Ornico launches The Media Report 2014

With over a hundred pages of insights on Africa's media and research industry, The Media Report 2014 includes contributions from amongst South Africa's most influential editors and advertising personalities. Gareth Cliff, SA's 'enfant terrible' of radio, talks about streaming media and the reinvention he and his team effected with CliffCentral.com.

Undoubtedly the most influential and powerful woman in the media in South Africa, former Editor-in-Chief of Huisgenoot, You and Drum, Esmaré Weideman - the CEO of Media24 - speaks about her responsibility for the commercial success of Africa's largest publishing group, and talks about freedom of expression, advertising, independence and media monopoly.

Other contributors include Chris Roper, Editor-in-Chief of the Mail & Guardian, who answers questions about editorial independence and honest information. Herman Manson, founder and editor of Marklives.com, talks about the marketing site's investigative approach to trade media. Anton Harber, Adjunct Professor of Journalism, writes on the fine balance that delivers autonomy in newsrooms and enables journalists to produce more interesting, impactful and useful journalism.

The Eyewitness News Editor-in-Chief, Katy Katopodis, answers 15 questions on her life, her values, the hurly-burly of daily news, and media independence. But that's not all. Paulo Dias of Primedia Broadcasting explains the difference between technology and trust in radio, while Lyn Jones, Marketing Manager of Continental Outdoor Media, explores effective out of home advertising in Africa.

The theme of The Media Report 2014 is independence. "Despite the fact that media independence and open information are the hallmarks of democracy, what we're seeing is that there is an ongoing attack on media freedoms both in Africa and across the globe," says Oresti Patricios, CEO of Ornico.

"The most recent findings of the World Press Freedom Index, which is undertaken by Reporters Without Borders annually, shows that media freedom is on the decline on all continents," bar Asia. "Africa is one of the biggest culprits and the freedom index indicates that when it comes to media transparency, this continent is in real trouble," he says.

"Independent media is critical to Africa's growth, not only because the press can be a watchdog that reports on abuses of power, but also because it educates and informs. Media independence is important to Africa because the media sector plays such an important role in economic growth and social development. Which is in part why we've invested resources in creating this media annual," says Patricios, who adds that this media annual will become a permanent feature of SA's publishing landscape.

Download your free copy of The Media Report here: http://website.ornico.co.za/newsletters/.