Author: Gugu Lourie

How to protect authors after Google Books wins its ‘fair use’ case, again. As this continue to be debated in US courts think of our own writers in South Africa such as Songeziwe Mahlangu. Napo Masheane. Yewande Omotoso. Lesego Rampolokeng. Phillipa Yaa de Villiers. Pumla Gqola. Maxine Case. Thando Mgqolozana. Shafinaaz Hassim. Lebo Mashile. Niq Mhlongo. Cynthia Jele. Sifiso Mzobe. Mary Watson. Angela Makholwa. Siphiwo Mahala. Angelina Sithebe. Kgebetli Moele. Ndumiso Ngcobo. Futhi Ntshingila. Nthikeng Mohlele. Sihle Khumalo. Google’s efforts to scan millions of books for an online library have passed another legal hurdle with the United States appeal court…

JSE-listed global internet and media company Naspers has offloaded a $201 million (R2.7 billion) Czech-based online retailer. By Staff Writer The South African-based firm sold its shareholding in online retailers in Netretail and Heureka to Czech-based investment firm, Rockaway Capital. “For Naspers, the transaction forms part of an ongoing strategy to optimise its group structure. Naspers acquired Netretail (a Czech-based online retailer) and eMAG (the Romanian based internet retailer) in 2012, with a plan to merge the two assets and create a leading ecommerce platform across Central and Eastern Europe (CEE),” Meloy Horn, head of Investor Relations at Naspers, said in a statement.…

While the software and computer services sector of the JSE shrinks everyday – owing to technology firms voluntarily delisting  or being gobbled up by bigger rivals – prolific technology dealmaker Sbu Shabalala somehow keeps creating value for shareholders. By Gugu Lourie Shabalala’s latest foray into the world of auditing and accounting saw him spend about R217m buying CQS Investment, which has footprints in Nigeria, Kenya, Zambia, Tanzania, Botswana and Zimbabwe. Founder and CEO of Adapt IT, Shabalala, believes his latest buy is a  direct fit in the company’s acquisition strategy of buying niche businesses. Soft spoken, Shabalala, laughed…

Reaching every customer using mobile technology has become one of the most relevant communication tools today. This is where USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) plays a significant role in providing marketers with an interactive and real-time platform for engaging one-on-one with their customers. By Tony Smith,  managing director at Oxygen8 SA This very popular and consumer driven platform allows users to access various services through the use of a code on their mobile devices. It is fast, simple and cost effective. The use of USSD has taken mobile marketing to another level. Through USSD, companies can create mobile surveys, polls and…

#AnythingCanHappen this summer if you #Believe in Cell C. You can win prizes worth over R20 million and even stand a chance to win R100 000 cash every week this summer with Cell C. By Staff Writer Cell C, South Africa’s third mobile phone operator, is launching its 2015 summer campaign that debuts this Sunday on television, radio and in print media. The campaign highlights some of the amazing things that can happen when people truly believe in realising their goals and ambitions and put the power in their hands. Over the course of the 14 week campaign, which runs until…

The landmark deal clinched by MTN with the Grammy award winner and British singer and songwriter Adele is an indication that the mobile phone operator, which has been promoting music streaming and caller tunes on its platform, is changing the face of the music industry in Africa. By Gugu Lourie To call MTN a music company would be stretching it at this juncture. Sure, MTN is a mobile phone operator, but it also plays in other adjacent markets such as video-on-demand (VOD) and fibre-to the-home (FTTH) services, but it can’t be classified in the same category as Sony Music or Apple…

JSE-listed global internet and media firm Naspers on Friday announced a $1.2 billion (R16 billion) deal to become the largest shareholder in Avito, an online classifieds platform in Russia. By Staff Writer Naspers is buying shares from existing shareholders to increase its stake from 17.4% to 67.9% on a fully diluted basis. Naspers initially invested in Avito, Russia’s largest generalist classifieds platform, in 2013. Since then the company successfully expanded into classifieds verticals and is now also a leading player in five key verticals: General Goods, Auto, Real Estate (including Domofond), Jobs and Services. With around 35 million unique monthly visitors…

MTN has clinched a landmark deal that gives it the global exclusive rights to caller back ring back (CRBT) to Adele’s much-anticipated single titled “Hello” which will be released today. By Staff Writer Larry Annetts, Sales and Marketing Executive for MTN South Africa, says MTN is the only telco that has exclusive CRBT (CallerTunez) rights globally. This is the first time ever that Adele has sanctioned the use of her music through this format. “Hello” is the single taken from Adele’s highly anticipated new album titled ‘25’ set for worldwide release on the 20th November this year. ‘Hello” launches as…

While MTN has advanced to become the most admired and most valuable brand in Africa within the Brand Africa 100 list, toppling Coca-Cola, 77% of the continent’s top 100 brands are foreign. By Ujuh reporter The foreign domination “needs to change if we are to own our future and to ensure we own our markets and capture the profits emanating from these,” says Omar Ben Yedder, African Business Group Publisher. Yedder was speaking at the launch of the Report at 4th Annual Brand Africa 100: Africa’s Best Brands Gala Dinner in Johannesburg. Positioned as Africa’s largest mobile phone base…

Webfluential has relocated to new offices in Sandton, which will also accommodate marketers and influencers that use the platform. By Staff Writer The Webfluential campus is based at corner Katherine & West building in Sandton, located next to the Gautrain station to provide an easy commute for staff and visitors. Webfluential is a subscription-based online platform that connects brands with consumers through credible and most influential web users – not those who inflate their reach by buying followers. It uses an algorithm to distinguish real followers. “Influencer marketing is a new means of audience engagement which requires education for both…