Tuesday, January 25, 2011

How to Identify and Influence "Social Echo"



New White Paper & Video Series from PR Newswire Educates Organizations on How to Identify and Influence "Social Echo"

New York, Jan. 24 /PRNewswire/ — “Social Echo”, the powerful reverberation of conversations around your brand that occur across social media, is explored in a new white paper and video series from PR Newswire that will identify how organizations can strategically influence their Social Echo and create benefits across the entire organization.

The first in the series, “Amplifying Your Social Echo”, explores how to find your “Social Echo” and amplify it to create a lasting effect on everything from product development to customer service and audience engagement.

Utilizing case studies from recognized brands such as Unisys and Windstar Cruises, this series will provide practical information that can immediately be tailored to any organization.

Other topics covered in the series will include how to create ‘group echoes’, how to manage your social echo during a crisis and when it’s appropriate to take a back seat to your Social Echo and let it play itself out. Case studies will be presented throughout the white paper and video series.

PR Newswire offers a comprehensive suite of monitoring & measurement services to keep abreast of what’s being said about an organization - its brand, products and people – in both traditional and social media and to understand the potential impact of these conversations. These monitoring services, together with PR Newswire’s engagement services, provide a means to identify, influence, amplify and leverage an organization’s Social Echo to impact the bottom line.

Download “Amplifying Your Social Echo” NOW.

Contact PR Newswire to learn more about monitoring and engagement services.
About PR Newswire

PR Newswire (www.prnewswire.com) is the premier global provider of multimedia platforms and solutions that enable marketers, corporate communicators, sustainability officers, public affairs and investor relations officers to leverage content to engage with all their key audiences. Having pioneered the commercial news distribution industry 56 years ago, PR Newswire today provides end-to-end solutions to produce, optimize and target content – from rich media to online video to multimedia – and then distribute content and measure results across traditional, digital, social, search and mobile channels. Combining the world’s largest multi-channel, multi-cultural content distribution and optimization network with comprehensive workflow tools and platforms, PR Newswire enables the world’s enterprises to engage opportunity everywhere it exists. Among its suite of audience engagement and workflow solutions, PR Newswire includes the ARC™ engagement platform, which enables marketers to distribute and optimize multimedia across all digital channels, and Media Monitoring, which enables the measurement of brands’ “Social Echo,” including sentiment. PR Newswire serves tens of thousands of clients from offices in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, and is a United Business Media company.

Media Contact:
Rachel Meranus
Vice President, Marketing and Communications
PR Newswire
+1.201.360.6776
rachel.meranus@prnewswire.com

Call To Artists: The Beverly Hills Art Show - Affaire In The Gardens


25 Jan 2011 05:28 Africa/Lagos


Call To Artists: The Beverly Hills Art Show - Affaire In The Gardens

PR Newswire

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Jan. 24, 2011

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Jan. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --

When:

Deadline for Artists to submit application is February 14th, 2011

Show dates are Saturday and Sunday, May 21st & 22nd, 2011

Where:

Beverly Gardens Park along Santa Monica Boulevard, from Rodeo to Rexford Drive
9400 North Santa Monica Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

More Information:

Contact:
Karen Fitch McLean, Art Show Coordinator
City of Beverly Hills Community Services Department

310.285.6836 or 310.285.6830

kmclean@beverlyhills.org

Website:
http://www.beverlyhills.org/artshow - or visit us on Facebook

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110124/DC35521 )

The City of Beverly Hills is seeking fine artists to display and sell their art at its two-day art fair, The Beverly Hills Art Show – Affaire In The Gardens, to be held on May 21st and 22nd, 2011 in gracious Beverly Gardens, a long green oasis in the historic heart of town. The deadline to apply to the art show is February 14th.

Fine artists working in the categories of Painting, Sculpture, Drawing, Printmaking, Photography, Ceramics & Glass, Mixed Media and New/Digital Media Categories are welcome to apply. An additional special theme of this show will be combustion and fire; any artist working with these concepts is encouraged to get in touch with the art show office.

The show has been held for nearly 40 years in the heart of Beverly Hills, attracting up to 50,000 visitors throughout the weekend. Please visit our website or call 310.285.6836 to apply or receive additional information.


SOURCE City of Beverly Hills

CONTACT: Karen Fitch McLean, Art Show Coordinator of City of Beverly Hills Community Services Department, +1-310-285-6836, +1-310-285-6830, kmclean@beverlyhills.org

Web Site: http://www.ci.commerce.ca.us


Pay-TV Subscriptions to Triple to 4 Million by Year-End 2015


Infinity TV is a popular Pay-TV service in Nigeria.

24 Jan 2011 22:30 Africa/Lagos


AME Pay-TV Subscriptions to Triple to 4 Million by Year-End 2015, Pyramid Finds

PR Newswire

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 24, 2011

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- As operators find ways to circumvent current barriers in AME's pay-TV market, subscriptions are expected to triple over the next five years, reaching 4 million. This represents an 11 percent CAGR in pay-TV subscriptions through 2015, the highest in the world, according to a new report from Pyramid Research (www.pyr.com).

New Market Dynamics Bode Well for Spike in Pay-TV Adoption analyzes the growth potential for pay-TV services in AME, highlighting the main obstacles to pay-TV adoption in the region and pointing out the key market developments that would enable more aggressive growth than we are currently projecting. The report then looks in detail at pay-TV markets in Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa, each representing different stages of pay-TV market development, and at efforts in each market to overcome obstacles.

Download an excerpt of this report: http://www.pyramidresearch.com/downloads.htm?id=5&sc=PRN012411_INSAME2.10

Purchase this report online: http://www.pyramidresearch.com/store/ins_ame_101220.htm?sc=PRN012411_INSAME2.10

AME's market dynamics are changing and the picture of pay-TV in the region in the coming years leaves room for optimism. "Over the next five years, as regulatory changes introduce more competition into the sector and technology platforms advance, Pyramid expects the region to begin to overcome the many obstacles that have inhibited its growth in the past, specifically the high cost and limited reach of pay-TV platforms," says Mehdi Ben Said, Senior Analyst at Pyramid.

Currently, there are several barriers preventing even greater growth than Pyramid projects. "These include limited competition, lack of content, and a weak platform on which to provide pay-TV services over existing last-mile infrastructure. The adoption of new alternatives in certain countries is a sign that the market is trying follow new paths for growth," notes Ben Said. The rise in per-capita GDP will have an immediate and positive impact on the pay-TV market in the region, helped along by the success and pan-regional expansion of the AME's largest mobile operators.

Furthermore, with strong growth in mobile subscriptions, many mobile operators will enter the market through alliances with DTH providers, marking a significant and positive change in the pay-TV landscape. "The lack of fixed infrastructure and the dominance of mobile access in most African countries constitute a huge opportunity for mobile operators to become the main pay-TV providers in Africa in the long term," he indicates. "Although mobile networks in many countries may not be video-ready, we recommend that mobile operators look carefully at launching packages in conjunction with DTH operators in the near term in order to develop brand recognition in the segment."

New Market Dynamics Bode Well for Spike in Pay-TV Adoption is part of Pyramid Research's Global Telecom Insider report series. Download an excerpt of this report here: http://www.pyramidresearch.com/downloads.htm?id=5&sc=PRN012411_INSAME2.10. This report is priced at $595 and can be purchased online (http://www.pyramidresearch.com/store/ins_ame_101220.htm?sc=PRN012411_INSAME2.10)or by contacting info@pyr.com.

CONTACT: Jennifer Baker, +1-617-871-1910, jbaker@pyr.com

SOURCE Pyramid Research

CONTACT: Jennifer Baker, +1-617-871-1910, jbaker@pyr.com

Web Site: http://www.pyr.com/


Americans Still Owe Billions to Credit Cards



24 Jan 2011 16:48 Africa/Lagos


Americans Still Owe Billions to Credit Cards
From the Southeast to the Northwest, All Regions Impacted

PR Newswire

ATLANTA, Jan. 24, 2011

ATLANTA, Jan. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- While Americans continue to pay off debts and reduce spending, Equifax (NYSE: EFX), one of the leading nationwide credit reporting agencies, finds many households still carry a heavy debt burden – in some cases owing up to 17 percent of their income to credit card companies alone*.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20060224/CLF037LOGO )

No one region of the country is shouldering the credit card debt burden – Equifax found the top 50 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) hardest hit by credit card debt, as a percentage of income owed in 2010, are clustered in six states across the country: Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Washington and California.

These states also have some of the highest total credit card balances for the country:

* FL: $47,568,265,541
* NC: $22,386,064,118
* OH: $28,985,502,668
* TX: $48,833,824,544
* WA: $18,288,819,367
* CA: $90,566,978,302


Equifax reports that while total consumer debt (mortgage, auto, credit card, etc.) has declined 8.2 percent from its peak of $11.5 trillion in October of 2008, 54 million American households still owe more than $800 billion in debt to credit card companies alone – irrespective of other debts such as mortgages or students loans**.

"The good news is we're seeing Americans paying off their debts and becoming more fiscally fit," says Dianne Bernez, Equifax's senior vice president for corporate communications. "However, the numbers show that while people's intentions are good, Americans still have a lot of debt to tackle and often don't know where to start."

To help Americans get started, Equifax, along with financial expert and New York Times bestselling author David Bach, have launched the Debt Free Challenge – encouraging 1 million Americans to pay off $1 billion in debt.

"I would encourage people to look at these numbers and then take a good look at what their share is – a lot of people don't actually know how much debt they're in," says Bach, author of Debt Free for Life: The Finish Rich Plan for Financial Freedom. "Only then can you make a plan of action to pay down your debt."

Bach has been teaching a method known as done on last payment (DOLP), also known as debt stacking, for more than a decade, whereby consumers prioritize their debts to maximize their savings in interest and accelerate their payments in a methodical manner to get out of debt faster. For those looking to automate this process, Debt Wise™ powered by Equifax is an online tool that uses the information already on your credit report to prioritize debts and help you set a plan of action to reach your Debt Freedom Day—a day when all of your debts have been paid off.

"Pledging to get out of debt can really help people get started on their journey toward financial freedom – setting a goal helps you stick to your plan," says Bach. "And remember that you're not alone – taking the pledge are your neighbors, co-workers and friends – this is doable and there are tools out there to help you."

For more information about David Bach, visit www.finishrich.com. To learn more about the Debt Free Challenge, visit www.debtfreechallenge.com.

About David Bach and FinishRich Media (www.finishrich.com)

The Founder and Chairman of FinishRich Media, a company dedicated to revolutionizing the way people learn about money, Bach is the author of 11 consecutive national bestselling books, including two # 1 New York Times business bestsellers, Start Late, Finish Rich and The Automatic Millionaire. In all, his FinishRich books have been published in more than 15 languages, with more than 7 million copies in print. A renowned motivational and financial speaker, Bach regularly speaks at the world's leading financial service firms, Fortune 500 companies, universities, and national conferences. Prior to founding FinishRich Media, he was a senior vice president of Morgan Stanley and a partner of The Bach Group, which during his tenure (1993 to 2001) managed more than half a billion dollars for individual investors. Bach is also the creator of the FinishRich® seminar series, which highlights his quick and easy-to-follow financial strategies, and which has been taught to more than 750,000 people nationwide. Among multiple other media appearances, he has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and is a regular guest on NBC's Today's Money 911 segment.

About Equifax (www.equifax.com)

Equifax is a global leader in information solutions, leveraging one of the largest sources of consumer and commercial data, along with advanced analytics and proprietary technology, to create customized insights that enrich both the performance of businesses and the lives of consumers. Customers have trusted Equifax for more than 100 years to deliver innovative solutions with the highest integrity and reliability. Businesses - large and small - rely on them for consumer and business credit intelligence, portfolio management, fraud detection, decision technology, marketing tools, and much more. Equifax empowers individual consumers to manage their personal credit information, protect their identity, and maximize their financial well-being.

Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Equifax Inc. operates in the U.S. and 14 other countries throughout North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia. Equifax is a member of Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500(R) Index. Our common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol EFX.

+Insurance underwritten by member companies of American International Group, Inc. The description herein is a summary only. It does not include all terms, conditions and exclusions of the policies described. Please refer to the actual policies for complete details of coverage and exclusions.

Debt Wise™ does not provide debt management advice, credit counseling, financial planning or counseling, and will not act as an intermediary between subscribers and their lenders/creditors. Subscribers must continue to pay their lenders/creditors directly in accordance with their terms. Debt Wise™ will not improve or repair subscribers' credit history or score, or debt-to-income ratio. Debt Wise™ is not available in NV, UT, or DC. See www.debtwise.com for important additional information.

* The Equifax Consumer Credit Trends Report is the source of the research highlighted above. Distributed to customers, this monthly report provides credit trend data (in aggregate) for bankcard, consumer finance/retail, auto finance, auto bank, home equity revolving and first mortgage loans, among other metrics.

For this research, Equifax analyzed quarterly data on consumers with more than one tradeline (installment loan or revolving account) on their credit file. The information is sourced from a sample of the Equifax credit database and applied to predict trends across the overall population.

For more than a decade, Equifax Analytical Services has provided analytic solutions to businesses. Using a wide range of statistical techniques, our consultants design, develop and implement custom analysis and credit scores and generic analytical models for target marketing and portfolio management programs. With Equifax Analytical Services, customers can gain access to economic, demographic and general credit trend data through creditforecast.com, a forecasting tool built by Equifax and Moody's Economy.com.

**Statistical reference based on consumer credit data from the Federal Reserve Board's G.19 release which can be found at http://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/g19/Current/ .

SOURCE Equifax

CONTACT: Megan Jentz, +1-404-214-3578, mjentz@jacksonspalding.com; Demitra Wilson, +1-678-795-7885, demitra.wilson@equifax.com

Web Site: http://www.equifax.com


Monday, January 24, 2011

Google Launch Nexus S:




If you think Google Nexus One is something special, then the new Google Nexus S is extra special. The following news report is a complete audio-visual review of Nexus S. Enjoy it and see why this new cute and sleek smart phone is going to be a "I must own one" collectors item in 2011. But I believe the best is still yet to come in the smart phone revolution.





24 Jan 2011 13:14 Africa/Lagos


Google Launch The New Nexus

PR Newswire

LONDON, Jan. 24, 2011

LONDON, Jan. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The new Nexus S is the second Smartphone offering from Google who are keen to show they are serious about having a presence in the mobile phone market.

The device which is also being referred to as Nexus 2, is fast, fluid and sporting the latest technology from the new Android 2.3 gingerbread operating.





The screen is a bright, crisp and clear 4" AMOLED screen which ensures up to one and a half times more luminance than LCD displays traditionally found on many Smartphone.

The device also has new Touchscreen sensors making the multitouch keyboard experience much better than its predecessor and Anti-fingerprint display coating.

A 1GHz Hummingbird processor ensures easy multi tasking, web browsing and gaming experience via a dedicated graphics processor.

A dedicated Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) makes playing video games, viewing images and watching videos a much better flow and richer experience.

The internal 16GB memory has enough capacity to store all but the most demanding uses for music, photos, videos and games. There is no expansion card slot for a memory card.

The Nexus S also comes with future technology advances including the latest NFC wireless payment technology. The technology allows you to read information from smart tags or objects that have NFC chips. This is a major innovation as it brings payment technology to pay for goods and services simply by swiping similar to the one touch swipe and go Barclaycard.

Gingerbread supports internet calling with its inbuilt SIP stack you can easily access VOIP from contacts, dialer or the quick contacts tab.

Other features include turn by turn navigation, 3D landmarks and Streetview from the latest Google and a 5 mega pixel back and front facing lens with LED flash.

The look and feel is similar to the Samsung Galaxy S with a curved ergonomically designed AMOLED display which is the first contour glass display on a Smartphone.

The Nexus S WIFI hotspots can act as a 3g connection router for portable WIFI device for up to six portable devices such as notebooks, tablet PCs and once connected these devices will have access to internet with no added carrier fees.

The 1500mAh battery gives impressive running time easily allowing you to talk for over 20 hours.

The Google Nexus S is currently available to order on O2, Orange, T-Mobile and Vodafone from 30.64 pounds/month, and on Pay As You Go for 429.99 pounds from carphone warehouse and its subsidiaries like mobiles.co.uk.

SOURCE Mobiles.co.uk

CONTACT: Mobiles.co.uk, 0752 574 3715, http://www.mobiles.co.uk

Web Site: http://www.mobiles.co.uk



Saturday, January 22, 2011

Oleku the Video-Ice Prince Feat. Brymo



The is the official Oleku Video of Ice Prince Featuring Brymo.



I have watched Ice Prince in a live performance of his hit single Oleku and seeing this video is really going to increase his mileage and patronage.



Friday, January 21, 2011

Four women raped in North Darfur

21 Jan 2011 13:13 Africa/Lagos


Darfur / UNAMID Daily Media Brief

EL FASHER (DARFUR), January 21, 2011/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- UNAMID Daily Media Brief / 2011-01-20


Four women raped in North Darfur

UNAMID yesterday confirmed reports that four women were raped and beaten by three armed men, near the village of Dorma (25 km north of Tawilla, North Darfur). The Mission will follow up the case with the Sudanese police.


Update on students injured in El Fasher

Three of the students injured during a shooting incident at a high-school in El Fasher, North Darfur, on 18 January, have been evacuated by local authorities to Khartoum for medical treatment. One of them is listed in critical condition.


Peace agreement in South Darfur

On 18 January UNAMID senior officials attended the signing ceremony of a peace agreement between Sudan Liberation Army / Historic (SLA/H), a breakaway faction of Sudan Liberation Army / Abdul Wahid (SLA/AW), and the Government of the Sudan in Bali Siref. The village is located within the northern edge of Jebel Marra mountains and lies about 30 Km north of El Malam town, South Darfur. The Mission also provided logistic support to the event, airlifting some of the participants.


Provisional results of the referendum in Darfur

The provisional results of the South Sudan referendum, provided by South Sudan Referendum Commission (SSRC) and UNMIS, indicate that 55 per cent of participants voted for unity in Darfur. A total of 12,036 people cast their ballot, out of 23,121 registered in the region, representing 52 per cent. The final results of the referendum are to be published on 14 February at the latest.


UNAMID provided logistical support to the SSRC, transporting material by air from El Fasher and El Geneina to Khartoum.


UNAMID patrols

UNAMID military conducted 120 patrols including routine, short-range, long-range, night and humanitarian escort patrols covering 80 villages and IDP camps.


UNAMID police advisors conducted 127 patrols in villages and IDP camps.



Source: United Nations - African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID)


FORTUNE's 2011 '100 Best Companies to Work For'












Thursday, January 20, 2011

iJET Outlines Risk Landscape in Nigeria and other countries for 2011

19 Jan 2011 18:22 Africa/Lagos


iJET Outlines Risk Landscape for 2011

Intelligence Firm Issues Recommendations for Protecting Travelers, Operations and Supply Chains

PR Newswire

ANNAPOLIS, Md., Jan. 19, 2011

ANNAPOLIS, Md., Jan. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- iJET Intelligent Risk Systems, a leading provider of global intelligence and business resiliency services, today outlined the major risks and trends that it anticipates will most significantly affect business travel, risk management and resiliency planning in 2011.

"As businesses continue to expand globally, it becomes increasingly important for organizations to understand, track and plan for a myriad of risks that can jeopardize their success," said Steve Hoffman, CEO of iJET. "Leveraging our team of world-class intelligence experts, iJET has provided a critical look at the year ahead and forecasts events that could have the greatest impact on our clients' day-to-day operations, enabling them to better survive and thrive amidst a growing threat landscape."

iJET's analysts predict that many of the issues faced by businesses in 2010 will continue to remain a concern in the coming year. These include economic volatility in Europe, Latin America and Africa , drug-related violence in Mexico and neighboring Latin American countries, and the ongoing challenges surrounding airline passenger security. iJET also warns organizations to watch for a number of developing risks that could threaten business operations and travel around the globe.

A regional breakdown of the forecasted areas of concern for 2011 include:


* The Americas: 2011 will be a critical year for Guatemala as it combats a surge in drug cartel-related violence spilling over from Mexico. Increased government instability could materialize in Nicaragua and Honduras resulting in civil unrest, while important elections in Argentina , Peru , Ecuador and Bolivia could perpetuate political instability and violent protests.

* Europe : Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is expected to announce early in 2011 whether he will run for president in elections slated for 2012. There are fears that civil unrest would grow more common if Putin makes a run for the office he previously held for the maximum allowable term limit. He undoubtedly enjoys more de jure power as prime minister, but many suspect he won't be able to help himself, and that he will attempt to replace incumbent Dmitry Medvedev, who many view as a "placeholder" until Putin returns.

* Middle East/ North Africa : Presidential elections taking place November 2011 in Egypt have the potential to spur civil unrest before, during and after voting, especially in light of the overthrow of Tunisia 's regime, which many unfavorably compare to Hosni Mubarak's decades-old autocratic regime. Continued violence can be expected in Yemen , further exacerbated by the release of diplomatic cables by WikiLeaks in late 2010. In addition, Saudi Arabia may face issues with succession that could bring uncertainty and instability. Lebanon awaits on tenterhooks the verdict in the death of Rafik Hariri, and the controversy will keep regional politics – already perennially unstable - particularly unsettled.

* Africa : The ongoing battle for the presidency of Cote d'Ivoire will strongly influence a number of key political referendums and elections that will take place throughout Africa in 2011, including: Zimbabwe , Southern Sudan , Nigeria , Liberia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo . If Cote d'Ivoire's incumbent president refuses to resign, leaders in other African nations could follow suit and threaten the positive governance trends across the continent. The outcome of the coming divorce between Sudan and South Sudan will also resonate strongly across Africa and beyond and could embolden less worthy separatist movements elsewhere.

* Asia : Succession issues could arise in Thailand leading to another wave of violent protests and riots, and uncertainty and animosity between the two Koreas will keep the region unsettled. Pakistan and Afghanistan will continue to pose grave challenges for the region and the world.


In addition to regional threats, recent events such as Haiti's category 7.0 earthquake and the Eyjafjallajokull ash cloud crisis reveal that other unforeseeable events such as natural disasters and terrorist incidents continue to remain a threat to business operations in 2011.

Finally, with outbreaks of H1N1 on the decline, pandemic-sized health threats are not expected for 2011. However, iJET cautions organizations to monitor seasonal influenzas and other health risks – such as the recent Cholera outbreak in Haiti – closely as epidemics are also unpredictable.

For more information, including tips for mitigating risks and additional resources to help your organization, please visit iJET's Resiliency Resource Page at www.ijet.com/tips.

About iJET Intelligent Risk Systems

iJET Intelligent Risk Systems (iJET) is an intelligence-driven provider of business resiliency and risk management solutions to nearly 500 multinational corporations and governments – helping them survive and thrive amidst global threats to their people, facilities and supply chain assets.

iJET's services, team of world-class intelligence analysts and patented Worldcue® Global Control Center technology solutions equip decision-makers and organizations with real-time information to anticipate, respond to and emerge from business disruptions with a competitive edge. iJET's Worldcue solutions provide decision makers with timely, actionable intelligence on potential disruptions and emerging threats to employees, operating assets and suppliers.

iJET®, Travel Intelligence and Worldcue® are registered trademarks of iJET Intelligent Risk Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link.

https://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=85674

https://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=85259

https://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=85260

https://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=85252

https://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=85254

https://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=94606

https://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=92199

SOURCE iJET Intelligent Risk Systems

CONTACT: Marisa Hagerman, DBC PR+New Media, +1-202-292-4570, Marisa@dbcpr.com

Web Site: http://www.ijet.com

Africa/Lagos time 19 Jan 2011

19:49 Itzhak Perlman and Chicago Symphony Orchestra Join Rotary's Effort to End Polio Now
18:22 iJET Outlines Risk Landscape for 2011
10:00 Political Risk Rising: 2011 Aon Political Risk Map

14 Jan 2011
17:51 Educators Teach Next Generation of Entrepreneurs at Price-Babson Symposium for Entrepreneurship Educators



Two African films compete for Foreign Language Oscar



Two African films, Outside the Law from Algeria and Life Above All from South Africa are among the 9 films that will advance to the next round of voting in the Foreign Language Film category for the 83rd Academy Awards. They were selected from 66 films that qualified in the category.



Notably is Rachid Bouchareb’s "Outside the Law," the French-Algerian film that annoyed French Prime Minister Nicolas Sarkozy's political party, who wanted the film banned at the last Cannes Film Festival, because “it denigrates France and the French military."

"Outside the Law", tells the story of three brothers who fought for Algeria's independence from France after World War II. After losing their family home in Algeria, three brothers were scattered across the globe. Messaoud joined the French army fighting in Indochina; Abdelkader became a leader of the Algerian independence movement; whilst Said moved to Paris to make his fortune in the shady clubs and boxing halls of Pigalle. Gradually, their interconnecting destinies reunited them in the French capital, where freedom is a battle to be fought and won.



"Life, Above All" an emotional and universal drama about a young girl who fought the fear and shame that have poisoned her community. It was directed by South African filmmaker Oliver Schmitz who adapted the international award winning novel "Chanda's Secrets" by Allan Stratton.



Chanda, 16, is a smart and determined South African girl on track to win a scholarship – but she’s suddenly thrust into an impossible situation, forcing her to adopt maturity beyond her years. When we first meet her, she’s making funeral arrangements for her year-old sister, Sara. If people begin to suspect Sara’s death was due to more than a passing flu, Chanda will be faced with shame and stigma, not only for the victim, but also for their entire family.

When Lilian’s (Chanda’s mother) illness becomes impossible to hide, their nosy, eccentric next-door neighbor, Mrs. Tafa, engages a spirit doctor to perform a startling ritual. The spirit doctor determines that a curse is hanging over her and her children. In order to lift it, Lilian must return to the village from where she was banished decades before, leaving Chanda alone to care for her siblings.

Meanwhile, Chanda’s best friend, Esther, has turned to prostitution in a desperate attempt to survive and reunite her own family. Though the community shuns Esther, Chanda refuses to reject her friend. To the horror of those around her, Chanda opens her house to Esther at her friend’s moment of greatest need. That’s just the beginning of Chanda’s fight against convention.

When Chanda discovers that her mother may have gone away to die in order to spare her children shame, she ignores the cautions of the meddling Mrs. Tafa, and embarks on a fateful journey to bring her mother home. And in doing so, challenges the people around her to reject their prejudices and embrace the truth.

The 9 films, listed in alphabetical order by country, are:

Algeria, “Outside the Law”), Rachid Bouchareb, director;
Canada, “Incendies,” Denis Villeneuve, director;
Denmark, “In a Better World,” Susanne Bier, director;
Greece, “Dogtooth,” Yorgos Lanthimos, director;
Japan, “Confessions,” Tetsuya Nakashima, director;
Mexico, “Biutiful,” Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, director;
South Africa, “Life, above All,” Oliver Schmitz, director;
Spain, “Tambien la Lluvia” (“Even the Rain”), Iciar Bollain, director;
Sweden, “Simple Simon,” Andreas Ohman, director.



~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima

Ford Foundation Launches $50 Million Fund for Next Generation of Documentary Filmmakers



The goal of this new initiative is to advance social justice worldwide through the talent of emerging and established filmmakers.


19 Jan 2011 16:00 Africa/Lagos


Ford Foundation Launches $50 Million Fund for Next Generation of Documentary Filmmakers

PR Newswire

NEW YORK, Jan. 19, 2011

Building on Legacy of Leadership, JustFilms Will Focus on Stories with Social Purpose

-- A Major New Source of Funds for Documentaries Around the World --

Partnerships with Sundance Institute and other Leading Organizations Will Expand Reach

NEW YORK, Jan. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- One day before the start of the Sundance Film Festival, a program of the Sundance Institute, and its gathering of independent filmmakers from around the world, the Ford Foundation today announced a five-year, $50 million initiative to help find and support a new generation of filmmakers whose works address urgent social issues.

The new initiative, called JustFilms, will invest $10 million a year over the next five years to support and expand the community of filmmakers and mediamakers around the world focused on creating documentaries with passion and purpose, but who often lack funding to realize their visions or reach audiences.

"With the growth of the Web and social networks, the potential global audience for filmed content with a social conscience has exploded," said Luis Ubinas, president of the Ford Foundation. "We want JustFilms to support visionary filmmakers from around the world to create works on urgent social issues, and help them reach and engage audiences."

JustFilms will build on the foundation's longtime support for documentaries, including such landmark productions as "Eyes on the Prize," "State of Fear" and "Why Democracy," among scores of others. It will also leverage the foundation's global network of 10 regional offices to identify and lift new talent from around the world and to strengthen emerging communities of documentary filmmakers.

"Storytelling is a unique and powerful way of helping us understand our past, explore our present and build our future," said Darren Walker, vice president of Ford's Education, Creativity and Free Expression program. "We see these stories as vital ingredients to social change, translating how people engage with the world and the issues that define our time."

The foundation said JustFilms would focus on film, video and digital works that show courageous people confronting difficult issues and actively pursuing a more just, secure and sustainable world. The initiative will pursue three distinct funding paths:

* Partnerships with major organizations such as the Sundance Institute, the Independent Television Service, and others;
* An ongoing open application process that will help JustFilms stay attuned to fresh ideas and stories wherever they may emerge; and
* Partnership with other Ford Foundation grant-making programs where the introduction of documentary film could help draw attention to an issue or advance a movement.


Directing the JustFilms initiative will be Orlando Bagwell, an internationally respected, award-winning filmmaker who has supported documentary film and other narrative art forms over the past six years as a program officer and director in the foundation's Freedom of Expression team.

"This major new commitment to documentaries reflects our recognition that individual stories— meaningful and well-told—can be a powerful instrument of change," Bagwell said. "The test of JustFilms will be its ability to lift the voices of independent filmmakers and mediamakers from outside the mainstream, to build audiences for social justice stories, and to enlarge the conversation on critical but often less visible issues. It's work that at its essence is really about capturing imaginations."

Key Background

Mr. Ubinas, Mr. Walker and Mr. Bagwell—along with several members of the Ford Foundation Board of Trustees —will be in Park City, Utah, this week to launch a major five-year partnership with the Sundance Institute as a key part of the JustFilms initiative. "We couldn't be more delighted to have the Sundance Institute as a premier partner as we launch JustFilms," Mr. Walker said. "Robert Redford, Keri Putnam, and Cara Mertes have shown incredible leadership in supporting documentary filmmakers, and we are proud to be joining with them in this partnership."

JustFilms will contribute $1 million a year over five years to support the Documentary Film Program at the Sundance Institute. The resulting Sundance Institute/Ford Foundation Documentary Film Fund will support international and U.S. productions that focus on human and civil rights, free expression, economic opportunity, and other critical topics. It will also support filmmaker labs that enhance storytelling through cutting-edge editing, producing, and film scoring workshops. And it will support panels and dialogues at the Sundance Film Festival to enhance understanding and recognition of documentary film as a key component of social change.

Throughout the year, JustFilms will announce its work with the other key partners.

JustFilms will spend roughly one-third of its annual budget on each of its three core funding paths (strategic partnerships, open applications, engagement with Ford Foundation grantees). The initiative has also set aside funds for marketing partners who will help filmmakers promote their work and engage directly with audiences.

Some examples of works JustFilms is already supporting:

* "Women, War & Peace," a four-part PBS special, examines the enormously disproportionate suffering of women in today's wars, but also how they are emerging as leaders in brokering peace and forging new international laws governing conflict.
* "Higher Ground" explores the efforts of Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed to petition world leaders to save his island from rising sea levels as a result of climate change.
* "Detroit Hustles Harder" (working title) chronicles the lives of courageous individuals who have made the conscious choice to stay in Detroit to help turn the city around. Their lives and dedication represent not only what can transform the city, but what can renew America.


Learn more about JustFilms at www.fordfoundation.org/justfilms

Explore the expansive collection of documentaries the foundation has supported over the years.

The Ford Foundation is an independent, nonprofit grant-making organization. For more than half a century it has worked with courageous people on the frontlines of social change worldwide, guided by its mission to strengthen democratic values, reduce poverty and injustice, promote international cooperation, and advance human achievement. With headquarters in New York, the foundation has offices in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

www.fordfoundation.org

SOURCE Ford Foundation

CONTACT: In Park City: Alfred Ironside, Ford Foundation Communications Director, a.ironside@fordfoundation.org, or In New York: Suzana Grego, Ford Foundation Media Chief, s.grego@fordfoundation.org, +1-212-573-5128

Web Site: http://www.fordfoundation.org



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