Thu, 05 Jan 2012
Johannesburg-based producer Marc Schwinges of Underdog has created a new business model for TV production in South Africa which utilises the Department of Trade & Industry (the dti) rebate and sees two language versions of a new documentary series licensed to two different broadcasters.
Mon, 06 Feb 2012
The Afrikaans-language musical, Platteland (2 prints), is still on the local circuit after 11 weeks and had made R8.1m as at 5 February. Another Afrikaans film, Hoofmeisie (12 prints), had made R4.2m at the end of the weekend after seven weeks of release.
Tue, 31 Jan 2012
Clear-Com, a global leader in critical voice communication systems, has launched the Clear-Com Global Rental Group (CGRG). Through a network of experienced rental partners equipped to provide Clear-Com intercom systems for productions of any size, the new service, led by industry veteran Larry Estrin, offers greater flexibility and options for addressing customers’ communications requirements.
Thu, 26 Jan 2012
The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) and the Communication Workers Union (CWU) signed an agreement that settled the 2011/12 substantive negotiations.
Fri, 20 Jan 2012
Times Live reports that small and medium-sized business in South Africa can now set up their own websites with a minimum of effort thanks to Google’s Woza Online.
Fri, 20 Jan 2012
How sad to learn that the pioneering photography company that is more than a century old is now bankrupt. Bloomberg reports that Eastman Kodak has filed for bankruptcy.
Wed, 18 Jan 2012
After successfully serving two terms of office as CEO of the Gauteng Film Commission (GFC) Terry Tselane left the organisation in December, with Thabiso Masudubele appointed as Acting CEO
Mon, 16 Jan 2012
Jasco Broadcast Solutions, a division of Jasco Carrier Networks, recently concluded a partnership agreement to represent world-renowned Front Porch Digital product offerings as a reseller in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, including Southern and Eastern Africa; as well as Mauritius and the Seychelles.
Wed, 11 Jan 2012
Private equity investment firm Thoma Bravo, LLC has completed the acquisition of Telestream, a leading provider of video transcoding and digital media software solutions.
Tue, 10 Jan 2012
One of the largest creators and producers of television entertainment brands in the world, FremantleMedia, has appointed Rob Clark to the newly created position of Director, Global Entertainment Development.
Mon, 09 Jan 2012
The Southern African Marketing Research Association (SAMRA) is calling for presentation submissions for the 2012 SAMRA Conference.
Fri, 06 Jan 2012
If you wonder why Hollywood keeps churning out sequels consider The Hollywood Reporter’s review of the Top 10 grossing films of 2011 – eight of the films are sequels.
Thu, 05 Jan 2012
With the South African industry reporting a tough year in 2011, many are looking at 2012 with trepidation, especially with the uncertain global economic outlook and the continuing crisis at beleaguered public broadcaster SABC.
Thu, 05 Jan 2012
As part of an overall initiative to strengthen its leadership across Europe, The Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Grass Valley welcomes industry veteran Colin Hay as its new Vice President for the Northern EMEA region.
Thu, 15 Dec 2011
Blackmagic Design has announced its acquisition of Teranex Systems Inc., a leading manufacturer of high performance video processing products for the post production and broadcast industries.
Mon, 12 Dec 2011
The new Afrikaans language musical, Platteland (54 prints), made the number six spot in South Africa's Combined Top 10 for the weekend of 9 to 11 December. It made R1.1m over the weekend and has accumulated a total of R5.2m in just three weeks of release.
Wed, 07 Dec 2011
Multi-channel pan-African content provider M-Net has announced the expansion of its senior sales team with the appointment of former BBC Worldwide executive, Mandy Roger as Sales and Business development manager.
Wed, 07 Dec 2011
Moshito Music Conference and Exhibition announced its new executive board following the the organisation’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on 30 November at Johannesburg’s SAB World of Beer.
Tue, 06 Dec 2011
Platteland (67 prints), the new Afrikaans-language musical, had made a whopping R3.7m as at 4 December, after only two weeks of release.
Wed, 30 Nov 2011
TechCentral reports that according to Naspers' latest interim results, subsidiary MultiChoice, which owns pay-TV operations DStv and M-Net, experienced slower growth in 2010. However Naspers's largely offshore Internet interests are expanding.
Tue, 29 Nov 2011
The 40 leading telecoms operating groups out-performed the global economy by 5.0 ppt (percentage points), according to the latest research from Informa Telecoms & Media.
Wed, 16 Nov 2011
The new South African film Skeem made the number six spot in UIP’s Top 8 for the weekend of 11 to 13 November. On release with 15 prints, the film had made R430,331 by the end of the weekend.
Tue, 15 Nov 2011
The New Media Section, a combined initiative between SmartXchange ICT Hub & Incubator and the Durban Film Office (DFO), has been launched. It is part of the producers' lab incubator and skills development programme collaboration, set up to explore the synergistic opportunities between the ICT and entertainment media sectors.
Mon, 14 Nov 2011
Ericsson has announced that Sony will acquire Ericsson’s 50% stake in Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB, making the mobile handset business a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony.
Wed, 09 Nov 2011
Newly released South African film Skeem had a good second week at the local box office. Released with 18 prints the film had made R342,225 as at 6 November.
Mon, 07 Nov 2011
C21 Media reports that the BBC is facing mounting pressure from unions over its plans to cut 2,000 jobs.
Mon, 07 Nov 2011
The Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) recently announced that the cap on the film and television production incentive rebate for foreign, local and co-productions, previously set at R20m, has been removed.
Sun, 06 Nov 2011
The Cape Film Commission (CFC) recently announced its intention to embark on a major push to grow the province’s film industry. CFC CEO Denis Lillie says that the industry contributed nearly R5.5bn to the Western Cape’s economy and employs over 12 000 people.
Wed, 02 Nov 2011
Advanced Television reports that by acquiring Auditude, Adobe Systems will be able to provide an end-to-end video offering. This includes the seamless connecting of authoring, publishing, monetisation and optimisation.
Wed, 02 Nov 2011
For a television channel, running promotional resources should be like running a business. The most talented creatives can make the most wonderful promo advertising a TV programme, series or channel but if it’s not scheduled properly then all that time, money and effort has been wasted
Tue, 01 Nov 2011
The last year has seen an encouraging growth in the number of South African films on the local circuit. Khalo Matabane's State of Violence and Tim Greene’s Skeem are the latest local films to hit the circuit.
Tue, 01 Nov 2011
“Emotional Intelligence refers to the capacity for recognising our own feelings, and those of others, for motivating ourselves and for managing emotions in ourselves and our relationships”.
Wed, 26 Oct 2011
Jasco has announced that Eckart Zollner was recently appointed as the new business development manager for NewTelco South Africa, a joint venture between Jasco and Germany-based New Telco GmbH.
Tue, 25 Oct 2011
Black Butterflies, Dutch director Paula van der Oest's biopic of tragic South African poet Ingrid Jonker, made R62,151 in its first weekend of release in South Africa. It was released on 21 October with eight prints.
Thu, 20 Oct 2011
The International Association of Broadcasting Manufacturers (IABM) has announced that 11 more broadcast and media technology suppliers have joined the association in the past three months.
Wed, 19 Oct 2011
Video technology solutions company Grass Valley has acquired PubliTronic, a privately-held, global provider of multichannel, integrated, automated playout solutions. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
Tue, 18 Oct 2011
The posh but dithering British secret agent, Johnny English (played by mega-comedian Rowan Atkinson), returned full blast to South African cinemas on 14 October. Johnny English Reborn (84 prints) made R2.5m over the weekend.
Tue, 18 Oct 2011
During 2010, both advertising spending and consumer / end-user spending rebounded as markets started to recover from the global financial crisis according to Vicki Myburgh, leader - Entertainment & Media (E & M), PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC), Southern Africa.
Mon, 17 Oct 2011
South Africa will have a National Pavilion at the upcoming International Telecommunications Union’s (ITU) Telecom World, which takes place from 24 to 27 October at the Geneva PALEXPO, Switzerland.
Thu, 13 Oct 2011
Seventy-three percent of the 74 films released in South Africa from 29 April to 31 August 2011 originated from the US, while South Africa accounted for only 12% (nine) of films released, followed by India with four films according to the National Film and Video Foundation’s (NFVF) 2nd Trimester Box Office report.
Mon, 10 Oct 2011
Fresh from creating a buzz on the international film festival circuit, Viva Riva!, written and directed by the DRC’s Djo Tunda wa Munga, opened at the South African box office over the weekend of 7 to 9 October, making a handy R40,814.
Mon, 03 Oct 2011
In line with its amazing box office performance worldwide, the animated adventure comedy The Smurfs (including 3D) had an enormous opening at the South African box office over the weekend of 30 September to 2 October.
Thu, 29 Sep 2011
The UK-Kenya-South Africa co-production, The First Grader (17 prints), was in top spot of UIP’s Top 8 for the weekend of 23 to 25 September. It made a very handy R107,253 in its opening weekend.
Mon, 26 Sep 2011
If and when the Protection of Information Bill (Secrecy Bill) reappears on the South African agenda, it is important to remember that despite occasional government claims to the contrary, a public interest defense to the collection and disclosure of classified information is very much in line with foreign practice.
Sun, 25 Sep 2011
Thu, 22 Sep 2011
Wed, 21 Sep 2011
It is hugely exciting for the South African film industry to see that five local films are on release at the same time at the local box office.
Mon, 19 Sep 2011
The 2011 Mzansi Magic Market Day was won by 12 year-old Alexander Patullo from Durban, who impressed the judges of the nationwide young entrepreneur competition by recycling old vinyl records and coke bottles in an unusual and profitable way.
Tue, 13 Sep 2011
South African Charlie Vundla’s noir film How to Steal 2 Million (30 prints) made the number 10 stop in the Combined Top 10 at the local cinemas for the weekend of 9 to 11 September.
Tue, 06 Sep 2011
The latest South African film to hit the local cinema circuit, Charlie Vundla’s How to Steal 2 Million, made an impressive opening on the weekend of 2 to 4 September, by generating R360,731. It was released with 33 prints.
