The search for funders is ongoing. We apply with Hivos, FreeVoice, OSISA and Samdef on a regular basis. It is not easy to receive funding but we keep our hopes up. We are now moving quicker, producing more and more interesting research proposals, to different funders to ensure that we can work on a project this year.

There is still a lot to research within the  Southern African media landscape, especially when it comes to mobile media and using new media for social justice and activism. EvN will continue writing research proposals that aim to uplift the standards of journalism and fight for the voiceless in 2010.

First of all there are the media houses themselves, then the advertisers and lastly the audience.

Several questions pop-up: how sustainable are mobile news platforms for media houses and are mobile solutions profitable? Do advertisers want to pay for cell-phone advertisements and are South Africans prepared to pay for news content on their cell phones?

Ultimately

Obviously these are topics that need to be researched: most South Africans have access to cell phones and research into mobile platforms have not been this complete and detailed. It will not only contribute to the knowledge of the media houses but also examine its target audience and the advertisement market. Ultimately, it would provide a resource that other African media houses can consult when developing a mobile content platform.

If there are people or companies who can assist, have helpful hints or ideas, you can leave a comment or contact Elvira.