What secrets does your organisation want to know?

The constitution says that every person has the 'right to know', the right to access and to share information and yet, according to the Right2Know campaign, South Africans live in a society of secrets. To assist in this transparency, the organisation is calling on communities and organisation to list a Top 10 Secrets list. 17 Mar 2011 08:58

SA slow to take up digital media - report

Despite growing demand for digital media in South Africa, there is still strong interest in traditional media in rural areas, where the high cost of data ensures that radio and community newspapers remain dominant. 16 Mar 2011 12:10

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

Right2Know campaign back to drawing board

[Issa Sikiti da Silva] After completing its Week of Action, which was characterised by a series of nationwide raucous and fearless protests against the government's proposed 'Secrecy Bill' - seen by critics as 'repressive' and 'wicked' - South Africa's civil society army is back at the drawing board, assessing its achievements and strategies and call for a scope-broadening national dialogue. 10 Nov 2010 12:46

Zulu Sunday Times makes sense but will it make money?

[Chris Moerdyk: @chrismoerdyk] The only question I have about an isiZulu edition of the Sunday Times is why Avusa took so long to think about it. The move was logical: the huge Zulu population in KwaZulu-Natal is well-known for wanting things in its own language and by far the biggest radio station in South Africa is the SABC's Ukhozi FM. 8 Nov 2010 12:07

Noweto News community newspaper launches

Noweto News, a community paper for the North Western townships of the city, including Diepsloot, Cosmo City, Fourways and Lonehill has launched to provide a mutual platform where advantaged and disadvantaged communities can address pertinent community issues. 29 Oct 2010 09:35

Sister title for successful community newspaper

Following the success of Eastern Times, a community newspaper launched February 2009 in the eastern suburbs of Pretoria, the Northern Times will launch on Thursday, 28 October 2010, for people in Pretoria living north of the Magaliesberg. 14 Oct 2010 08:33

Powerful journalism is easy peasy (and here's how to do it)

[Gill Moodie: @grubstreetSA] There something very interesting going on in the Eastern Cape: it won't win awards but it's a totally new kind of journalism for South Africa that has the potential to really make a difference for ordinary people and improve the running of our cities and towns. It also takes the wind out of the sails of those parts of the ANC and SACP that wish to curtail media freedom and acts as a bridge builder between the media and the authorities. 29 Sep 2010 09:19

Moneyweb deal makes Caxton a hyperlocal pathfinder

[Gill Moodie: @grubstreetSA] Earlier this month, a significant media deal was announced - that Moneyweb will be managing the online presence of Caxton's community newspapers - but then Sunday Times reporter Mzilikazi wa Afrika was arrested and our attention shifted utterly to the growing threat to media freedom in this country. 27 Aug 2010 10:40

Small players threaten commoditised radio

[Gill Moodie: @grubstreetZA] Call me nostalgic but South African radio has never topped Capital Radio 604 of the 1980s. 12 May 2010 11:04

Community radio takes on gender, world cup

[Deborah Walter] The world's media eyes will soon squarely focus on South Africa, with millions from across the globe tuning in via multimillion-dollar broadcasts. Yet even as the international media and big broadcasters move in and journalists descend from all over the world, in SA, like much of Africa, community radio is still a key source of information and news for many communities, linking local activities and issues with international perspectives. 10 May 2010 12:57

Kasi Times to empower township communities

[Issa Sikiti da Silva] A tabloid newspaper called Kasi Times, set to bring a new wave of inspiration, motivation and empowerment to Gauteng townships, will be launched on 28 May 2010, Nonhlanhla Nxumalo of Star Hero Communications and Events and MD of the new title, told Bizcommunity.com this week. 30 Apr 2010 11:33

Community media's challenges to produce quality content

[Issa Sikiti da Silva] A community media organisation should not just be a team of talking heads but rather produce dramas, documentaries and real content related to social and economic issues affecting their constituencies, Dr Tanja Bosch, of the University of Cape Town's School of Film and Media Studies, told a two-day community media conference held last week in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. 12 Oct 2009 08:06