No Law & Order

Ghana has four TV channels, but only three seem to come through in my part of Accra. The programming that I witness (mostly weeknights) consists of news, soap operas, and African movies. Shows often start and stop at random times partway through the program. There are probably 10 commercials on rotation, many with a homemade look or offering products to cure all your problems. The sound levels change randomly with no explanation. All of this would be more than tolerable if it weren’t for the content.

Soap Operas. The local ones are the least extreme and probably least popular, except the one in Twi that incorporates native doctors, chiefs, blackmail, and polygamy. There are various imported shows dubbed just for Ghanaians. Think of the most stereotypical, overly dramatic soap operas you’ve ever seen (silicone, dramatic pauses with zoom-ins, forbidden love, long lost relatives) and multiply by ten. I’ve seen 5 year olds who could write and act more convincingly. When I first saw them I snickered and looked around for someone to laugh with … nothing. Everyone takes them seriously, even if they don’t enjoy the spectacular. I have lived very happily without TV in Canada for months on end, but I must say I miss our shows.

Nigerian movies are the most popular with Ghanaian. I think they are worse than the soap operas. The plot is usually centred on true love causing cheating, revenge, and malicious words and actions. I usually sit in the living room while all this is going on with my book or laptop. It’s often too horrific to look away. I must admit I have caught myself getting involved a few times. I am definitely more verbal with my reactions, to the TV and in general.

The news. All I watch is news. We start with TV3 at 6:30 then switch to GTV between 7 and 7:30. Sometime around 9 when we get tired of surfing we watch Metro News. Then the late edition on the first two channels starts at 10:30 but I’m normally headed to bed by that time (have I mentioned how I’m turning into a morning person?). The newscasters read from paper on the table in front of them and seem to recap stories more than anything. I have never heard the words “capacity building” so frequently on television. Initiative for farmers, fishing villages, hawkers, the stigmatized are well explained and touted. There is an amazing amount of coverage on local projects, challenges facing Ghanaians, crime, and travels of the president. I swear every night they show Kufour in three different places (sometimes countries). Talk of potential bills and debates is replaced with actions taken by local government and circles of people ranting in several languages. The footage of crimes committed is often shocking, if not for its graphic nature, then for its blatant assumption that the suspects are guilty. Technical errors are also abundant. Story footage often doesn’t come through, leaving the newscaster with a fake smile or airing unintended comments. My highlight of the business news is the stock market listing. The currency moves occasionally against the US dollar and Euro, but the equities are racing if they change one or two cedis (the cheapest thing I’ve bought was 300 cedis). The worst part is hearing from people working with Journalist Without Borders about “incentives” for networks attending press conferences.

One day Joanne and I went to a co-worker’s house for dinner and saw a program called Fun House. This show is straight out of the 80s but I have no recollection of it (probably due to my limited TV time as a child, thanks mom). Joanne was very nostalgic about it and tuned in again a few weeks later. It appears that the network shows a tape from 1988, complete with commercials. What about this is to anyone’s advantage? The tape would make a pretty penny on eBay.


Totally unrelated: check out my photos from last weekend's trip to Boti Falls.