SABC to merge African, international news services

NEWSWATCH: The SABC intends to merge its African news television service SABC Africa with its just launched SABC International channel in a bid to appeal to a wider audience, reports IOL Technology. It is also planning to invest heavily in content, “grow its mobile platform, and exploit airtime sales opportunities in radio and television and on the Internet” as part of changing “its revenue mix to reduce heavy reliance on advertising”.

Yet several of South Africa's most famous musicians, including Johnny Clegg and Mzwakhe Mbuli, are accusing the SABC's radio stations of “demanding bribes if they want to be heard on air”, according to the Mail & Guardian Online.

Deputy Judge-President Jeanette Traverso will rule today, Thursday, 20 September 2007, on FirstRand Bank's application to prevent magazine Noseweek from publishing “a list of the bank's clients who hold offshore trust accounts”, reports Business Day. “The case is being watched with great interest because it is the first time a company in SA is going to court to protect the privacy and reputation of its clients, instead of its reputation.”

Internationally, the New York Times, in a bid to leverage more advertising revenue, earlier this week reversed a two-year old marketing plan and is no longer charging for access to various columnists and back articles on its website.

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