Haters on the loose...

WOooooooow, I did not see this coming.....
It's so wrong in many levels!
1. to assume the Ethiopian public does not deserve any entertainment.
2. to assume every problem, wrong and issue has to be resolved before businesses, individuals, etc.. embark on a venture, that venture being the entertainment business...
3. to link this the any political situation that is.
4.
5. To discourage any potential for a growing entertainment industry to play a role in the financial sector of the country. I question: “should that potential, be ignored, sidelined or maybe shut down”?

As for the mentioned "intellectual" property issue; could it not be worked out via a deal or whatever with the local Copyright holders in Addis? I am sure there are other similar issues all over the world that are sorted out in a legal and satisfying manner to both parties. So why did the author not think of that? Is so insulting....
Or maybe the whole thing might not be financially viable to one party or the other and get closed down, sold or whatever business-nature has in store for it.

And also, about this copyright business, in this situation, it feels so greedy.
Has the presentation of a news show ever been copyrighted? Should we all come up with different ways of presenting and broadcasting the news? How about the circus, if an Ethiopian circus is in business, should they pay fees for intellectual property to the idea holder?
How about cooking shows; there is one in Ethiopia. Sould it be liable to the US food network channel for the idea? How about a way of dancing? Can Ethiopians hold the patent to eskesta? This could get ridiculous.

I am amazed by those who write these types of opinions. They seem to know the pulse of the public in the country from wherever they are, and I bet they are not in Ethiopia. Given the chance, if for example, the person with that opinion was to become part of the leadership of the nation; would he/she tell the entertainment industry (by the way the industry has recently surfaced in a positive and entrepreneurial way), "guys, close up shop, we have other important issues to deal with!"? From idea the author is projecting, that seems be his tone, had he been in the leadership.
What then? Will he be applauded, for being so focused on resolving big issues?
Or will he be labeled stupid, idiot, moron, controlling, etc…

T.

Here is the article…
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Pop goes a nation’s sense of priority
Pop Idol, the television programme in which people who can’t sing are insulted by some other people of no world-historical importance, has taken off in a big way in Ethiopia; record ratings and so on.
They even have their own equivalent of Simon Cowell — a musician called Feleke Hailu who is so nasty to the contestants that on one occasion he was hit with a stick.
The Ethiopians, however, have not obtained permission to make their own version of Pop Idol and FremantleMedia, the London-based company that owns the intellectual copyright for the format, intends to make them pay up.
What a strange thing over which to hold “intellectual” copyright. And it seems a bit of a shame, too, that in their legitimate desire to acquire the accoutrements of First World civilisation, the Ethiopians should have got Pop Idol first, well before, say, competent democratic governance, respect for human rights and food.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2088-1974871,00.html