From: Biniam Haile \(SWE\) (eritrea.lave@comhem.se)
Date: Fri Jul 03 2009 - 10:11:24 EDT
Selam Sammy G!
Thanks for your enlightening comments.You see, I've received 15 e-mails
regarding Eri-TV. I must say that I'm quite surprised that all of them
agree with me - this is quite unique actually.
Obviously something is wrong and I think the GOE should act before it is
too late. The impact that TV can have on a culture should not be
underestimated. Let's face it, selflessness, honesty and a lack of
aggressive materialism have long been the bedrock of Eritrean culture.
These values could blow away like dust before the onslaught of Western
TV programming being broadcast into Eritrean cities and villages.
Basically I think that those who cannot comprehend that our culture and
values form the bedrock of our existence should not be allowed to work
for Eri-TV. The stakes are too high for the us to turn a blind eye to
the destruction of Eritrean cultures by the onslaught of Western
culture.
Biniam Haile
From: Sammy G. (
<mailto:xxxxxx@hotmail.com?Subject=Re:%20[DEHAI]%20Re:%20Eri-TV's%20H
ollywood%20Content%20&%20Timing&In-Reply-To=> ">xxxxxx@hotmail.com)
Date: Thu Jul 02 2009 - 13:37:39 EDT
Selam Biniam,
I completely agree. Junk films such as "Pro-Wrestling" are inappropriate
to young children. They promote violence, bullying & confrontation and
have no value whatsoever in my opinion.
Speaking of inappropriate films, last night, ERI-TV showed a movie
called "American Wedding" around 10:40PM Asmara time. My family caught a
re-run around 9:40PM East Coast USA time.
Wow! I had to yank my kids from their seats faster than a fighter jet
can yank a pilot from the ejection seat! The first scene of the movie is
a conversation between a father and his son (and a girl under the
table). And it included a type of sexual act and nudity that merits no
mentioning. And the movie contains more offensive sexual language per
scene than any movie I can think of.
Those of you who know or have heard of the "American Pie" film series
know of what "American Wedding" can be like. It is essentially the same
actors with the same over-sexualized Hollywood garbage. You may check
the following link for a more fitting review of the film by Margaret A.
McGurk of The Cincinnati Enquirer:
http://cincinnati.com/freetime/movies/reviews/08012003_americanwedding.h
tml
Don't get me wrong. I love ERI-TV. And I love the fact that ERI-TV staff
is dominated by brilliant & young Eritrean professionals of the Warsai
generation. I also personally think satellite broadcast of ERI-TV was
one of the best thing to happen to Eritrea since independence. So I
don't mean to criticize ERI-TV staff' over what is appropriate or not.
Because they are the real professionals and they keep demonstrating
their amazing skill and judgment.
But certain timing of ERI-TV's satellite programs and choices of
Hollywood entertainment sucks. Ironically, it often feels like ERI-TV's
evening/re-run for USA East/West coast consumption (8:00PM to Midnight)
is usually dominated by same Hollywood junk that we try to get away
from! (BTW, the Woyane satellite channel often serves news and analysis
on those same ours).
Finaly, it's bad enough that some Asmara video shops and certain western
"Dish" satellites channels continuously promote "digital cocaine" for
the youth. But ERI-TV must resist such tasteless Hollywood content at
any cost.
-Sammy G.