Friday, October 9, 2009

BBC3 Kids with Machetes

I was thrilled to learn that the BBC were doing a documentary about the Cote d'Ivoire.

Watching the first episode last night, I winced, I tried to block out the narration, I tried to pretend that in fact I was watching a children's TV show, all this at 9pm UK time.

If the BBC insist on calling country 'Ivory Coast' that's fine, but please, realise there's an article before it, 'the Ivory Coast'. The presenter herself (who got sick with malaria - did she take any prolaxysis?) was unbelievably naive with a dreadful grasp of the English language. Speaking to locals using very familiar English language made it all the more painful to watch.

The story was about kids in the cocoa plantations near San Pedro working with machetes. It could have been brilliantly portrayed especially at that time of night. Instead we were subjected to watch a program fit for 10 year olds who love Blue Peter, it didn't get to the root of the problem in any way, shape or form.

BBC, please don't disappoint in future. I would be embarrassed to show this to my friends in the Cote d'Ivoire! It's a shame the BBC crew over there weren't able to control some of the content. I feel it would have been far better if they had been able to as they understand the situation.

End of rant ...

2 comments:

eddie said...

Ayoka Kira. Thanks for commenting on this on my blog.

Unknown said...

Machetes, like many tools, can be used for work as well as for violence. The style of machete most popular for agriculture in Africa is the panga machete. The weighted blade is necessary for chopping thick and woody vegetation.