15 May 2009 15:30 Africa/Lagos
Revealing New Report on Monetizing Social Media Predicts Everyone Will Be Profitable Except Facebook
Noted analyst Lauren Rich Fine compares leading social network to a mall, suggesting "it might be time to start charging rent"
Breakthrough report launched at EconSM: Social Meets Mobile conference in San Francisco, hosted by paidContent and mocoNews
SAN FRANCISCO, May 15 /PRNewswire/ -- A revealing new report on monetizing social media predicts everyone but facebook stands to make money under the current business structure of leading social networks. The study, the latest from ContentNext Media, Inc. and authored by renowned analyst Lauren Rich Fine, compares the top social network to a local mall, suggesting "it might be time to start charging rent" to be on the platform, as mobile carriers already do.
As things stand, "there's a real danger that application developers who use the facebook platform will become quite profitable while the host corporation will not," says Fine. "Advertising on social nets will never be commensurate with the amount of time people spend on them. And facebook has made several failed attempts at innovative marketing efforts that members loudly rejected."
Other findings from the report:
-- There has been more than $25.5 billion in social media M&A and
investment activity in 902 transactions over the past 27 months.
-- Gaming is the largest sub-category in VC funding -- with more than
$800 million raised.
-- Outside of gaming, excitement around virtual currency could come to a
screeching halt given the predominant "novelty" factor present in the
enthusiasm.
"The merging of social and mobile is upon us," adds Fine. "And there are proven successful strategies that social network companies can adopt from the mobile carrier model."
In her analysis last month of the mobile industry, Fine warned not to expect mobile growth to be a panacea. "Concern and confusion over costs and hardware could mute near-term growth," she cautions.
"The Changing Mobile Industry and What It Means for Media Executives" is part of ContentNext Media's highly regarded report series that also includes in-depth looks at digital music, online news and political sites, online fantasy sports, Web content-management systems, and a piercing dissection of the latest online ad forecasts.
"With this pair of reports, ContentNext Media continues its leadership role in identifying and analyzing the most important issues and opportunities in digital media," said Nathan Richardson, CEO of ContentNext Media. "Lauren's seasoned and deep insights into the financial nuances of the media industry, combined with our comprehensive expertise in the most important business trends and issues in the sector, create an unparalleled level of insight and advice for the unique challenges facing decision makers in the media industry today."
"Following the Money: An Analysis of Business Strategies and Dealmaking in Social Media" is available now for $295.
About ContentNext Media Reports
ContentNext Media Reports are the most comprehensive way to gain access to key insights and extensive data on the digital media industry. Led by renowned former Merrill Lynch equity research analyst Lauren Rich Fine, each report includes an in-depth analysis into consumer and industry trends, major issues impeding growth, and where dollars are flowing, including a thorough review of the M&A and VC funding transactions within and related to the industry. The reports are prepared for decision-makers within the digital media, traditional media, entertainment, publishing, and advertising agencies, corporate strategy and business development teams, investment banks, venture capital institutions, private equity firms, and law & accounting firms. A complete list of reports is available at http://www.paidcontent.org/reports/.
About ContentNext Media, Inc.
ContentNext Media, Inc., a Guardian News & Media company based in Santa Monica, California and New York City, covers the business of digital media. The company operates paidContent.org, mocoNews.net, contentSutra.com and paidContent:UK. Founded by journalist Rafat Ali in 2002, the company's news sites chronicle the economic evolution of digital content that is shaping the future of the media, information and entertainment industries. Our belief is that in the near future, all media will be digital media, and we are helping define sustainable business models and innovation within this sector. ContentNext Media is online at http://www.contentnext.com/.
Source: ContentNext Media
CONTACT: Jennifer Harris, jharris@braincomm.com, or Sharon Oh,
oh@braincomm.com, Brainerd Communicators, Inc., +1-212-986-6667, both for
ContentNext Media
Web Site: http://www.contentnext.com/
Friday, May 15, 2009
Nigerians Report News Video Coverage of the 2009 Cannes Film Festival
Official Selection 2009 Cannes Film Festival
- À L'ORIGINE (IN THE BEGINNING) directed by Xavier GIANNOLI
- ANTICHRIST directed by Lars VON TRIER
- BAK-JWI (THIRST) directed by PARK Chan-Wook
- BRIGHT STAR directed by Jane CAMPION
- CHUN FENG CHEN ZUI DE YE WAN (Spring Fever) directed by LOU Ye
- DAS WEISSE BAND (THE WHITE RIBBON) directed by Michael HANEKE
- ENTER THE VOID directed by Gaspar NOÉ
- FISH TANK directed by Andrea ARNOLD
- INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS) directed by Quentin TARANTINO
- KINATAY directed by Brillante MENDOZA
- LES HERBES FOLLES (WILD GRASS) directed by Alain RESNAIS
- LOOKING FOR ERIC directed by Ken LOACH
- LOS ABRAZOS ROTOS (BROKEN EMBRACES) directed by Pedro ALMODÓVAR
- MAP OF THE SOUNDS OF TOKYO directed by Isabel COIXET
- TAKING WOODSTOCK directed by Ang LEE
- THE TIME THAT REMAINS directed by Elia SULEIMAN
- UN PROPHÈTE (A PROPHET) directed by Jacques AUDIARD
- VENGEANCE directed by Johnnie TO
- VINCERE directed by Marco BELLOCCHIO
- VISAGE (FACE) directed by TSAI Ming-Liang
Members of the Jury
President of the Jury is French actress, Isabelle Huppert.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
See You in Cannes 2
See You in Cannes 2
I have just seen the Publisher of Supple magazine off to France at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos. He and Justice from This Day newspaper will be on the Air France to Nice from where they will go to Cannes to join the thousands of accredited journalists, filmmakers, movie stars, film aficionados and others from all over the world for the 62nd Festival de Cannes.
Faruk Lasaki the director of Changing Faces, the most successful Nigerian movie so far left for Cannes last Tuesday accompanied by his sister Kemi Lasaki and one of his office workers. Fidelis Duker and his amiable wife Temitope left for Cannes last Night. The delegation of the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) will be at the Nigerian pavilion at the Cannes Film Festival, but I do not know if any Nigerian movie has qualified for screening or the competition. Going to Cannes is not a big deal, but competing for the highest honours is the real deal. Nollywood buffs boast that it is the third largest “film” industry in the world, but unfortunately none of the Nollywood movies has even qualified for official screening and the competition at the Cannes Film Festival. The last Nigerian delegation to Cannes turned it into a jamboree and became the laughing stock of the Cannes Film Festival for their extravagant party.
What were they celebrating?
Were they celebrating their failure to qualify for screening and competition?
I have addressed the celebration of Nigerian mediocrity in the emphasis on quality than quality in Nollywood in Mirror of Beauty and the Mirror of Nigerian Ignorance of the Cannes published on Kisses ‘n’ Roses in May 2008.
Nigerians love celebrating mediocrity and as shown in their disorganized music industry and film industry, most Nigerians careless about professionalism in entertainment.
I hope that the Nigerian delegation to Cannes would not be disgraced again.
~ Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima
Michael Chima is the Media Consultant of Supple magazine in Nigeria and he is also a producer and scriptwriter who is currently working on his first feature film.
13:15 Christian Audigier to Celebrate Birthday With a Bash During 2009 Cannes Film Festival
Monday, May 11, 2009
Iran Must Free Roxana Saberi!
Breaking News: Roxana Saberi will be released from jail
Freedom: Roxana Saberi will be released from jail
10 May 2009 13:00 Africa/Lagos
An Open Letter From the International Women's Media Foundation
WASHINGTON, May 10 /PRNewswire/ --
OPEN LETTER TO:
H. E. Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Head of the Judiciary
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Re: Roxana Saberi
Your Excellency Ayatollah Shahroudi:
We write on behalf of the International Women's Media Foundation ("IWMF"). IWMF is deeply troubled by the arrest, trial, and conviction of journalist Roxana Saberi. We believe her continued imprisonment violates the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, as we understand it, and also violates universal notions of free speech, free press, and due process. We write to urge you to intervene on her behalf and respectfully request that you provide a copy of our letter to the honorable judges reviewing her conviction.
IWMF has a strong interest in seeing justice done in Ms. Saberi's case. IWMF is a global network dedicated to strengthening the role of women in the news media worldwide as a means to further freedom of the press. For almost two decades, IWMF has been committed to supporting and honoring women journalists around the globe in their efforts to freely gather and report the news.
Ms. Saberi, a citizen of both the United States and Iran, was arrested in Tehran in January of this year, and detained, according to your nation's Foreign Ministry, for reporting without proper government-issued press credentials. Following a one-day trial held last month behind closed doors, Ms. Saberi was convicted of espionage. She was sentenced to eight years in prison, and is currently being held in Evin Prison in Tehran where she awaits a ruling on her appeal.
At the time of her arrest, Ms. Saberi was working as a freelance reporter for a number of international news organizations, including the United States' National Public Radio and the United Kingdom's British Broadcasting Corporation, and was writing a book on Iran's culture, art, and politics. These activities represent a fundamental exercise of the rights to free speech and a free press that are hallmarks of a strong government, and vital to the health and prosperity of all nations. They warrant protection, not punishment.
Journalists like Ms. Saberi, who gather news and information from within Iran in order to disseminate it freely around the globe, provide an invaluable service to your nation's people, as well as to the rest of the world. By facilitating the free exchange of ideas and information across borders, their work fosters understanding and tolerance among diverse people, and encourages peace among nations. But to serve these important purposes journalists must be free to ask questions, and to gather information. To the extent that a journalist who is simply investigating a story may be deemed a "spy" engaged in "espionage," it would subject reporters to criminal punishment merely for gathering information and reporting the news. This would be contrary to the most basic understanding of a free press.
We read Chapter 3 of your Constitution, entitled "The Rights of the People," and Chapter XI, entitled "The Judiciary," to include numerous provisions meant to guarantee the right to a fair trial that is open to the public, especially in cases involving political and press offenses. See, e.g., Article 20 [Equality Before The Law]; Article 22 [Human Dignity and Rights]; Article 24 [Freedom of the Press]; Article 165 [Public Trials]; Article 166 [Reasoned Verdicts]; Article 167 [Rule of Law for the Judiciary]; Article 168 [Political and Press Offenses]. But fairness cannot be achieved by secret, one-sided determination of crucial facts that could lead to the imprisonment of an individual. Moreover, a public trial guards against a miscarriage of justice and gives the public confidence that standards of fairness are being observed, that established procedures are being followed, and that deviations from those procedures will become known and thus can be effectively challenged. The fair trial guarantee requires reversal of Ms. Saberi's conviction, which came after a one-day trial held in secrecy.
Ms. Saberi's conviction also should be set aside because the rights to free speech and a free press are human rights that belong to all the world's citizens and are widely recognized in governing documents by many nations. For example, we understand Article 24 of the Iranian Constitution to mean that "publications and the press have freedom of expression except when it is detrimental to the fundamental principles of Islam or the rights of the public." Similarly, Article 35 of the Constitution of the People's Republic of China provides that citizens of that nation "enjoy freedom of speech, of the press, of assembly, of association, of procession and demonstration." Section 39 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provides that "every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference." The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution provides that "Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press. . . ." And Article 19 of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaims: "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers."
As a founding member of the United Nations, Iran has the ability and responsibility to honor the essential human right to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through the media that is recognized by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and to likewise construe Article 24 of its own Constitution to ensure that journalists are allowed to practice their profession freely, without government interference, intimidation or punishment.
We very much appreciate that you, as the head of your nation's judicial system, have pledged that Ms. Saberi's conviction will be "considered at the appeals stage in a careful, quick and fair way," stating that "fair examination of the case, especially at the appeal stage, is the defendant's right." Each day that Ms. Saberi remains in prison is a grave injustice that injures not only Ms. Saberi, but the people of Iran, and indeed the people of all nations. As Sa'adi, the great thirteenth-century Persian poet, wrote: "All human beings are limbs of each other, having been created of one essence. When time afflicts a limb with pain the other limbs cannot at rest remain."
The world's nations will find no rest until all journalists are permitted to freely gather and report the news anywhere in the world, without fear of retribution or criminal prosecution. Accordingly, we respectfully request that you and your judicial system enforce the Iranian Constitution and international norms of due process and free speech and free press, reverse the conviction of Ms. Saberi, and release her.
Respectfully submitted,
Theodore J. Boutrous Jr.
KatieLynn Townsend
Attorneys for The International Women's Media Foundation
CONTACT: Pearl Piatt
Director of Communications, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
for the International Women's Media Foundation
+1-323-547-5129
ppiatt@gibsondunn.com
Source: International Women's Media Foundation; Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
CONTACT: Pearl Piatt, Director of Communications of Gibson, Dunn &
Crutcher LLP, +1-323-547-5129, or ppiatt@gibsondunn.com, for International
Women's Media Foundation
Web Site: http://www.gibsondunn.com/
NOTE TO EDITORS: About Theodore J. Boutrous Jr. Theodore J. Boutrous, Jr., a partner in the Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. offices of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, is Co-Chair of the firm's Appellate and Constitutional Law Group and its Media and Entertainment Group and Vice-Chair of the Crisis Management Group. Mr. Boutrous represents media organizations, reporters, and others in a wide array of First Amendment, access, subpoena, defamation, freedom of information, prior restraint, newsgathering and copyright matters. See below for a representative list of media cases he has handled. As both a crisis management strategist and a seasoned appellate and media lawyer, Mr. Boutrous has wide-ranging experience handling high-profile litigation, media relations and media legal issues. He routinely advises clients in planning how to respond, and in responding, to crises and other especially significant legal problems that attract the media spotlight and provides strategic counseling to address legal, legislative, regulatory and public relations aspects of such matters. About Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is a leading international law firm. Consistently ranking among the world's top law firms in industry surveys and major publications, Gibson Dunn is distinctively positioned in today's global marketplace with more than 1,000 lawyers and 15 offices, including Los Angeles, New York, Washington, D.C., London, Paris, Munich, Brussels, Dubai, Singapore, Orange County, San Francisco, Palo Alto, Century City, Dallas and Denver. For more information, please visit www.gibsondunn.com.
Freedom: Roxana Saberi will be released from jail
10 May 2009 13:00 Africa/Lagos
An Open Letter From the International Women's Media Foundation
WASHINGTON, May 10 /PRNewswire/ --
OPEN LETTER TO:
H. E. Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Head of the Judiciary
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Re: Roxana Saberi
Your Excellency Ayatollah Shahroudi:
We write on behalf of the International Women's Media Foundation ("IWMF"). IWMF is deeply troubled by the arrest, trial, and conviction of journalist Roxana Saberi. We believe her continued imprisonment violates the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, as we understand it, and also violates universal notions of free speech, free press, and due process. We write to urge you to intervene on her behalf and respectfully request that you provide a copy of our letter to the honorable judges reviewing her conviction.
IWMF has a strong interest in seeing justice done in Ms. Saberi's case. IWMF is a global network dedicated to strengthening the role of women in the news media worldwide as a means to further freedom of the press. For almost two decades, IWMF has been committed to supporting and honoring women journalists around the globe in their efforts to freely gather and report the news.
Ms. Saberi, a citizen of both the United States and Iran, was arrested in Tehran in January of this year, and detained, according to your nation's Foreign Ministry, for reporting without proper government-issued press credentials. Following a one-day trial held last month behind closed doors, Ms. Saberi was convicted of espionage. She was sentenced to eight years in prison, and is currently being held in Evin Prison in Tehran where she awaits a ruling on her appeal.
At the time of her arrest, Ms. Saberi was working as a freelance reporter for a number of international news organizations, including the United States' National Public Radio and the United Kingdom's British Broadcasting Corporation, and was writing a book on Iran's culture, art, and politics. These activities represent a fundamental exercise of the rights to free speech and a free press that are hallmarks of a strong government, and vital to the health and prosperity of all nations. They warrant protection, not punishment.
Journalists like Ms. Saberi, who gather news and information from within Iran in order to disseminate it freely around the globe, provide an invaluable service to your nation's people, as well as to the rest of the world. By facilitating the free exchange of ideas and information across borders, their work fosters understanding and tolerance among diverse people, and encourages peace among nations. But to serve these important purposes journalists must be free to ask questions, and to gather information. To the extent that a journalist who is simply investigating a story may be deemed a "spy" engaged in "espionage," it would subject reporters to criminal punishment merely for gathering information and reporting the news. This would be contrary to the most basic understanding of a free press.
We read Chapter 3 of your Constitution, entitled "The Rights of the People," and Chapter XI, entitled "The Judiciary," to include numerous provisions meant to guarantee the right to a fair trial that is open to the public, especially in cases involving political and press offenses. See, e.g., Article 20 [Equality Before The Law]; Article 22 [Human Dignity and Rights]; Article 24 [Freedom of the Press]; Article 165 [Public Trials]; Article 166 [Reasoned Verdicts]; Article 167 [Rule of Law for the Judiciary]; Article 168 [Political and Press Offenses]. But fairness cannot be achieved by secret, one-sided determination of crucial facts that could lead to the imprisonment of an individual. Moreover, a public trial guards against a miscarriage of justice and gives the public confidence that standards of fairness are being observed, that established procedures are being followed, and that deviations from those procedures will become known and thus can be effectively challenged. The fair trial guarantee requires reversal of Ms. Saberi's conviction, which came after a one-day trial held in secrecy.
Ms. Saberi's conviction also should be set aside because the rights to free speech and a free press are human rights that belong to all the world's citizens and are widely recognized in governing documents by many nations. For example, we understand Article 24 of the Iranian Constitution to mean that "publications and the press have freedom of expression except when it is detrimental to the fundamental principles of Islam or the rights of the public." Similarly, Article 35 of the Constitution of the People's Republic of China provides that citizens of that nation "enjoy freedom of speech, of the press, of assembly, of association, of procession and demonstration." Section 39 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provides that "every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference." The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution provides that "Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press. . . ." And Article 19 of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaims: "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers."
As a founding member of the United Nations, Iran has the ability and responsibility to honor the essential human right to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through the media that is recognized by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and to likewise construe Article 24 of its own Constitution to ensure that journalists are allowed to practice their profession freely, without government interference, intimidation or punishment.
We very much appreciate that you, as the head of your nation's judicial system, have pledged that Ms. Saberi's conviction will be "considered at the appeals stage in a careful, quick and fair way," stating that "fair examination of the case, especially at the appeal stage, is the defendant's right." Each day that Ms. Saberi remains in prison is a grave injustice that injures not only Ms. Saberi, but the people of Iran, and indeed the people of all nations. As Sa'adi, the great thirteenth-century Persian poet, wrote: "All human beings are limbs of each other, having been created of one essence. When time afflicts a limb with pain the other limbs cannot at rest remain."
The world's nations will find no rest until all journalists are permitted to freely gather and report the news anywhere in the world, without fear of retribution or criminal prosecution. Accordingly, we respectfully request that you and your judicial system enforce the Iranian Constitution and international norms of due process and free speech and free press, reverse the conviction of Ms. Saberi, and release her.
Respectfully submitted,
Theodore J. Boutrous Jr.
KatieLynn Townsend
Attorneys for The International Women's Media Foundation
CONTACT: Pearl Piatt
Director of Communications, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
for the International Women's Media Foundation
+1-323-547-5129
ppiatt@gibsondunn.com
Source: International Women's Media Foundation; Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
CONTACT: Pearl Piatt, Director of Communications of Gibson, Dunn &
Crutcher LLP, +1-323-547-5129, or ppiatt@gibsondunn.com, for International
Women's Media Foundation
Web Site: http://www.gibsondunn.com/
NOTE TO EDITORS: About Theodore J. Boutrous Jr. Theodore J. Boutrous, Jr., a partner in the Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. offices of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, is Co-Chair of the firm's Appellate and Constitutional Law Group and its Media and Entertainment Group and Vice-Chair of the Crisis Management Group. Mr. Boutrous represents media organizations, reporters, and others in a wide array of First Amendment, access, subpoena, defamation, freedom of information, prior restraint, newsgathering and copyright matters. See below for a representative list of media cases he has handled. As both a crisis management strategist and a seasoned appellate and media lawyer, Mr. Boutrous has wide-ranging experience handling high-profile litigation, media relations and media legal issues. He routinely advises clients in planning how to respond, and in responding, to crises and other especially significant legal problems that attract the media spotlight and provides strategic counseling to address legal, legislative, regulatory and public relations aspects of such matters. About Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is a leading international law firm. Consistently ranking among the world's top law firms in industry surveys and major publications, Gibson Dunn is distinctively positioned in today's global marketplace with more than 1,000 lawyers and 15 offices, including Los Angeles, New York, Washington, D.C., London, Paris, Munich, Brussels, Dubai, Singapore, Orange County, San Francisco, Palo Alto, Century City, Dallas and Denver. For more information, please visit www.gibsondunn.com.
American Times Online for Sale
About American Times Online
American Times Online keeps the record of the regular reports on the current affairs, news and politics in America and relating to America. ...
http://www.americantimesonline.com/
It is a multimedia news and information blog with 24/7 news videos and podcasts and job listings.
It is best viewed on broadband.
It is highly ranked on Google.
American Times Online will be sold to the highest bidder and bids start from $28, 000.
Send your offers to The Publisher by e-mail.
Telephone: 234
Date: Thursday, 07 May, 2009 (3 days ago)
Location: Eti-Osa, Lagos State, Nigeria.
From: Nairalist
American Times Online keeps the record of the regular reports on the current affairs, news and politics in America and relating to America. ...
http://www.americantimesonline.com/
It is a multimedia news and information blog with 24/7 news videos and podcasts and job listings.
It is best viewed on broadband.
It is highly ranked on Google.
American Times Online will be sold to the highest bidder and bids start from $28, 000.
Send your offers to The Publisher by e-mail.
Telephone: 234
Date: Thursday, 07 May, 2009 (3 days ago)
Location: Eti-Osa, Lagos State, Nigeria.
From: Nairalist
Friday, May 8, 2009
The Nigerian Ebay is Here
Naija Listing is dedicated to helping Nigerian businesses (SMEs) gain an effective website presence and helping them market their products and services.
~ Tony Daley
Naija Listing is a more niche commercial site than Nairalist of Seun Osewa whose own is the Nigerian answer to Craiglist. There is one major thing that Naija Listing has and this is the regular updates on Tenders from the Federal Government of Nigeria. If you want a government contract, Naija Listing has the information from the tenders board.
~ Tony Daley
The Nigerian Ebay is Here
It was drizzling this Thursday afternoon when I met with Tony Daley the young Nigerian social entrepreneur and web designer who is the creator and owner of
Naija Listing like the American Internet company is an online auction and shopping website where people and companies can buy and sell, search and post jobs in the various segments of listings. There is a long list for the personal and commercial benefit of everyone and every company. Naija Listing is an online business directory, an online shopping mall and with a shoppers guide, a jobs bank, and so much more.
Naija Listing is a more niche commercial site than Nairalist of Seun Osewa whose own is the Nigerian answer to Craiglist. There is one major thing that Naija Listing has and this is the regular updates on Tenders from the Federal Government of Nigeria. If you want a government contract, Naija Listing has the information from the tenders board.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Rotary Foundation Honours Usha Mittal for US$1 Million Contribution to Polio Eradication Efforts
6 May 2009 09:00 Africa/Lagos
Rotary Foundation Honours Usha Mittal for US$1 Million Contribution to Polio Eradication Efforts
LONDON, May 6/PRNewswire/ -- The Rotary Foundation will honour Mrs. Usha Mittal for her recent US$1 million contribution to Rotary's effort to end polio worldwide. In a reception at London's House of Lords, Rotary Foundation Chairman Jonathan B. Majiyagbe will recognize Mrs. Mittal as a significant major donor to the Foundation, inducting her into the Arch C. Klumph Society.
Usha Mittal, wife of Lakshmi Mittal, a prominent businessman who leads ArcelorMittal, the world's largest steelmaker, made a US$1 million contribution to The Rotary Foundation in support of Rotary's current effort to raise US$200 million for polio eradication. The organization's End Polio Now campaign is raising the funds in response to a US$355 million challenge grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The resulting $555 million will fund polio eradication activities in developing countries where the crippling disease still infects children, including India, the Mittals' home country. Since 1985, Rotary has contributed more than $800 million in support of polio eradication. In addition, individual Rotary members have contributed countless volunteer hours to help vaccinate more than two billion children, preventing five million cases of paralysis and 250,000 pediatric deaths.
"Polio is a devastating disease which still continues to cripple children in some vast populated areas of the world namely India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria, the four remaining countries where the virus is still endemic", says Mrs. Mittal. "It is a disease for which there is no cure, yet a child can be protected for life with oral vaccine drops and/or a simple IPV vaccine. I hope that my contribution to the Rotary Foundation will help their tremendous challenge to end polio worldwide and that one day we will be able to live in a world where lives are no longer ruined by this terrible disease".
"I am privileged to be able to recognize Mrs. Mittal for her outstanding contribution to global polio eradication," says Jonathan Majiyagbe, chair of The Rotary Foundation. "Through her dedication, we are one step closer to a polio-free world."
Also attending the London reception is Rajashree Birla, another major supporter of Rotary's polio eradication efforts. In May 2008, Birla arranged a meeting with Usha Mittal to discuss polio eradication. Usha Mittal responded with a $1 million contribution to the challenge. These gifts from Mrs. Birla and Mrs. Mittal reflect the strong support the polio eradication initiative has received over the years from Indian Rotary clubs, the Indian government, the Indian public in general, and private citizens.
A highly infectious disease that can cause paralysis and sometimes death, polio still strikes children in parts of Africa and South Asia. As there is no cure, the best protection is prevention. For as little as 60 cents worth of vaccine, a child can be protected against this crippling disease for life.
To date, the number of polio cases has been reduced from 350,000 children annually in the mid-1980s to less than 2,000 reported cases all last year.
Rotary made polio eradication its top philanthropic goal in 1985. Rotary is the lead private sector contributor and volunteer arm of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative -- a public/private partnership spearheaded by World Health Organization (WHO), Rotary International, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and UNICEF.
To date, more than two billion children have been immunized against the paralyzing and sometimes deadly poliovirus. Tremendous progress has been made in the last two decades, as polio cases have declined by 99 percent. Yet, challenges remain in the four polio-endemic countries: India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria.
Rotary International is one of the world's largest and most effective volunteer service organizations with 1.2 million members in more than 200 countries and geographical areas.
Media Contact:
Judith Diment
+44-(0)7860-162313
judith@thediments.co.uk
or
+1-847-866-3054
e-mail: petina.dixon@rotary.org
http://www.rotary.org
Source: Rotary International
Media Contact: Judith Diment, +44-(0)7860-162313 / +44-(0)1628 672965, judith@thediments.co.uk or +1-847-866-3054, e-mail: petina.dixon@rotary.org, http://www.rotary.org
Rotary Foundation Honours Usha Mittal for US$1 Million Contribution to Polio Eradication Efforts
LONDON, May 6/PRNewswire/ -- The Rotary Foundation will honour Mrs. Usha Mittal for her recent US$1 million contribution to Rotary's effort to end polio worldwide. In a reception at London's House of Lords, Rotary Foundation Chairman Jonathan B. Majiyagbe will recognize Mrs. Mittal as a significant major donor to the Foundation, inducting her into the Arch C. Klumph Society.
Usha Mittal, wife of Lakshmi Mittal, a prominent businessman who leads ArcelorMittal, the world's largest steelmaker, made a US$1 million contribution to The Rotary Foundation in support of Rotary's current effort to raise US$200 million for polio eradication. The organization's End Polio Now campaign is raising the funds in response to a US$355 million challenge grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The resulting $555 million will fund polio eradication activities in developing countries where the crippling disease still infects children, including India, the Mittals' home country. Since 1985, Rotary has contributed more than $800 million in support of polio eradication. In addition, individual Rotary members have contributed countless volunteer hours to help vaccinate more than two billion children, preventing five million cases of paralysis and 250,000 pediatric deaths.
"Polio is a devastating disease which still continues to cripple children in some vast populated areas of the world namely India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria, the four remaining countries where the virus is still endemic", says Mrs. Mittal. "It is a disease for which there is no cure, yet a child can be protected for life with oral vaccine drops and/or a simple IPV vaccine. I hope that my contribution to the Rotary Foundation will help their tremendous challenge to end polio worldwide and that one day we will be able to live in a world where lives are no longer ruined by this terrible disease".
"I am privileged to be able to recognize Mrs. Mittal for her outstanding contribution to global polio eradication," says Jonathan Majiyagbe, chair of The Rotary Foundation. "Through her dedication, we are one step closer to a polio-free world."
Also attending the London reception is Rajashree Birla, another major supporter of Rotary's polio eradication efforts. In May 2008, Birla arranged a meeting with Usha Mittal to discuss polio eradication. Usha Mittal responded with a $1 million contribution to the challenge. These gifts from Mrs. Birla and Mrs. Mittal reflect the strong support the polio eradication initiative has received over the years from Indian Rotary clubs, the Indian government, the Indian public in general, and private citizens.
A highly infectious disease that can cause paralysis and sometimes death, polio still strikes children in parts of Africa and South Asia. As there is no cure, the best protection is prevention. For as little as 60 cents worth of vaccine, a child can be protected against this crippling disease for life.
To date, the number of polio cases has been reduced from 350,000 children annually in the mid-1980s to less than 2,000 reported cases all last year.
Rotary made polio eradication its top philanthropic goal in 1985. Rotary is the lead private sector contributor and volunteer arm of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative -- a public/private partnership spearheaded by World Health Organization (WHO), Rotary International, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and UNICEF.
To date, more than two billion children have been immunized against the paralyzing and sometimes deadly poliovirus. Tremendous progress has been made in the last two decades, as polio cases have declined by 99 percent. Yet, challenges remain in the four polio-endemic countries: India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria.
Rotary International is one of the world's largest and most effective volunteer service organizations with 1.2 million members in more than 200 countries and geographical areas.
Media Contact:
Judith Diment
+44-(0)7860-162313
judith@thediments.co.uk
or
+1-847-866-3054
e-mail: petina.dixon@rotary.org
http://www.rotary.org
Source: Rotary International
Media Contact: Judith Diment, +44-(0)7860-162313 / +44-(0)1628 672965, judith@thediments.co.uk or +1-847-866-3054, e-mail: petina.dixon@rotary.org, http://www.rotary.org
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Which is Worse, Swine Flu or Corruption Flu?
Which is worse, Swine Flu or Corruption Flu?
The Swine Flu Outbreak is making headlines all over the world.
We thank God that we do not have an epidemic of Swine Flu in Nigeria, but even heaven knows we have an epidemic of Corruption Flu and this is worse than the Swine Flu, because it is more contagious and dangerous. In fact, Corruption Flu has infected millions of people in Nigeria.
Corruption Flu spreads in mysterious ways, because even the most innocent people have found themselves infected without knowing it.
The cure for Corruption Flu?
Please, look at yourself in the mirror and ask your conscience.
Nigeria's Chemicals Sector to Benefit from Diversification Away from Oil, Says Frost & Sullivan
5 May 2009 09:00 Africa/Lagos
Nigeria's Chemicals Sector to Benefit from Diversification Away from Oil, Says Frost & Sullivan
CAPE TOWN, South Africa, May 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Overall, the global economic downturn has affected sub-Saharan countries less severely than the rest of the world. Despite a slowing in growth in the short term, economies such as Nigeria are expected to show resilience.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081117/FSLOGO)
Boosted by this relative stability, demand for chemicals across most sectors of the market in Nigeria will increase over the next five years. Furthermore, the non-oil sector will increase its share of the total chemicals market.
"The government drive to diversify the economy from oil has led to the implementation of a number of policies to support the non-oil sector," says Frost & Sullivan (http://www.chemicals.frost.com/) chemicals analyst Kholofelo Maele. "Import tariffs for products, including selected fully manufactured food and beverages as well as pharmaceutical and consumer goods, have resulted in increased local manufacture of these products."
This increase in manufacturing activity has had a knock-on effect of increasing demand for specialty chemicals. In addition, plans for complete deregulation of the refined oil products market may lead to increased private investment in this space and decrease the country's current need to import these products.
Despite the positive outlook for this market, a number of key challenges still plague the chemicals industry. These include the country's poor electricity infrastructure and the high operating costs encountered by local manufacturers.
"The existing power infrastructure in Nigeria provides limited and inconsistent coverage," notes Maele. "The government has however allocated US$5 billion towards power projects and also recently announced a shortlist of companies to invest in the gas sector. It has been reported that Dubai Natural Resources World has entered into a preliminary agreement with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation to invest in oil and gas drilling projects and build 1,000 megawatts of gas-fired power generation."
Power infrastructure projects should have a strong impact on the chemicals sector, as they will increase demand for specialty chemicals in the short term. In the medium to long term, increased power capacity in Nigeria will lead to increased efficiencies in the manufacturing sector.
"High operating costs as well as a lack of access to raw materials further restrain the development of manufacturing for a wider range of specialty chemicals," Maele adds. "However, manufacturers do have some respite, as the government's local content policy aids in shielding them from competition for their products from imports."
If you are interested in more information on Frost & Sullivan's analysis of the Nigerian chemicals industry, then send an e-mail to Patrick Cairns, Corporate Communications, at patrick.cairns@frost.com, with your full name, company name, title, telephone number, company e-mail address, company website and country.
Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, enables clients to accelerate growth and achieve best in class positions in growth, innovation and leadership. The company's Growth Partnership Service provides the CEO and the CEO's Growth Team with disciplined research and best practice models to drive the generation, evaluation and implementation of powerful growth strategies. Frost & Sullivan leverages over 45 years of experience in partnering with Global 1000 companies, emerging businesses and the investment community from 31 offices on six continents. To join our Growth Partnership, please visit http://www.frost.com/.
Contact:
Patrick Cairns
Corporate Communications - Africa
P: +27 18 468 2315
E: patrick.cairns@frost.com
http://www.frost.com/
Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081117/FSLOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Frost & Sullivan
CONTACT: Patrick Cairns, Corporate Communications - Africa, Frost &
Sullivan, +27 18 468 2315, patrick.cairns@frost.com
Web Site: http://www.frost.com/
Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time
Nigeria's Chemicals Sector to Benefit from Diversification Away from Oil, Says Frost & Sullivan
CAPE TOWN, South Africa, May 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Overall, the global economic downturn has affected sub-Saharan countries less severely than the rest of the world. Despite a slowing in growth in the short term, economies such as Nigeria are expected to show resilience.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081117/FSLOGO)
Boosted by this relative stability, demand for chemicals across most sectors of the market in Nigeria will increase over the next five years. Furthermore, the non-oil sector will increase its share of the total chemicals market.
"The government drive to diversify the economy from oil has led to the implementation of a number of policies to support the non-oil sector," says Frost & Sullivan (http://www.chemicals.frost.com/) chemicals analyst Kholofelo Maele. "Import tariffs for products, including selected fully manufactured food and beverages as well as pharmaceutical and consumer goods, have resulted in increased local manufacture of these products."
This increase in manufacturing activity has had a knock-on effect of increasing demand for specialty chemicals. In addition, plans for complete deregulation of the refined oil products market may lead to increased private investment in this space and decrease the country's current need to import these products.
Despite the positive outlook for this market, a number of key challenges still plague the chemicals industry. These include the country's poor electricity infrastructure and the high operating costs encountered by local manufacturers.
"The existing power infrastructure in Nigeria provides limited and inconsistent coverage," notes Maele. "The government has however allocated US$5 billion towards power projects and also recently announced a shortlist of companies to invest in the gas sector. It has been reported that Dubai Natural Resources World has entered into a preliminary agreement with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation to invest in oil and gas drilling projects and build 1,000 megawatts of gas-fired power generation."
Power infrastructure projects should have a strong impact on the chemicals sector, as they will increase demand for specialty chemicals in the short term. In the medium to long term, increased power capacity in Nigeria will lead to increased efficiencies in the manufacturing sector.
"High operating costs as well as a lack of access to raw materials further restrain the development of manufacturing for a wider range of specialty chemicals," Maele adds. "However, manufacturers do have some respite, as the government's local content policy aids in shielding them from competition for their products from imports."
If you are interested in more information on Frost & Sullivan's analysis of the Nigerian chemicals industry, then send an e-mail to Patrick Cairns, Corporate Communications, at patrick.cairns@frost.com, with your full name, company name, title, telephone number, company e-mail address, company website and country.
Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, enables clients to accelerate growth and achieve best in class positions in growth, innovation and leadership. The company's Growth Partnership Service provides the CEO and the CEO's Growth Team with disciplined research and best practice models to drive the generation, evaluation and implementation of powerful growth strategies. Frost & Sullivan leverages over 45 years of experience in partnering with Global 1000 companies, emerging businesses and the investment community from 31 offices on six continents. To join our Growth Partnership, please visit http://www.frost.com/.
Contact:
Patrick Cairns
Corporate Communications - Africa
P: +27 18 468 2315
E: patrick.cairns@frost.com
http://www.frost.com/
Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081117/FSLOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Frost & Sullivan
CONTACT: Patrick Cairns, Corporate Communications - Africa, Frost &
Sullivan, +27 18 468 2315, patrick.cairns@frost.com
Web Site: http://www.frost.com/
Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time
Re-Branding Nigeria: Governor Babatunde Fashola's Style
What have you done lately to assist Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) of Lagos State in his laudable projects of both social and economic reformation of Lagos, the most populous state in West Africa?
~ Hope Obioma Opara, the Publisher of Supple Magazine in Nigeria
This is a question for everyone in Lagos state and indeed what Babatude Fashola is doing is the best practical example of how best to re-brand Nigeria.
Leadership is best by example and the method of the commendable governor of Lagos state is worthy of emulation as he is using good administration to combat corruption.
He is already changing the old dirty and filthy image of Lagos by making repairs of the damaged roads, improving the health care service, educational system and civil service. Babatunde Fashola has achieved in only two years what the former governor Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu could not achieve in eight years.
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