eMedia Investments makes key appointments

eMedia Investments appoints Maxwell Nonge as the group’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO). eNCA’s Patrick Conroy takes over as Managing Director of OpenView HD.  Award-winning journalist/editor, Anton Harber is appointed Editor in Chief of eNCA.

In line with its strategies for the future, eMedia Investments has made the changes to meet future opportunities and challenges of the media group. Maxwell Nonge the current head of OpenView HD will move into the new Group CTO position. OpenView HD is South Africa’s fast growing new satellite TV service, with over 360,000 subscribers.

Maxwell Nonge is a highly qualified technology and telecommunications specialist, having worked in the telecommunications industry for many years. Nonge headed up the launch of OpenView HD in 2013 and has previously held senior positions at Sentech. His knowledge and technological experience will allow him to leverage technology across the group and take advantage of the rapidly changing media environment.  Group Chief Operating Officer, Mark Rosin explains that Nonge is well positioned to help integrate the IT and broadcast environments and future-proof the business.

Rosin explained that they wanted Conroy to fill the vacancy left by Nonge. “Patrick is really strong operationally and has a deeply developed marketing background. Since 2005, Patrick has built a news company and a management team which is world class. We believe he has the skills to capitalise on OpenView’s success to date and also to build the platform’s revenue generating opportunities. He will also look to explore a new content marketing opportunity which we believe is important to a rapidly evolving media environment.”

Conroy has a proven track record of success in the group says Rosin, “Over the past 10 years he took eNews from a 30 minute nightly newscast to a multi-platform news business including South Africa’s first 24 hour news channel, an isiZulu news offering, Afrikaans news and a fully functional digital division.”

“Conroy and Nonge also know each other very well and will be working closely together to develop strategies for the group,” he adds.

Harber takes over the leadership of the Group’s news division under a fixed term contract.  Rosin says, “Anton’s extensive experience in South African Media will allow him to mentor and grow the future leaders of the television news industry. He is a seasoned journalist, experienced manager and highly respected professional.  We are thrilled to have him join our group.”

Harber describes himself as a writer, journalist, educator and media entrepreneur. He is the Caxton Professor of Journalism at the University of the Witwatersrand, a board member of the Global Investigative Journalism Network, was a founder of the Weekly Mail (now the Mail & Guardian) and is the author of ‘Diepsloot’.

The news division will fill the position of Group News Editor in the near future.

The changing nature of the group in a dynamic media environment, says Rosin, necessitated looking at these positions and appointments during the latter part of 2015.  We are pleased to be able to implement them on 1 March, before the commencement of our new financial year.

Statement issued by Vasili Vass, Group Head: Corporate Affairs, eMedia Investments, 5 February 2016