West Africa Cable System officially launched

West Africa Cable System (WACS), the fibre optic cable set to meet demand for fast, efficient broadband in Africa, which links Southern and Western Africa to Europe, commercially launched today in Cape Town, South Africa. 11 May 2012 11:48

African people disillusioned with leadership - Moeletsi Mbeki

[Issa Sikiti da Silva: @sikitimedia] "African people - like me - are completely disillusioned with the performance of their leaders because of what they have done and what they are doing, and for me these people should not be called leaders, but rather the elite," Moeletsi Mbeki, brother of former South African president Thabo Mbeki and chairman of the SA Institute of International Affairs, said, speaking at the CNN-MultiChoice media forum currently taking place in Bryanston, Johannesburg, today, Friday, 24 June 2011. 24 Jun 2011 11:56

Dario Milo and media law: is legal sky a limit for journalists?

[Issa Sikiti da Silva] There is some substantiated regulation of what the media can do and what it cannot do, but the balance must be struck between what the law has prescribed and freedom of expression, Prof Dario Milo, Wits University media law visiting professor and Webber & Wentzel partner, said last week in Johannesburg at the two-day Regulations and Rights media conference. 15 Mar 2011 14:01

Social media, popular revolt: cure against African dictators?

[Issa Sikiti da Silva: @sikitimedia] The events and developments of the past six months in Africa have demonstrated that the rise of social media has not only revolutionised the business environment, but also redefined the political scene by shaking the foundation of dictatorship, lack of service delivery and corruption for the first time since the dawn of independences. 5 Jul 2011 10:14

2011 Maputo International Ad Festival set for May

The sixth Maputo International Advertising Festival will take place from 25-27 May 2011, AMEP - the Mozambican Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations Association announced yesterday. The festival recognises advertising agencies, producers and communications companies worldwide especially from Africa and the Indian Ocean regions. 23 Feb 2011 07:22

MTN boosts African Opera Mini users

A special version of the Opera Mini mobile web browser, launched by MTN and Opera Software last year to MTN's subscribers, has been met with great enthusiasm by MTN customers across the 15 markets where it's available. In just twelve months, MTN subscribers have increased their use of Opera Mini by 1665%. 27 Feb 2012 13:52

Right of access to information hampered by govts - media conference

[Issa Sikiti da Silva] The right of access to information is being hampered in many parts of the world, especially in Africa, by government officials wary of journalists' desire to 'embarrass' them, and the state's 'insincere' reason of hiding behind the issue of national security. This emerged today, Wednesday, 9 March 2011, at the Regulations and Rights media conference at Wits University in Johannesburg. [view twitterfall] 9 Mar 2011 13:17

African politicians ban media to avoid criticism - Henry Maina

[Issa Sikiti da Silva] The fundamental reason that many African governments ban and harass the media has more to do with personal connotations than other issues, Kenya's Henry Maina, director of Article 19 Eastern Africa, told delegates at the two-day Regulations and Rights media conference last week in Johannesburg. 16 Mar 2011 10:22

African media is surrogate opposition - Prof Tawana Kupe

[Issa Sikiti da Silva] Due to the lack of a strong and united political opposition, the media in Africa, at least those that are critical of government policies, becomes a powerful force called a surrogate opposition, Prof Tawana Kupe, dean of faculty of humanities at Wits University, said this week in Johannesburg. 11 Mar 2011 10:29

African media and the self-regulation dilemma

[Issa Sikiti da Silva] As the independent media in Africa is engaged in a fierce battle against repressive and not-so-democratic governments keen to sweep their corrupt wrongdoings under the carpet, the issue of self-regulation has become almost like a daily bread in many parts of the continent. [view twitterfall] 10 Mar 2011 08:07

MTN launches 3G services in Cote d'Ivoire, Benin

MTN subscribers in Cote d'Ivoire and Benin will soon take off at full throttle as 3G licences were awarded to MTN in both countries recently. 26 Mar 2012 12:25

Press freedom celebrations tempered with concerns

Yesterday, Tuesday, 3 May 2011, was the 20th anniversary of World Press Freedom Day, begun in Namibia as the Declaration of Windhoek, a statement of principles calling for a free, independent and pluralistic media throughout the world. Celebrations around the world were tempered with concerns about the erosion of press freedom and in South Africa, the SA National Editors' Forum (SANEF) called on Government to review its proposed legislations that has seen SA downgrade from 'free press' to 'partly free'. 4 May 2011 09:13

Decline in press freedom experienced in key countries - report

WASHINGTON: The number of people worldwide with access to free and independent media declined to its lowest level in over a decade, according a Freedom House study released yesterday, 2 May 2011. The report, Freedom of the Press 2011: A global survey of media independence, found that a number of key countries experienced significant declines, producing a global landscape in which only one in six people live in countries with a press that is designated Free. 3 May 2011 14:00