Another year has come and gone and once again it's time to congratulate all the overall winners of the 2009 Vodacom Journalist of the Year Awards, who were announced on Friday night, 9 October 2009, at a curiously under-attended but nevertheless enjoyable gala event at Vodaworld. Yet while the media is honoured on hand, on the other, media freedom and freedom of expression in this country continue to be under threat when an online editor has a petrol bomb, albeit unlit, but complete with a warning note, chucked into his house. The perpetrators need to be caught and be made an example to others who seem to think freedom of expression is over-rated. Meanwhile, the National Assembly's committee on communications has told ICASA to shape up or else, thanks to infighting between councillors and management, while the Save Our SABC (SOS) Coalition has in turn issued a statement in which it reckons that the Ministry of Communications should not micromanage the SABC. The trouble, of course, is that is exactly what MPs and ministry officials - be it communications, sport or whatever - have a predilection to doing. Here's to an interesting week, including the first Mobile Web Africa conference which kicks off tomorrow! Simone Puterman & Rod Baker PS In this week's Ornico Ad Showcase, we feature TV ads for Konica Minolta Bizhub, Ola Magnum White Almond, Yellow Pages, Frisco and Renault Megane Coupe, and radio ads for Santam, YFM, Small Enterprise Development Agency, Virgin Money and Volvo.
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