Once again, the media is up in arms: government spokesman Jimmy Manyi last week revealed Cabinet's plans to centralise the R1 billion government ad budget under the GCIS, which he also heads up - and that media which "assist government in getting its message across" and which "told the truth about service delivery" will be favoured. SANEF's prompt response? That this "incredible plan... means the government wishes to bribe newspapers to become its propagandists or even its mouthpieces by publishing only the government's view of news and affairs." According to SANEF, this would be a serious offence against the freedom of the media clause in the Constitution, which the government has sworn to uphold. "Freedom means liberty and particularly conduct where financial inducement or threat plays no part." Combined with the latest concerning the Protection of Information Bill, not surprisingly, Zapiro has come up with two controversial cartoons: Pressure on Lady Freedom to fight back as ANC push forward with "Secrecy" Bill" and New communications policy from Jimmy Manyi. In other news, the launch of iMaverick, South Africa (and Africa's) first daily iPad newspaper, will be in August 2011 and there's an initial exclusive offer of an iPad 2 bundled with subscriptions; a print ad by Lowe Bull blew up dramatically in Shoe City's face(book wall); and the Mail & Guardian has released its 2011 list of 200 Young South Africans (you have to take out to lunch). It's also been a year since the 2010 FIFA World Cup and almost everyone has been playing the reminiscing game. Missing Phillip... Simone Puterman (@SimoneBiz) Managing editor PS The first Biz Takeouts podcast from the Bizcommunity.com and Chai FM Marketing and Media radio show is available here. PPS The latest Ornico Ad Showcase features TV ads for Narcotics Anonymous, National Council Against Smoking, Audi A1 and Adoption, and radio ads for Panarotti's, Aveng Water, 8ta, Med-Lemon and Cadbury.
Responses to this column welcomed in our online editor's column archive. Follow Bizcommunity on Twitter at @Bizcommunity and join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Bizcommunity. Please send all South African marketing and media news to marketingnews@bizcommunity.com, international news to internationalnews@bizcommunity.com and opinion pieces to contributors-marketing@bizcommunity.com.