Link TV's Two-Hour Special on Spiraling African Poverty Cites Western Globalization Policies as Part of the Problem

July 22, 2002 - Despite two decades of Western policy initiatives and investment strategies to help lift Africa out of poverty, the cure may prove worse than the disease. Link TV's upcoming July 24 special, Africa: The Politics of Poverty, points out that although money and advice have been showered on Africa by organizations such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, there are more poor people on the continent today than ever.

The groundbreaking program features U.S. and African economic policy experts and call-in commentary from viewers across the nation. The 2-hour special features a recent BBC documentary, Profits of Doom, showing the dire and increasing poverty in the West African nation of Ghana, once hailed as a showcase of World Bank policies. Guests taking questions include Robert Liebenthal, Senior Advisor for Africa at the World Bank; Njoki Nehu, Executive Director of 50 Years is Enough, which seeks alternatives to globalization models; Tony Fratto, Director of Public Affairs, U.S. Treasury; and Thomas Paley, Director of the Globalization Reform Project for the Open Society Institute.

A part of Link TV's continuing Global Talk series, the Africa special originated in Washington, D.C. July 12, and will be broadcast nationally July 24 at 10:00 p.m. EDT (7:00 p.m. PDT) on DIRECT TV channel 375 and DISH Network channel 9410. "The Link TV mission is to keep the critical issues of our time in front of the public and we believe globalization - its benefits and misdeeds - requires continuing serious exploration," said Kim Spencer, President of Link TV. Link TV is American's only national television network bringing U.S. audiences unfiltered global views of news, events and other cultures.

Evelyn Messinger, the producer who created the African special, commented that Africa's intractable poverty made some news during the recent G8 Summit, but then faded from sight. "There is very little serious coverage of this problem available to U.S. viewers," she said. "For example, few Americans are aware that gold is Ghana's biggest export, and two thirds of the land is under concession to foreign mining companies, who scar the land and disrupt villages and farms with open pits everywhere. But while the mining concerns reap millions, the average Ghanaian lives on about $3.00 a week, and about half of that goes to pay cash for water and toilet facilities. Similarly, most U.S. taxpayers don't realize that every time they fund an agricultural subsidy, they put more African farmers out of work, because it is cheaper for Africa to import our subsidized rice than grow its own.

"We hope that our Global Talk series, offering unique programs like The Politics of Poverty, can help American viewers understand these complex matters and contribute to lasting solutions."

Link TV is headquartered in San Rafael, California, with studios in San Francisco and offices in New York and Washington, D.C.

Link TV is seen on DIRECTV channel 375 and on DISH Network channel 9410. For complete program scheduling information, go to www.LinkTV.org.