Canal+ bid for Multichoice comes as Netflix cedes African lead to Multichoice-owned streamer Showmax

Canal+ bid for Multichoice comes as Netflix cedes African lead to Multichoice-owned streamer Showmax

By Seth Onyango, via bird story agency A major shake-up in the African streaming market is looming as Multichoice faces a takeover bid from French media giant, Vivendi SE’s Canal+. A tie-up could deal another blow to Netflix which lost its continental lead last November, relinquishing 5% of its share to its top rival Showmax, while Amazon Prime gained ground. Omdia Research data shows that Netflix in 2023 […]

February 8, 2024 64

Opinion Pieces

Using AI to monitor the internet for terror content is inescapable – but also fraught with pitfalls

shutterstock. metamorworks/Shutterstock Stuart Macdonald, Swansea University; Ashley A. Mattheis, Dublin City University, and David Wells, Swansea University Every minute, millions of social media posts, photos and videos flood the internet. On average, Facebook users share 694,000 stories, X (formerly Twitter) users post 360,000 posts, Snapchat users send 2.7 million snaps and YouTube users upload more than 500 hours of video. This vast ocean of online material needs to be constantly […]

February 7, 2024 19

Lifestyle

How AI could change our relationship with religion

Metamorworks / Shutterstock Sreevas Sahasranamam, University of Glasgow Science and faith are often kept in two distinct boxes that hardly ever intersect. However, I believe that as AI becomes more mainstream, it will fundamentally alter our engagement with faith and spirituality. Let’s start by looking at what is already happening. Most ancient faith-related texts were documented in papyrus and palm leaves, many of which are difficult to access in the […]

February 6, 2024 41

Science & Technology

South Africa’s internet space is getting hotter

By Bonface Orucho, bird story agency A surge in internet connectivity and speeds will amplify opportunities within South Africa's already flourishing digital economy, executives in the sector believe. Africa-focused news platform Innovation Village reported the 2Africa subsea cable project is expected to be operational in the Rainbow Nation in 2024. “We expect 2Africa West and 2Africa East to be live by the end of the year,” David […]

February 6, 2024 35

Health / Medical

Thirty years of rural health research: South Africa’s Agincourt studies offer unique insights

By Stephen Tollman, University of the Witwatersrand and Kathleen Kahn, University of the Witwatersrand In 1992 a group of academics from the University of the Witwatersrand introduced a health and socio-demographic surveillance system in remote, rural South Africa to track and understand health and wellbeing in these environments. This initiative built on pioneering work by a Wits team to establish a health systems development unit in a […]

February 6, 2024 33

Opinion Pieces

Are social media apps ‘dangerous products’? 2 scholars explain how the companies rely on young users but fail to protect them

The CEOs of Discord, Snap, TikTok, X and Meta prepare to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Jan. 31, 2024. Alex Wong/Getty Images Joan Donovan, Boston University and Sara Parker, McGill University “You have blood on your hands.” “I’m sorry for everything you have all been through.” These quotes, the first from Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., speaking to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and the second from Zuckerberg to families […]

February 2, 2024 29

Opinion Pieces

ChatGPT is the push higher education needs to rethink assessment

Sioux McKenna, Rhodes University; Dan Dixon, University of Sydney; Daniel Oppenheimer, Carnegie Mellon University; Margaret Blackie, Rhodes University, and Sam Illingworth, Edinburgh Napier University The COVID-19 pandemic was a shock to higher education systems everywhere. But while some changes, like moving lectures online, were relatively easy to make, assessment posed a much bigger challenge. Assessment can take many forms, from essays to exams to experiments and more. Many institutions and […]

February 1, 2024 45

Opinion Pieces

Harnessing 5G for Entrepreneurs

The arrival of Fifth Generation (5G) technology signals a new era of connectivity set to empower entrepreneurs and businesses across Namibia. As the world transitions into greater digitalisation, 5G stands poised to radically transform how enterprises operate, innovate, and thrive. The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) recognises the immense potential of 5G to activate entrepreneurship and cultivate startups within the nation.1 With unmatched speeds, ultra-low latency, and expanded bandwidth, […]

February 1, 2024 25

Opinion Pieces

Teens on social media need both protection and privacy – AI could help get the balance right

Social media can be both dangerous and a lifeline for teens. The Good Brigade/DigitalVision via Getty Images Afsaneh Razi, Drexel University Meta announced on Jan. 9, 2024, that it will protect teen users by blocking them from viewing content on Instagram and Facebook that the company deems to be harmful, including content related to suicide and eating disorders. The move comes as federal and state governments have increased pressure on […]

February 1, 2024 28