35 Percent of Shoppers Make Purchases on Their Mobile Devices

DENVER, Oct. 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- An ongoing shopper behavior study conducted by The Integer Group^® and M/A/R/C Research shows that in just 2 years, shoppers using mobile devices to make purchases has increased by 10 percent (from 25 percent in 2012). Increased mobile purchasing by Hispanics (+11 percent YOY), Asian-Americans (+10 percent YOY), and the 15–34 and 35–49 age brackets (+10 percent and +12 percent YOY, respectively) were largely responsible for this increase.
"Shoppers of all ages and demographics are using their mobile phones in stores and to make purchases. Marketers should consider not whether their target uses mobile, but how their target uses mobile," said Craig Elston, SVP of Insight & Strategy at The Integer Group.

In addition to becoming more prevalent as a purchase channel, the use of mobile is expediting the shopping process. The study shows 15 percent of shoppers said that typically only a "couple of minutes" passed between discovering a product (on their mobile device) and purchase. Males were more likely than females (17 percent and 13 percent, respectively) to make these quick-turn purchases, and mobile-savvy Hispanics reported the shortest time mobile shopping (47 percent of purchases were made within a few hours of product discovery).

This acceleration of purchase is indicative of what shoppers look for when using their mobile devices in store or for purchase: information and convenience. In-store shoppers use their mobile devices to compare prices (39 percent) and look up product reviews (25 percent). This mirrors their priorities for shopping on their smartphones: spending as little as possible (55 percent) and finding the best-quality items (49 percent).
Additional findings from the Digital/Mobile issue of The Checkout include:

• 60 percent of shoppers have never purchased baby products online and say they never will.
• 47 percent of shoppers have never purchased food or beverage products online.
• Fewer than one in 10 shoppers will download a retailer's app.
• Despite the fact that 34 percent of shoppers make a list on their mobile phones prior to shopping, only 8 percent of shoppers do so using a retailer's list-making tool.

For more information on digital and mobile shopping behaviors, download the full study.
 
About The Integer Group The Integer Group (www.integer.com) is one of the world's largest promotional, retail, and shopper marketing agencies, and a key member of Omnicom Group Inc. Integer lives at the Intersection of Branding and Selling^® and creates strategic marketing solutions for clients in categories that include retail, beverage, packaged goods, telecommunications, home and shelter, automotive aftermarket, and power sports. Integer has more than 1,200 employees working in U.S. locations as well as international offices in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, North and South America. Join the conversation on shopping culture and brand strategy at www.shopperculture.com.

About Omnicom Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com) is a leading global marketing and corporate communications company.  Omnicom's branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, digital and interactive marketing, direct and promotional marketing, public relations, and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120209/LA50934LOGO
 
SOURCE The Integer Group
CONTACT: Jennine Friess, Director, Network Communications, E: jfriess@integer.com | P: 303.393.3079
RELATED LINKS
http://www.integer.com

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Oct 03, 2014

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  Posted at 20:00 WAT 35 Percent of Shoppers Make Purchases on Their Mobile Devices
• 
  

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• Posted at 16:30 WAT Convergent Billing Market Worth $7.88 Billion by 2019
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Global Film Industry Perpetuates Discrimination Against Women

TRENDING: Film world confirms real gender biases — Executive Director.

Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and Geena Davis, Founder & Chair of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, presenting new study on #womeninfilm. "Media can be the cure for the problem it's creating"- Geena Davis. Find out more at http://unwomen.org and follow #geenaongender on Twitter.

Global Film Industry Perpetuates Discrimination Against Women
 
The Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, UN Women and The Rockefeller Foundation present first-ever international study on gender images in global films. Study conducted by Stacy L. Smith (PhD), Marc Choueiti, & Katherine Pieper (PhD) at the Media, Diversity & Social Change Initiative at the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, University of Southern California. 


(New York, 22 September) The first-ever global study on female characters in popular films, launched today, reveals deep-seated discrimination and pervasive stereotyping of women and girls by the international film industry. The study was commissioned by the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, with support from UN Women and The Rockefeller Foundation and conducted by Stacy L. Smith (PhD) and her research team at the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California.

The investigation analyses popular films across the most profitable countries and territories internationally, including: Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Russia, South Korea, United States, United Kingdom, as well as UK-US collaborations.


While women represent half of the world’s population, less than one third of all speaking characters in film are female. Less than a quarter of the fictional on-screen workforce is comprised of women (22.5 per cent). When they are employed, females are largely absent from powerful positions. Women represent less than 15 per cent of business executives, political figures, or science, technology, engineering, and/or math (STEM) employees.


 “The fact is – women are seriously under-represented across nearly all sectors of society around the globe, not just on-screen, but for the most part we’re simply not aware of the extent. And media images exert a powerful influence in creating and perpetuating our unconscious biases,” said Geena Davis, Founder & Chair of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media.


 “However, media images can also have a very positive impact on our perceptions. In the time it takes to make a movie, we can change what the future looks like. There are woefully few women CEOs in the world, but there can be lots of them in films. How do we encourage a lot more girls to pursue science, technology and engineering careers? By casting droves of women in STEM, politics, law and other professions today in movies,” she added.

Stereotyping also stifles women in prestigious professional posts. Male characters outnumber female characters as attorneys and judges (13 to 1), professors (16 to 1), and doctors (5 to 1). In contrast, the ratios tipped in the favour of females when it came to hypersexualization. Girls and women were over twice as likely as boys and men to be shown in sexualized attire, with some nudity, or thin.


 “Females bring more to society than just their appearance,” said Stacy L. Smith, the principal investigator. “These results illuminate that globally, we have more than a film problem when it comes to valuing girls and women. We have a human problem.”

While the report shows how discriminatory attitudes that affect women and girls are reflected in film worldwide, it also points to some significant differences among countries. The frontrunners (UK, Brazil, South Korea) feature female characters in 38 – 35.9 per cent of all speaking roles on-screen. UK-US collaborations and Indian films are at the bottom of the pack, clocking in at 23.6 per cent and 24.9 per cent female respectively. Half of South Korean films featured a female lead or co-lead, as did 40 per cent of the films analysed from China, Japan and Australia.


“Twenty years ago, 189 Governments adopted the Beijing Platform for Action, the international roadmap for gender equality, which called on media to avoid stereotypical and degrading depictions of women. Two decades on, this study is a wake-up call that shows that the global film industry still has a long way to go,” said UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.


“With their powerful influence on shaping the perceptions of large audiences, the media are key players for the gender equality agenda. With influence comes responsibility. The industry cannot afford to wait another 20 years to make the right decisions,” she added.

 Across the films assessed, women comprised nearly one-in-four film-makers behind the camera (directors, writers, producers). Yet when films featured a woman director or writer, the number of female characters on-screen increased significantly. One obvious remedy to gender disparity on-screen is to hire more female film-makers. Another approach is calling on film executives to have a heightened sensitivity to gender imbalance and stereotyping on-screen.


“The evidence is even clearer now that what we see on-screen reflects the off-screen realities of women’s lives all too well,” said Sundaa Bridgett-Jones, Associate Director at The Rockefeller Foundation. “As we look to the future, The Rockefeller Foundation is committed to expanding opportunities for more broadly shared prosperity. For this to happen, we need to move beyond tired stereotypes that constrain women and men from realizing their full human potential.”


Key findings of the study include: 

• Only 30.9 per cent of all speaking characters are female. 
• A few countries are doing better than the global norm: UK (37.9 per cent), Brazil (37.1 per cent), and South Korea (35.9 percent). However, these percentages fall well below population norms of 50 per cent. Two samples fall behind: US/UK hybrid films (23.6 per cent) and Indian films (24.9 per cent) show female characters in less than one-quarter of all speaking roles. 
• Females are missing in action/adventure films. Just 23 per cent of speaking characters in this genre are female. 
• Out of a total of 1,452 film-makers with an identifiable gender, 20.5 per cent were female and 79.5 per cent were male. Females comprised 7 per cent of directors, 19.7 per cent of writers, and 22.7 per cent of producers across the sample. 
• Films with a female director or female writer attached had significantly more girls and women on-screen than did those without a female director or writer attached. 
• Sexualization is the standard for female characters globally: girls and women are twice as likely as boys and men to be shown in sexually revealing clothing, partially or fully naked, thin, and five times as likely to be referenced as attractive. Films for younger audiences are less likely to sexualize females than are those films for older audiences. 
• Teen females (13-20 years old) are just as likely as young adult females (21-39 years old) to be sexualized. 
• Female characters only comprise 22.5 per cent of the global film workforce, whereas male characters form 77.5 per cent. 
• Leadership positions pull male; only 13.9 per cent of executives and just 9.5 per cent of high-level politicians were women. 
• Across notable professions, male characters outnumbered their female counterparts as attorneys and judges (13 to 1), professors (16 to 1), medical practitioners (5 to 1), and in STEM fields (7 to 1). 

The full report is available at http://seejane.org/wp-content/uploads/full-study-gender-disparity-in-family-films-v2.pdf - See more at: http://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2014/9/geena-davis-study-press-release#sthash.lcnbXiyn.dpuf







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Africa Get Ready for THE SCOOP!

 NAIROBI, Kenya, October 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --
AFRICA24 MEDIA and its broadcast partners are proud to debut the talk show everyone is talking about: Salim Amin's THE SCOOP! The continent's most dynamic men and women join Salim every week to share their secrets of success, advice their African brothers and sisters, and something that few people know.

A Young Global Leader, one of Africa's most influential people, and son of famed journalist Mohamed Amin, Salim has spent the last two decades traveling across the continent, meeting our movers and shakers, getting to know them and their stories. Now he's going to let the rest of us in on their tales of adventure and achievement. And he will also provide us with a glimpse of their more playful sides.

Kicking off the inaugural show is Jeff Koinange, renowned international journalist, who has a past that might surprise you. From entertainment superstars like Akon and Jude Law, to entrepreneurs Sophia Bekele and Kris Senanu, business mogul Dr. Manu Chandaria and even Kenya's Chief Justice, Dr. Willy Mutunga, the best and brightest of our continent are having coffee and telling the stories to Salim. Guests from Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, Tanzania and more, make up Season One.

AFRICA24 MEDIA is the Pan African, international quality production house, telling stories of Africa's unique and special people, places and happenings. It was only a matter of time before we roped our Chairman into showing off his friends and acquaintances to further highlight where our great continent is going and who is going to lead us there.

Starting the first week of October, THE SCOOP will be seen in Africa and internationally on TV Continental, VoxAfrica and WBS Uganda, with over a dozen other broadcasters around the continent receiving the Show from our distribution partners Canal France International (CFI). This represents a potential viewership of over 150 million people, across four continents. On-line THE SCOOP will be seen on websites boasting over 15 million viewers daily, including Africaspeaksforafrica.org, Africa.com, capitalfm.co.ke and a24media.com.

Don't miss out on the fun, great insights and inside information. Join Salim Amin each and every week to meet Africa's greatest achievers, learn from their successes and incredible journeys, take home some great tips on getting ahead, and of course, find out THE SCOOP!


Contact Details
info@a24media.com
Tel: +254-737-043-811/0739-404-016
PRESS CONTACT;
NAME: Jackline Anyango
TELEPHONE: 0725060464
EMAIL: info@a24media.com

SOURCE AFRICA24 MEDIA


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Africa's Achievements, Challenges in Peace, Development Focus of UN

Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson addresses the High-Level briefing by African Regional Economic Communities to Member States of the United Nations. UN Photo/Cia Pak.

NEW YORK, 1 October 2014 / PRN Africa / -- While there has been great social and economic progress across Africa, its economies have not kept pace with legitimate demands, including providing jobs to young people, said United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson at a high-level meeting of regional partners held today at Headquarters.

“Unemployment is not just an economic challenge. It is also a social, psychological and political one,” said Mr. Eliasson at the briefing by African Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to Member States and the UN system.

Food gardens promote inclusion, teach sustainability, and offer a space where the youth can meet, learn, share and build social capital. Photo: FAO/Olivier Asselin.

The event, on The Role of Africa's RECs in Consolidating Peace, Security, Governance and Development in the Context of Agenda 2063, was co-organized by the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, Permanent Observer Mission of the African Union to the UN, and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Regional Bureau for Africa.

According to a press statement, the discussions focused on development and the long-term future of the continent in the light of African Union's visionary Continental Agenda 2063.
Delivering remarks this morning, Mr. Eliasson said that the Agenda 2063 plan will need to be forged around stronger regional integration, which requires increased competitiveness in African economies. The process should also be underpinned by major investments in human development, science, technology and infrastructure.

He pointed out that trade among African countries remains limited, mainly because they do not have adequate railways, roads and other infrastructure. Many African economies also lack sufficient economic diversification, productivity and well-functioning institutions.

Some African countries have experienced impressive growth thanks to the leadership of African Governments, the African Union, the RECs and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).
But while more African children go to school than ever before and there have been great advancements in women's empowerment and gender equality, Africa is off track to meeting many of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The humanitarian and security situations throughout the continent are particularly concerning, especially in Mali, South Sudan, Central African Republic (CAR), Northern Nigeria and Somalia. The political situation in Libya is growing more dangerous. Meanwhile, Lesotho is facing a risky political stalemate.

Mr. Eliasson commended the role of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) in mediating the ongoing crisis in CAR.

Meanwhile, the Ebola virus is presenting new and very serious challenges in West Africa, Mr. Eliasson said, mentioning the efforts of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union to quickly mobilize resources and awareness.
“The United Nations has mobilized to a degree rarely seen,” said Mr. Eliasson adding that the newly UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) are working hard to stop the outbreak and treat the infected.

Also delivering remarks today, Under-Secretary General and UN Special Adviser on Africa, Maged Abdelaziz, said these annual meetings contribute to filling the gap and raise global awareness on the work of the RECs.

“Agenda 2063 embodies a renewed commitment by Africa's political leadership to achieving the pan-African vision of an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena.”

According to the press release, efforts to finalize the development of Agenda 2063 are still ongoing. However, it is currently envisaged that Agenda 2063 and its first 10-year plan will be adopted at the next Summit of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union in January 2015.

SOURCE UN News Centre

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Nigeria Among Top 10 Smartphone and Tech Devices Markets for Growth in 2015 in the World

 
Nigeria Among Top 10 Smartphone and Tech Devices Markets for Growth in 2015 in the World

  Apple Iphone 6 4.7 Inch 16GB Unlocked (T-Mobile) Silver

Tech Devices in 2015: Emerging Markets Dominate Growth, Increasing by $10b

NUREMBERG, Germany, September 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --
Global market research agency, GfK, has released part of its 2015 forecasts for sales of technology devices, showing that the stable global forecast hides multi-billion dollar changes at country level.

GfK's technology device forecasts cover 70 different digital device types globally and indicate that the overall market in 2015 will remain at one trillion USD, just as it has been since 2011. However, the 10 largest growth markets will increase by over $10b alone and be dominated by emerging markets. India provides by far the greatest opportunity, primarily driven by sales of smartphones, where both volume and pricing will contribute to an overall technology device growth of nearly five billion US dollars in 2015.

10 largest tech device growth markets in 2015 (GfK forecast figures)
                2014 (USD $b) 2015 (USD $b) Percentage YOY        Growth(USD $b)
    India        30.0          34.8           16%                   4.8
    China       199.0         200.8            1%                   1.8
    Nigeria       5.1           5.7           13%                   0.7
    Pakistan      4.2           4.8           15%                   0.6
    Vietnam       5.5           6.1           11%                   0.6
    Bangladesh    3.3           3.8           13%                   0.4
    Brazil       39.0          39.3            1%                   0.4
    Egypt         4.6           5.0            8%                   0.3
    Indonesia    12.4          12.7            3%                   0.3
    Philippines   3.8           4.1            6%                   0.2
    TOTAL       306.9         317.1            3%                  10.1

 

Samsung Galaxy S DUOS S7562 Unlocked GSM Phone with Dual SIM, Android 4.0 OS, 4" Touchscreen, 5MP Camera + Seconday VGA Camera, Video, GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Stereo FM Radio, MP3/MP4 Player and microSD Slot - White

Feature phone markets
As expected, the global feature phone market continues to decline rapidly, with GfK's forecasts showing sales by volume dropping 20 percent and sales by value dropping 30 percent. However, feature phone vendors in emerging APAC countries and the Middle East & Africa can be slightly happier, with forecasted markets size of 5.1 billion USD and 4.3 billion USD respectively.

Kevin Walsh, Forecasting Director at GfK, comments, "The size of the feature phone market in emerging APAC countries, the middle east and Africa also provides opportunities for the low end smartphone makers, as we are seeing clear evidence of consumers willing to accept a price jump, when they upgrade from a feature phone to their first smart phone."

Smartphone markets
GfK's forecasts show that, worldwide, the smartphone continues to grow strongly, in terms of volume of sales, increasing by 18% for 2015. But there is significant shift in which countries will see those growth opportunities, with the emerging markets dominating.

Walsh explains, "Our forecasts show seven new entries in the top 10 smartphone markets for 2015, in terms of growth by value - and these are all emerging markets, which have overtaken developed markets where smartphone saturation is nearing completion."

 Top 10 smartphone markets for growth by value, 2015 compared with 2014(GfK
    forecast)
             Ranking                      2014                       2015
                1                        China                      India
                2                    United States                  China
                3                        Japan                    Indonesia
                4                        Brazil                  South Africa
                5                    United Kingdom                 Brazil
                6                       Germany                    Pakistan
                7                        India                     Nigeria
                8                     South Korea                   Egypt
                9                        Russia                    Vietnam
                10                       Italy                    Bangladesh

These are just a small part of the forecast data provided by GfK Target Setter 2015, which is available for purchase now. For more details, please contact Kevin Walsh, Forecasting Director at GfK, on tel: +44-20-7890-9380 or email: Kevin.Walsh@gfk.com

About GfK Target Setter
GfK Target Setter is available as a one-off purchase and includes 2015 sales forecasts for all the major technology product categories (audio products and multimedia, headsets, mobile handsets, PCs, tablets, netbooks, cameras, camcorders, printing, TVs, video products). It presents GfK's forecasts for what units will sell in what numbers, at what price, by region.  It also allows clients to drill down to country forecasts by month and to see the sales impact of setting regional market share targets.
For more information, please visit http://www.gfk.com or follow GfK on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GfK_en

CONTACT:
Kevin Walsh
Forecasting Director, GfK
+44-20-7890-9380
Kevin.Walsh@gfk.com
SOURCE GfK








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African-Born Population in U.S. Roughly Doubled Every Decade Since 1970

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The foreign-born population from Africa has grown rapidly in the United States during the last 40 years, increasing from about 80,000 in 1970 to about 1.6 million in the period from 2008 to 2012, according to a U.S. Census Bureau brief released today. The population has roughly doubled each decade since 1970, with the largest increase happening from 2000 to 2008-2012.

The Foreign-Born Population from Africa: 2008-2012, a brief based on American Community Survey statistics, shows that the African foreign-born population accounts for 4 percent of the total U.S. foreign-born population. No African country makes up the majority of these immigrants, but four countries — Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt and Ghana — make up 41 percent of the African-born total.

"The brief — the Census Bureau's first focusing on the African foreign-born population — highlights the size, growth, geographic distribution and educational attainment of this group," said Christine Gambino of the Census Bureau's Foreign-Born Population Branch, who is one of the brief's authors. "We have found that the African-born population tends to be more educated and accounts for a relatively large proportion of the foreign-born population in some nontraditional immigrant gateway states such as Minnesota and the Dakotas."

The foreign-born population from Africa had a higher level of educational attainment than the overall foreign-born population: 41 percent of African-born had a bachelor's degree or higher compared with 28 percent overall. Within the foreign-born population from Africa, educational attainment varied by place of birth. For example, 40 percent of the Somali-born population had less than a high school education, while 64 percent of Egyptian-born individuals had a bachelor's degree or higher.

This brief is one of several focusing on the foreign-born population from world regions of birth. Previous reports include "The Foreign Born from Asia: 2011" and "The Foreign Born from Latin America and the Caribbean: 2010." In addition, supplemental tables are now available for the African-born population by metropolitan statistical area. Below are highlights of the geographic distribution of the African-born population from the brief:

Geographic Distribution

• The four states with African-born populations over 100,000 were New York (164,000), California (155,000), Texas (134,000) and Maryland (120,000). 
• Of the 10 states with the largest African-born populations, Minnesota (19 percent), Maryland (15 percent), Virginia (9 percent), Georgia (8 percent) and Massachusetts (8 percent) had percentages of African-born in their foreign-born populations that were at least twice the national percentage of 4 percent.
• Metropolitan areas with the largest African-born populations were New York (212,000), Washington (161,000), Atlanta (68,000), Los Angeles (68,000), Minneapolis-St. Paul (64,000), Dallas-Fort Worth (61,000) and Boston (60,000).
• Among the 10 metro areas with the largest African-born populations, Nigerians were the most populous group and constituted a high proportion (20 percent or more) of the African-born in the Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston metros.  Similarly, Ethiopians were a high proportion and the largest group in the Washington D.C. metro, Cabo Verdeans in Boston, Somalis in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Egyptians in Los Angeles and Liberians in Philadelphia.

About the American Community SurveyThe information in this release comes from data collected from the American Community Survey from 2008 to 2012. The questions asked include:

• Where was this person born?
• Is this person a citizen of the United States?
• When did this person come to live in the United States?

Organizations use this information to develop programs for refugees, immigrants and other foreign-born individuals. Federal and state agencies require these statistics to support enforcement of nondiscrimination policies and to allocate funds for school districts based on limited English proficiency, immigrant, low income and minority student populations.

Ever since Thomas Jefferson directed the first census in 1790, the census has collected detailed characteristics about our nation's people. Questions about jobs and the economy were added 20 years later under James Madison, who said such information would allow Congress to "adapt the public measures to the particular circumstances of the community," and over the decades allow America "an opportunity of marking the progress of the society."

Note: Statistics from sample surveys are subject to sampling and nonsampling error. All comparisons made in this report have been tested and found to be statistically significant at the 90 percent confidence level, unless otherwise noted. Please consult the tables for specific margins of error. For more information, go to http://www.census.gov/acs/www/data_documentation/documentation_main/. See http://www.census.gov/acs/www/data_documentation/2012_release/ for more information on changes affecting the 2008-2012 statistics. See http://www.census.gov/acs/www/guidance_for_data_users/comparing_2012/ for guidance on comparing 2008-2012 American Community Survey statistics with previous years.

CB14-184
Graphic | JPG | PDF |
Blog
Report
Supplemental Tables
Virginia Hyer
Public Information Office
301-763-3030
email: pio@census.gov 
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141001/149689-INFO
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110428/DC91889LOGO
SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau
RELATED LINKS
http://www.census.gov





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Happy 54th Independence Day Anniversary of Nigeria!

Let us join hands in love, peace and unity to build a New Nigeria in the leadership of Africa!

Thanks to Google for joining millions of people all over the world to celebrate the 54th Independence Day Anniversary of Nigeria.

The Google doodle captures the never say die resilient spirit of patriotic citizens of Nigeria who keep going and keep moving on forward in progress, success and victory.

May our Almighty Father JEHOVAH GOD increase the abundance of His infinite grace in our lives to do our best for the common wealth of all Nigerians.
Forward Ever, 
Backward Never!



 


 2014 Independence Day Broadcast by
His Excellency, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR
Wednesday 1st October, 2014

Fellow Nigerians:
1. Today marks the 54th anniversary of our country’s independence as a sovereign nation. This is also the tenth month of our journey into a new century, having marked the centenary of our nation in January this year.

2. The first one hundred years were marked by triumphs and tribulations, benefits and burdens, opportunities and challenges. We made some far reaching advances in building a strong, united and prosperous nation. We also overcame the forces of disunity that culminated in a debilitating civil war. We have also renewed our faith in one another, and in our country. We have proven that we are truly a resilient nation.

3. In my address to the nation last year, I did emphasize that we were in a sober moment in our country. We are still in that mood in spite of the many accomplishments of our administration. Our sombreness has to do with the crises of nationhood occasioned by the activities of terrorist elements who have done the unimaginable to challenge our unity as a people.

4. On an occasion like this, it is important that we remember all the precious souls that have been lost in the unprecedented war of terror unleashed on some parts of our country by these individuals who want to compel us to live our lives their way. They will not succeed!

5. In their mission, they have maimed and raped. They have killed men, women and children, rendering many children orphans and several women widows.

6. They have made violence their ideology and are bent on destroying our country. Dear countrymen and women, we will not allow them.

7. Night after night, day after day, our security forces continue to engage the terrorists in battle. My gratitude goes out to our armed forces whose will has been greatly challenged by this insurgency more than any other time, since the civil war.

8. Yet, they have remained undaunted and unwearied in the face of constant challenge and mortal danger. Driven by patriotic zeal, they are turning the tide by their prowess and determination. As Commander-in-Chief, I will continue to do all it takes to enable them to keep on inflicting devastating blows at the heart of terror. Fellow Nigerians, it is our collective duty as patriots to avail our men and women in uniform of all the support they need to fight and win this war.

9. This Administration is committed to making Nigeria safe for all Nigerians, irrespective of our places of birth, how we worship God and our political persuasion. To all those waging war against our country, I ask that you lay down your arms and embrace peace.

10. To those who have genuine grievances, I affirm that Nigeria will listen to you, if you bring your grievances to the table of dialogue. To the good people of Nigeria, let me restate that our task of building a better and greater country must not waver.

11. While we continue to deploy our resources in the fight against the terrorists, we do recognize the great toll the conflict is taking on our people.

12. This is why, to assist the afflicted, we have launched the Victims Support Fund, an independent multi-sectoral charity, which will aggressively solicit resources to augment Government’s statutory intervention, in bringing succour to the injured, the displaced and the bereaved.

13. In partnership with Nigerian business leaders and international partners, we have also introduced the Safe Schools Initiative which is aimed at promoting safe environments for education nationwide, starting with the North East region.

14. The Presidential Initiative for the North East, a comprehensive programme to fast-track the economic restoration of this region, which has been the epicentre of terrorist activity, has been set up.

15. Our overall objective is to do all we possibly can, to sustain in the North-East, the momentum of economic advancement, which is on-going in other parts of the country, despite the machinations of the terrorists and their sponsors.

16. It should now be clear to anyone who was ever in doubt that these terrorists do not mean well for anyone, of whatever religion or dispensation. Their persistent choice of the weakest and most vulnerable in society, for gruesome attack, provides an insight into their abnormal mind-set.

17. I urge every Nigerian to put aside political, sectional or other parochial considerations, and support whole-heartedly the efforts of the government and the military, in checking this evil.

18. We are grateful to the international community, and especially our neighbours who are working closely with us in confronting this challenge, for their increased partnership and solidarity. Our steady progress in weakening the insurgency has certainly justified our cooperation.

19. Fellow Nigerians, in my independence anniversary address last year, I informed you that we had taken cognizance of the suggestion over the years by well-meaning Nigerians on the need to focus attention on rebuilding and strengthening the ligaments of our union. It was in that regard that we announced the convening of a National Dialogue on the future of our beloved country.

20. We have successfully delivered on that promise as we established the 2014 National Conference headed by Justice Legbo Kutigi. After months of deliberations, which did not come without its challenges, the conference concluded its assignment and has handed its Report to me.

21. I have made a firm commitment that we would act on the recommendations of the conference. This, I have started by setting up the Ministerial Committee headed by the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation to work out the modalities for implementing the Report. Every promise I make, God willing, I will see to its fulfilment. I assure you, we shall implement the report.

22. One major lesson which the 2014 National Conference has taught us as a country is that, a multi-ethnic country like ours, must learn to embrace painstaking dialogue until consensus is established.

23. To me, the National Conference is the greatest centenary gift to our country that we must cherish and sustain.

24. Fellow Nigerians, our 54 year-journey as a nation has not been easy. There have been tough periods, but the Nigerian spirit and the unflagging resilience of our people have seen us through. We will continue to march forward to greater heights.

25. We have been able to sustain a big, strong and influential country with a robust economy. We are currently in our sixteenth year of uninterrupted democratic rule, daily improving on the consolidation of our democratic process.

26. Our Administration has made a commitment to ensure that we build and sustain a democratic infrastructure anchored on free and fair elections. International and local observers have attested to the positive evolution of electoral credibility and we cannot afford to relent.

27. We will continue to ensure that the will of the electorate prevails so that political leaders would be reminded at all times that there is a day of reckoning when they have to go back to the people at the polls. Election days must not be days of violence and death. We must remain vigilant to ensure that our electoral process is characterised by peace, security and transparency.

28. I enjoin the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), all security agencies, politicians and the electorate to work conscientiously and peacefully, together, to consolidate on the gains of the recent elections. Free and fair elections have come to stay; nothing else will be acceptable to our people.



29. My dear countrymen and women, occasions such as this present an opportunity to thank God for our country and to report to you, on our journey so far.

30. Our power sector reform is on course with the ultimate objective of generating enough electricity to power our homes, industries and businesses. We are making giant strides in the Agricultural Sector which we are re-positioning to diversify our economy. We will continue to upgrade our infrastructure to make life easier for all and create an enabling environment for enterprise to flourish.

31. Over the last four years, the implementation of the Nigerian Content Act in the Oil and Gas Sector has ensured major increase in the participation of indigenous Oil and Gas companies in the industry. Several critical infrastructure projects have been commissioned and commenced. The level of indigenous asset ownership has greatly increased and utilisation of Nigerian-owned and built assets such as marine vessels and rigs is being progressively enforced.

32. There has been maximised local value addition by encouraging the manufacture of equipment components and parts within the country. There has also been massive growth in indigenous participation in the provision of goods and services to the upstream sector from 10% to 60% within the last four years.

33. Today, following the rebasing of our economy, every international monitoring and ratings agency now acknowledges Nigeria as the largest economy in Africa, with a Gross Domestic Product of five hundred and ten billion dollars ($510 billion) which also places us as the 26th largest economy in the world. This is progress.



34. Earlier in the year, we launched the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) and the National Enterprise Development Programme (NEDEP) with the stated objective of fast tracking inclusive growth, job creation, enterprise development and industrialisation.

35. The success of these policies is already evident in the increased value addition in the agricultural and manufacturing sectors.

36. In line with our objective of encouraging the production of made-in-Nigeria vehicles and making Nigeria a regional hub for the automobile industry, a number of foreign auto manufacturers have established plants in Nigeria, complementing the laudable efforts of our local vehicle manufacturers who have also demonstrated great innovation and competitiveness.

37. We have also launched a special support programme for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises with an initial intervention fund of two hundred and twenty billion naira (N220 b). This is in addition to the Presidential Job Creation Board which I inaugurated recently with the charge to create three million jobs annually.

38. In demonstration of our Administration’s commitment to addressing Nigeria’s housing deficit, we have commenced the new mortgage re-finance programme with the establishment of the Nigerian Mortgage Re-finance Company. It is expected that, in addition to creating additional housing units across the country, this initiative also represents a huge job creation opportunity.

39. We have recorded notable success in the social sector. Nigeria has been globally acknowledged for reducing extreme hunger by more than half, with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) formally presenting the country with an award for achieving the Millennium Development Goal on Hunger three years ahead of the 2015 target date set for the Millennium Development Goals.

40. This progress is as a result of the deliberate policy of government to increase capacity in our agricultural sector of which the first step was to address and eliminate the graft in our fertilizer procurement system and ensure that the product gets directly to the farmer. We are expanding our irrigation infrastructure to ensure that our farmers have sufficient water supply for dry season farming.

41. A benefit of these combined actions is that our national food import bill has declined from 1.1 trillion naira (6.9 billion dollars) in 2009 to 684.7 billion naira (4.35 billion dollars) by December 2013, and continues to decline.

42. Modern hybrid schools are being provided for less privileged children across the country, resulting in significant increase in the national school enrolment figure.

43. In order to further enhance access to education at the tertiary level, fourteen new Federal Universities have been established; and, to encourage persons of exceptional abilities, our Administration has also introduced a Presidential Scholarship Scheme based strictly on excellence and merit.

44. On infrastructure, we are building roads, bridges, and new rail lines to make it easier to traverse Nigeria and increase the integration of our people and our ability to do business with each other. In this regard, we have commenced the process of building the Second Niger Bridge. The Loko-Oweto Bridge over River Benue in Nasarawa and Benue States, will significantly reduce travel time by road between Northern and Southern Nigeria. The on-going dredging of the River Niger up to Baro in Niger State is opening up large parts of the Nigerian hinterland to maritime activity.

45. The Zungeru and Mambilla Hydro-electric power projects are on course, and the Kashimbilla dam which we started a few years ago, is nearing completion. The successful privatisation of our power sector will in the long run enhance industrial growth. Policies such as this and others have raised Nigeria to the enviable status of being the number one recipient of Foreign Direct Investment in Africa in the past year.

46. The result of this infrastructure drive is that two and a half million jobs have been created over the past two years. This is a record, which we are committed to improve upon to continue to provide jobs for our youth.

47. An unprecedented number of Airports across the country, are not only being reconstructed at the same time, but being re-equipped and reassessed with emphasis on maintaining global standards.

48. Fellow Nigerians, the goals we set to achieve for our country involve expanding the frontiers of economic freedom. Let us therefore unite with one heart and one mind. All our people must have access to the good things of life. All our people must be empowered to pursue the gift of life with happiness. This is our country; we must build it for our common posterity.

49. As we move into an election year, desperate moves to overheat the polity are becoming a regular occurrence. Our political leaders in particular must know that the contest for power should not translate to the destruction of the polity.

50. The contest for the leadership of our country must yield good governance, and not ungovernable spaces. The love of country should rank higher than our individual ambitions.

51. We must remain committed to a united and indivisible Nigeria within democratic parameters. The protection of individual rights, liberty, equality before the law, freedom of thought, and a progressive pursuit of a sound economy must be our goal.

52. I cannot end this address without commenting on the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) which was sadly brought into our country recently. My directives to the Federal Ministry of Health saw the ministry leading the charge in curtailing the spread of this deadly scourge and managing its impact. This is how it should be: swift, effective and comprehensive action in defence of citizens.

53. It must be pointed out that the Ebola battle is still raging elsewhere in our sub-region. I therefore enjoin all our citizens to continue to adhere strictly to all the guidelines that have been given by our health officials to keep Ebola out of our country.

54. I appreciate and welcome the spirit of collaboration, unity and partnership with which we confronted the threat of the Ebola Virus Disease. I thank all Nigerians for working together to prevent what could have become a major epidemic. I particularly thank the medical personnel, some of whom made the ultimate sacrifice.

55. This is the spirit which we must demonstrate at all times as we face up to our challenges as a nation: one people, united by a common resolve, in the pursuit of one common national interest.

56. As we look forward to another year in our national life, I am more than confident that our tomorrow will be better than our yesterday and today. Nigeria has got the human and material resources to excel and we shall lead the way in that journey to our manifest destiny.

57. Fellow countrymen, brothers and sisters, in all our plans, and in all our words and our actions, we must stand together in love and unity, as one people under God.

58. We are one people from the womb of one Nigeria. We are brothers and sisters. We are one family. We are Nigerians.

59. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

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Netflix's First Original Movie "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend" To Premiere Simultaneously on Netflix and in Global IMAX® Theaters

Netflix Announces First Original Movie, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend To Premiere Simultaneously On Netflix And In Select Global IMAX® Theaters

Michelle Yeoh and Donnie Yen star under the direction of Yuen Wo-Ping in the Sequel to the Academy Award®-winning 2000 film


BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. and NEW YORK, Sept. 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend, the stunning next chapter in the saga started by the critically and popularly acclaimed Ang Lee martial arts epic, will premiere exclusively on Netflix and in selected global  IMAX® theaters on August 28, 2015.

Produced by The Weinstein Company, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend echoes the themes of the original movie, but tells its own story -- one of lost love, young love, a legendary sword and one last opportunity at redemption, set against breathtaking action in an epic martial arts battle between good and evil that will decide the fate of the Martial World.

Directed by the renowned martial arts choreographer (The Matrix Trilogy and Kill Bill 1&2) and director (Tai Chi Master) Yuen Wo-Ping, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend stars Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, The Lady) reprising her role as Yu Shu-Lien and Donnie Yen (Ip Man 1&2, Monkey King 3D) as Silent Wolf.

The film is to be the first of several major films backed by Netflix to premiere on the same day on the world's leading Internet TV network and in select IMAX theaters globally, giving consumers and exhibitors around the world unparalleled flexibility in how, when and where they enjoy a major motion picture.
"Fans will have unprecedented choice in how they enjoy an amazing and memorable film that combines intense action and incredible beauty," said Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos. "We are honored to be working with Harvey Weinstein and a world-class team of creators to bring this epic story to people all over the world and to partner with IMAX, a brand that represents the highest quality of immersive entertainment, in the distribution of this film."

"The moviegoing experience is evolving quickly and profoundly, and Netflix is unquestionably at the forefront of that movement," said TWC Co-Chairman Harvey Weinstein. "We are tremendously excited to be continuing our great relationship with Netflix and bringing to fans all over the world the latest chapter in this amazing and intriguing story."

"IMAX has a terrific opportunity, via this partnership with Netflix, to release Crouching Tiger – a high-quality, action-packed film that is right in our wheelhouse -- at the end of the summer blockbuster season," said Greg Foster, Senior Executive Vice President, IMAX Corp. and CEO of IMAX Entertainment. "We are particularly hopeful it will play in our highly successful China market. In territories where we simultaneously release with Netflix, we are excited to offer consumers the option of deciding how, when and where they want to view the film, and exhibitors the opportunity to participate in this alternative form of content in a new and innovative way."
 
Based on the acclaimed novel, Iron Knight, Silver Vase, by Wang Dulu (book 5 in the Crane-Iron Pentalogy) and written by John Fusco (Marco Polo)  the new film is produced by Harvey Weinstein (Academy Award winner - The King's Speech, The Artist) and Peter Berg (Emmy Award winner - Friday Night Lights; Lone Survivor, Hancock) and Sarah Aubrey (Friday Night Lights; Lone Survivor, Hancock) and executive produced by Morten Tyldum (Headhunters, The Imitation Game), Ralph Winter (X-Men franchise), Anthony Wong, and Bey Logan (The Medallion).
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend also stars Harry Shum Jr (Glee, Revenge of the Green Dragons), Jason Scott Lee  (Seventh Son, Hawaii Five-O), Roger Yuan (Bulletproof Monk), Eugenia Yuan (Revenge of the Green Dragons) and newcomer Natasha Liu Bordizzo.
Principal photography is now underway in New Zealand. The film's director of photography is Tom Sigel (Drive, X-Men: Days of Future Past) and design is led by the Academy Award®-winning Lord of the Rings team of costume designer Ngila Dickson, production designer Grant Major and visual effects supervisor Mark Stetson.

About Netflix
Netflix is the world's leading Internet television network with over 50 million members in nearly 50 countries enjoying more than one billion hours of TV shows and movies per month, including original series. For a low monthly price, Netflix members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on nearly any Internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments

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About The Weinstein Company
The Weinstein Company (TWC) is a multimedia production and distribution company launched in October 2005 by Bob and Harvey Weinstein, the brothers who founded Miramax Films in 1979. TWC also encompasses Dimension Films, the genre label founded in 1993 by Bob Weinstein. During Harvey and Bob's tenure at Miramax and TWC, they have received 348 Oscar nominations and won 82 Academy Awards.
Since 2005, TWC and Dimension Films have released such films as VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA; THE READER; INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS; SCRE4M; SPY KIDS: THE KING'S SPEECH; THE IRON LADY; UNDEFEATED; THE ARTIST; THE MASTER; SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK; DJANGO UNCHAINED; SCARY MOVIE 5; LEE DANIELS' THE BUTLER; PHILOMENA; THE GIVER and THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ELEANOR RIGBY. Upcoming releases include ST. VINCENT; THE IMITATION GAME; PADDINGTON and BIG EYES.


TWC boasts an active television production division which garnered nine Emmy nominations in 2013 and five in 2014. TWC Television produces the reality powerhouse Project Runway, with its spin-off series Project Runway All Stars and Under The Gunn.  Recent TWC television productions include Mob Wives, Million Dollar Shoppers, Rodeo Girls and Trailer Park: Welcome to Myrtle Manor. Scripted projects currently in production include John Fusco's Marco Polo. Scripted projects in development include Ten Commandments and Daniel Stashower's The Hour Of Peril.  TWC also developed Nanny Diaries and produced The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency.

About IMAX Corporation
IMAX, an innovator in entertainment technology, combines proprietary software, architecture and equipment to create experiences that take you beyond the edge of your seat to a world you've never imagined. Top filmmakers and studios are using IMAX theatres to connect with audiences in extraordinary ways, and, as such, IMAX's network is among the most important and successful theatrical distribution platforms for major event films around the globe.

IMAX is headquartered in New York, Toronto and Los Angeles, with offices in London, Tokyo, Shanghai and Beijing. As of June 30, 2014, there were 868 IMAX theatres (735 commercial multiplexes, 19 commercial destinations and 114 institutions) in 59 countries.

IMAX®, IMAX® 3D, IMAX DMR®, Experience It In IMAX®, An IMAX 3D Experience®, The IMAX Experience® and IMAX Is Believing® are trademarks of IMAX Corporation.  More information about the Company can be found at www.imax.com.  You may also connect withIMAX on Facebook (www.facebook.com/imax), Twitter (www.twitter.com/imax) and YouTube (www.youtube.com/imaxmovies).

Contacts:
Don Halcombe	Katelyn Bogacki
Netflix PR	The Weinstein Company
310-975-8931	212-845-8698
dhalcombe@netflix.com	katelyn.bogacki@weinsteinco.com
Ann Sommerlath (Business Media)	Teri Loxam (Investors)
IMAX Corporation – New York	IMAX Corporation - New York
212-821-0155	212-821-0110
asommerlath@imax.com	tloxam@imax.com

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