AMLF 2015 set to unpack digital strategies for media growth

The African Media Leaders Forum (AMLF) 2015 takes place in just over four months in Johannesburg, South Africa, and is expected to present a critical look at the changing nature of media in a digital environment. The event will feature media industry players at the forefront of using digital technology to transform the continent’s media landscape. Leading media innovators from across Africa and the world have been invited to share their experiences, as well as showcase their projects, services and products at the three-day event. This year’s programme also seeks to delve into the role of the African media in helping the continent deal with its development challenges. Thought leaders in journalism and development will facilitate the debate on how the media can serve as an instrument for achieving harmonious and sustainable social and economic transformation. Delegates will have an opportunity to define the role of the media in shaping and informing conversations on development, as the continent tackles rapid economic growth, morphing political landscapes, and technological innovations. AMLF 2015 will provide a platform where individuals and media organizations that have succeeded in harnessing technology to reach new audiences, improve business models, and create social impact can share their experiences. Journalists will also have an opportunity to learn from the best in our pre-forum capacity building workshops to be held from 9-11 November 2015.

The Forum will also serve as a launch pad for AMI’s latest initiative, ZIMEO, which is designed to promote excellence in media through membership of a network that subscribes to a set of ethical principles. The much-awaited premier edition of the Zimeo Excellence in Media Awards will also take place on Friday, 13th November during the event.

This will be the AMLF’s first convention in Southern Africa in its eight-year history. The forum will be co-chaired by Jay Naidoo, Chair of the Partnership Council of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), and Bineta Diop, Founder and President, Femmes Africa Solidarité and Special Envoy for Women, Peace and Security of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission. A South African National Organizing Committee is working alongside the AMLF secretariat to ensure the Forum’s success. The committee members are: Thebe Ikalafeng, Chair of Brand Africa, Louise Vale, Executive Director of the Association of Independent Publishers, Anton Harber, Professor of Journalism at the University of Wits, Ingrid Louw, CEO of Print and Digital Media South Africa, and Mathatha Tsedu, Executive Director of the South African National Editors’ Forum. For more details on the programme, keynote speakers, and to register as a delegate or exhibitor, please visit the AMLF website at www.africanmedialeadersforum.org.