's a special place in my life reserved for reality TV; it's nestled between a visit to the glove doctor and watching a bubble of mucus pop out the nose of a grubby toddler. But the fact remains that there is something it can teach radio - an industry currently grappling to find its footing.

TopTV to launch HD channels

[Duncan McLeod] TopTV will launch high-definition channels next year as it takes its fight for subscribers with incumbent pay-TV operator MultiChoice to the next level.

Riaad 'Riyad' Moosa now guilty of hate speech - BCCSA

[Herman Manson] The Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA) is at it again - this time accusing comedian Riaad Moosa of hate speech for busting some racial prejudices and using the word "coolie" in the process. It also renamed him "Riyad". The BCCSA recently made a similar ruling against comedian John Vlismas although, in that instance, it actually got his name right.

Will gender cheating win the African Women's Championship?

[Dr Nikolaus Eberl] When Banyana Banyana crashed out of the semi-final of the African Women's Championship (AWC), losing 3-1 to Equatorial Guinea in extra time, a spectre raised its ugly head that many believed should have been dealt a deadly blow at the previous edition of the AWC in 2008.

SABC scoops gold at Public Sector Excellence Awards

[Issa Sikiti da Silva] Constantly besieged by bad news - mostly emanating from internal power struggles, political interference and corporate governance breaches that negatively impact on its performance - the embattled SABC will finally have something to celebrate. The public broadcaster scooped two golden awards last night, Thursday, 18 November 2010, at the Public Sector Excellence (PSX) Awards in the brand leadership, and overall effectiveness and service orientation categories.

Award-show behaving badly

[Herman Manson] Immature or wild at heart? Either one could describe the third annual Bookmarks awards evening, where the digital marketing and publishing evening took the opportunity last night, Thursday, 18 November 2010, to pat one another on the back - albeit cautiously.

Thai to die for

[Brian Berkman] Rightly or not, the thought of Thai massage parlours conjures thoughts of paid-for sex. Despite the Kingdom of Thailand's efforts to promote its broader appeal, I couldn't walk through the streets of Bangkok without seeing a decrepit old man with a Thai teen or being proffered sex for sale by everyone from the tuk-tuk driver to the lift operator.

[PRs meet the media] Who wants a beautiful pancreas?

[Roger Hislop] We all want three things. Health, wealth, and happiness. Make that four things. To look hot. Shape has the problem that it's peddling the same pipedreams as the women's magazines that sell three times its numbers. The difference is that the title wants to be the one telling the truth, being responsible, having editorial principles that allow it to talk authoritatively about health and wellness with some level of authenticity.

Future of online: making it sustainable

[Branko Brkic] In our previous chapters, we discussed how online news media found itself in a sticky space and what needed to happen for it to be taken seriously. Now we need to find out what global online news outfits will have to do to survive and even make some money

Nazeem Howa: new kid on the block at The New Age

[Mandy de Waal] There's still no news about when The New Age will be rolling off the presses. But with the appointment of Nazeem Howa as chief executive of TNA Media, the company is at least making progress in filling key positions. If his optimism is well-founded, we shouldn't have too much longer to wait before paper hits the newsstands.