The first session "The Africa Question" will be held 9am-11am on Thursday, 8 September 2011 and will bring up for discussion:

• What are the core digital marketing challenges
  
• What is the main technology platforms driving growth on digital marketing in Africa?
  
• What is the current level of digital skills across the continent and how does this influence strategies
  
• How do marketing communication strategies differ across the various African regions?

• With the fragmentation of channels (300+ TV stations, and radio stations), how does this affect what is done on digital channels?

Digibate host will be radio personality Soli Philander, one of the pioneers of digital radio in Africa. The debate will be made up of three panelists (all experts and thought leaders in their particular fields) and will be moderated by Aegis Media CEO Dawn Rowlands.

"Share information within the industry"

Explains Rowlands, "The Thought Leadership Digibate concept came out of the pure necessity to share information within the industry. Having conversations around and debating relevant issues around topics that are key to the media market is a great source of knowledge.

"We are fortunate enough to be able to use and innovate digital technology to share these debates to the wider marketing and creative community via this online radio platform and our media partner, Bizcommunity, which goes to show how we are able to push the boundaries of technology to get the greater digital marketing message out there."

Adds Warren Harding, Bizcommunity marketing manager, "Teaming up with Aegis Media with the Digibate enhances our strategic objective of providing stimulating meaningful debate around focused areas and relevant topics. Bizcommunity aims to give its readers the best industry news and challenge conventional thinking and [so we] see the value this series of online debates can bring to the industry.

How to listen

The Thought Leadership Digibates will be hosted on a monthly basis, will cover all forms of media (from digital and broadcast to print and out-of-home), and will all be discussed by some of the most respected marketing and media personnel in the industry. Listen live via thetaxi.co.za/listen-live or listen to the podcast here on Bizcommunity in our Aegis Thought Leadership special section after the debate. The official Twitter hashtag is #aegisTL.

Aegis Media is a global marketing services group focused on the two most-strategically significant disciplines in marketing today. In southern Africa, it consists of Carat, Full Circle Media, trigger/isobar, Posterscope, Clickthinking and Vizeum.

For more:

• Bizcommunity Special Section: Aegis Thought Leadership Digibates
  
• Bizcommunity Search: Thought Leadership Digibates
  
• Bizcommunity Twitterfall: #aegisTL