This morning, Monday, 30 August 2010, the South African National Editors' Forum (SANEF) held its media freedom summit in Johannesburg. Look out for report backs on what was discussed by checking our special section focusing on media freedom and our #zamediafreedom Twitterfall on a regular basis. Can you believe there's only a month left to go before it's that "biggest event of the year", the 2010 Loerie Awards? I certainly can't. Anyway, the list of Loeries finalists was released last week, so go check out who has made it through this year's judging process. Also big news late week was the announcement that Cambrient, Stonewall+ and Brandsh are in the process of merging, to launch in October as a full service, digital through-the-line agency called Native. It's already generated a lot of comment, so it will be most interesting to see how this impacts upon the South African advertising landscape. It will also be interesting to see how this new agency informs the creation of Caxton's new hyperlocal news sites through its deal with Moneyweb and partner Cambrient. I join my colleagues in wishing Shan Radcliffe, editor of our Retail portal and newsletter, all the best as she takes maternity leave until the New Year to deliver her first bundle of joy. Rod Baker will be filling in for her, so please continue to email your retail-related press releases and contributor pieces to retailnews@bizcommunity.com. To media freedom and democracy! Simone Puterman (@SimoneBiz) Managing editor PS As our blogger Anice Hassim puts it, there's a Stevenote happening this week. Will it reveal the iPod's second coming? PPS In this week's Ornico Ad Showcase, we feature TV ads for Amarula, Cell C, Giorgio Armani, Baker's Biscuits and Nescafé Ricoffy, and radio ads for Castle Lite, Emperor's Palace, Samsung, Savanna and Sleep Choice.
Please send all marketing and media news to marketingnews@bizcommunity.com and opinion pieces to contributors@bizcommunity.co. Responses to this column welcomed in our online editor's column archive.