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| ‘EA Live’: Down but Not Out |
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| Posted on: 2007-Jul-28 Jive |
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The return of Earl Ankrah to the screens of Ghana Television was preceded by so much hype. He announced his comeback in a James Bond fashion, whipping up so much interest in the programme that marked his return: ‘EA Live’. But the programme did not last long and was taken off air after just a few screenings.
‘EA Live’ started airing on GTV in October 2006. By February this year, it was off the air. In the last episode, some radio and TV presenters were seen quaffing hard liquor and seemingly having a good time. No reasons have been given for the programme’s early demise…until now. According to Earl Ankrah, the programme has taken a “deliberate break” but will certainly bounce back “soon”. He says the idea is for the programme to air for just 13 weeks every year.
Given the hype the programme received before it went to air, one can say that it didn’t make much impact. Not that it wasn’t good. Far from it. Production standards were quite high and it was also very interesting to see Earl trying to do something totally different instead of taking an easy route like many of his compatriots tend to do. The problem was with the programme’s time slot: 11pm.
How many people stay up that late to watch a TV programme in these hard times, especially when the programme has not attained a certain pedigree? The blackouts also did not help matters because it created a situation which made it impossible for the few loyal viewers to watch the programme regularly. You see it today, you can’t see it next week because you don’t have electricity.
Despite its shortcomings in the first season, Earl Ankrah says he’s focused on making the next season better. He says he prefers to work like a musician who releases an album, goes into hibernation and starts working on a new one. So he’s deliberately laying low for now, using the peace and quite to plot the next season of ‘EA Live’.
He concedes that there are a lot of challenges to be dealt with if the programme is to make a successful comeback. “Production is intensive, takes a long while and a lot of hard work and even getting the right resource people to agree to come on the show is problem,” he says. Money is also an issue and that is one of the main reasons why they’ve decided that the programme should air for just 13 weeks every year.
Earl believes Ghanaians have appreciated the show because he received very positive phone calls, text message and emails from many people. “Considering that the programme was aired very late in the day, this was surprising,” he says. “But I was not personally satisfied with the first season.”
For now all the thirteen episodes for the next season have been planned and the budget drawn and Earl is optimistic that the next season will be better. One can only hope. But one thing is for sure: the programme will not return this year, but sometime in the next.
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