Press Release

Synovate media expert to speak at the SAARF 6^th Symposium

BRYANSTON - Steve Garton, Global Head of Media at Synovate, will be making his way back to South Africa to speak at SAARF’s annual symposium. Garton, hosted by African Response, will present new insights into the relationship between media and its audiences, and how digital technology will change the future of advertising.

Steve Garton addressed the South African media industry in October last year, at From Prime Time to My Time, a media event hosted by African Response. Here Garton addressed the key issues for media as we move into an increasingly digital world with an increasingly distracted audience. The age of ‘Perpetual Partial Attention’ is upon us – our audiences are no longer passive participants but can actively decide on which media they choose to engage with.

"As the co-contractor on the SAARF AMPS® and RAMS® surveys, we are delighted to be associated with Steve and excited about integrating the changes in media into our measurement of media in South Africa", states Beatrice Kubheka, Managing Director of African Response.

African Response was awarded half the AMPS® and RAMS® contracts in October 2004, and immediately began preparing to go into field in February 2005. "We took it upon ourselves to run a CAPI pilot study to ensure our audience levels would not be different to Nielsen Media Research’s." Dr Anina Maree, Media Director at African Response stated at the time. Since then, African Response has trained and transferred skills to 160 interviewers. From pen-and-paper interviewing, interviewers have been skilled to use a technology for the first time. Our fieldworkers are now known for the lengths they will go to, to get the job done correctly. African Response not only proved that it could deliver on a new and very challenging project, but also introduce a freshness to the project with new technology and questionnaire changes, as well as new language translations.

'The SAARF surveys are invaluable in their contribution to the media industry in this country’ states Kubheka. 'it is still the only constant measure of readership, viewership and listenership. It is great news for the industry that SAARF communicate new trends and developments in their area of expertise'.

The 6th SAARF Media Research Symposium is taking place from 28-30 March 2007 at Kwa Maritane Game Lodge in the North West province. Joining Steve Garton is a panel of top international speakers who will speak within the framework of this year’s symposium theme: Media Research Challenges – Perspectives from Different Continents. To register for the symposium, go to www.saarf.co.za

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About African Response

African Response is the most empowered, black owned, black managed research agency in South Africa. Established in an equity relationship with Synovate we offer a full complement of research skills.

African Response prides itself upon an exceptional ability to understand and interpret the needs of the South African black urban and rural consumer. We offer clients customized qualitative and quantitative research, innovative ideas and practical solutions. African Response's vision is to significantly improve clients' business performance and to achieve excellence through utilization of the wide knowledge and experience of our partners.