28th November 1999

Any publicity is better than no publicity

“I think” Percy Udagedera, Bindu’s father said, “ they want to regulate it…”

“But how will they do that?”

“They say they will ban all interviews with candidates on private TV channels…”

“And who will oversee that?”

“Why, Bindu, they have appointed a committee headed by the person who recently led the crossover…”

“Will he do a good job of it…”

“Of course, Bindu, he has to or else he will lose his job. Even now he is on probation and this is his first assignment…”

“But is it fair to ban all these interviews, thaaththa?”

“They say it is; or else a private TV channel could devote all its time to one candidate…”

“But thaaththa, even now the state-owned channels are devoting all their time to one candidate…”

“Why do you say that?”

“Why thaaththa, they devote all their time praising the deeds of Satellite…”

“But I think they spend more time on her main opponent…”

“But thaaththa” Bindu argued, “they don’t praise him, they criticize him all the time…”

“In this business, Bindu” Percy said, “any publicity is better than no publicity…”

“Why do you say that?”

“Why, just look at why people like Vasu and the Bhoomiputra chap are contesting; it’s only to get some free time on television…”

“But what will happen if they ban all those interviews on the private TV channels…”

“Then, maybe they can only appear in paid advertisements…”

“That will be terrible, thaaththa”

“Why do you say that?”

“Why, thaaththa, they are showing the cricket matches on TV these days…”

“So, what’s wrong with that?”

“Why, thaaththa, just imagine Hudson or Vasu appearing at the end of every over and asking you to vote for them…”

“But” Percy observed, “I think will lead to the production of some good advertisements…”

“Why do you say that?”

“The greens” Percy said, “can use that ‘maduru coil’ advertisement…”

“How is that, thaaththa?” Bindu wanted to know.

“Why, they show the General whistling and walking into a room…”

“And then what happens?”

“Then, the tigers, dressed up as young ladies ask, ‘may, uthura neganahira thiyenawada?’…”

“And what does the General say?”

“And the General says, ‘dennang…!; oyagollanta ona avurudu keeyak paththuwena ekakda?”

“And then what happens?”

“And then they finally show the General hitting himself with his walking stick and saying ‘egolla okkoma gaththane!’…”

Bindu really wished they produced more advertisements like that.

Hulftsdorp Hill

Editorial/ Opinion Contents