Ethiopia: TV in Africa -3-Year Streaming

This documentary studies the cultural landscape of Ethiopia through the lens of that country’s television programming. TV shows include… • 120 Minutes: The government keeps an iron grip on Ethiopian television, so 120 Minutes, the national channel’s flagship magazine program, is politically correct and scrupulously uncontroversial. 120 Minutes confines itself to exploring the far-flung regions of Ethiopia and covering topical subjects in Ethiopian society. • Feguegta Talk Show: In Ethiopia’s conservative and patriarchal society, sexuality is a taboo subject. Still, the TV program Feguegta Talk Show is making an effort to raise awareness about AIDS. • The Blue Horse: Ethiopians who want to see a movie on television have to get it on DVD because TV stations simply cannot afford to air them. The Blue Horse, a science fiction romance between a visionary scientist and a young author whose books have been banned, is a popular title. • Ke Naw: Ke Naw—a story about a middle-class couple and the way their poor maid, trying to educate and better herself, is tyrannized by her bullying, jealous mistress—is a typical series on Ethiopian television. • Tsehai the Giraffe Likes to Learn: A lot of children don’t attend nursery school in Ethiopia because it’s too expensive, so TV stands in for the teacher. Supported by UNESCO, Tsehai the Giraffe Likes to Learn is the top children’s program. • Blue Nile: The highly popular Ethiopian television program Blue Nile is a showcase for all the household names of the Ethiopian artistic scene. • Ethiopian Idols: There aren’t many imported concepts on Ethiopian TV, but one show has been causing quite a stir since it first aired: Ethiopian Idols. Young Ethiopians travel from every part of the country to try to win fame and glory in front of judges who have become known for the forthrightness of their criticism. Some content may be objectionable. A part of the series TV in Africa. (Portions with English subtitles, 26 minutes) Length 26 min. © Copyright 2009