Skip to content

ESAT plans to raise $1 million in 2011

Posted on by EthiopianReview.com

ESAT Press Release

The successful launch of the historic Ethiopian Satellite Television (ESAT) service to Ethiopia on April 21, 2010 represents a giant step in the direction of freedom of information for all Ethiopians. ESAT is the result of the collective efforts of a small group of Ethiopians who are deeply committed to the principles of democracy, human rights and the rule of law. The time, energy and efforts that have gone into this historic effort are simply immeasurable.

During the past year, ESAT has delivered and is still delivering quality programming to Ethiopians at home and in the Diaspora. The ESAT production team has been overwhelmed and gratified by the thousands of telephone calls and e-mail messages it has received from viewers and supporters expressing good will and encouragement. According to many eyewitness accounts from Ethiopia, ESAT has dramatically impacted the lives of its viewers in Ethiopia by enabling citizens to freely express their opinion and by serving as the only independent source of information.

ESAT owes much of its success and popularity to a core group of selfless, dedicated staff and volunteers who work very hard to help ESAT fulfil its mission. However, the current broadcast, the ambitious plan of increasing the programming quality of ESAT and expanding its service to viewers around the world cannot and must not be the responsibility of few individuals. It takes the efforts of many people and enormous financial resources to support a satellite television service of ESAT’s magnitude. The dream of ESAT’s management team is not just to continue the current level of programming but also to increase ESAT’s quality, its capacity and its availability to Ethiopians around the globe.

Therefore, to add more programming, to cover very expensive satellite costs and to put ESAT on a strong financial foundation, ESAT’s governing Board has launched a two-month global campaign to raise $1 million, that will last from January 15 to March 20, 2011. The money raised from the campaign will cover 12 months of our current broadcasting cost and finance ESAT’s expansion plan outlined below. The three-stage implementation of the plan is highly dependent on the amount of funds raised on this campaign.

Stage I

* 50% of the fund ($500,000) secured will be used to pay for:

1. C-Band Satellite Service to Ethiopia, the rest of Africa, Australia, Asia & the Middle East.
2. Studio costs in Amsterdam, Washington D.C and London
3. Reporter’s salary in different Continents

Stage II

* 20% of the fund ($200,000) will be allocated for additional KU-Band Satellite Service purchase to Ethiopia

Stage III

* 30% of the money ($300,000) will be used to cover the cost of additional Satellite Service for North America & Europe

Ethiopia is mired in socioeconomic crisis stemming from the rule of dictatorship. The lack of free and independent media is one of the major reasons that we Ethiopians find ourselves in a cycle of dictatorship.

ESAT was established with the primary objective of breaking this detrimental cycle by imparting reliable and factual information. In fact, many Ethiopians and friends of Ethiopia have already applauded ESAT’s impartiality and its strong determination to lay the foundation of free media in Ethiopia. We believe that any disruption or discontinuity of ESAT’s broadcasting due to financial problems simply puts Ethiopians back in the dark, and most importantly, it puts a break on our collective effort to overcome tyranny.

We extend our call to all Ethiopians to take the pride of breaking the media monopoly in Ethiopia by participating in every facet of ESAT’s fund raising campaign. We believe there will be no better way of empowering people than giving them credible information to make their own decisions. Information is central to democracy and it is a necessary condition for development; therefore, helping the free flow of information fulfils our two goals of democracy and development.

Long live the free spirit of ESAT!!!

www.ethsat.com

12 thoughts on “ESAT plans to raise $1 million in 2011”

  4. The problem in Ethiopian or in Africa in general is this: the opposition does the same exact thing as the regime in power.the same exact thing they criticize the government for. A good example would be the media and especially the diaspora media. None of them even try to give the other side a chance-only one side of the story is told. No balance, no separation of news and opinion. The lack of journalistic ethics is deep rooted. The same media outlets that accuse the government media of serving one side prohibits you from expressing a different opinion.But there are some who are professional. VOA and Awramba Times stand out as the best while the pal talk rooms and the diaspora web sites are disappointments.In short lets do what we preach

  5. 1 million dollars for ESAT feels like excaggeration. But it may also prove the capapctiy of Ethiopians for achieving freedom with out bloodshed. When did we ever achieve out positive goals. Suprise me with this one. If you achieve half of your goal count me in for a one year $1000.00 installement payment. That will remove my suspicion and caution of of corruption and the step towards refined focus and goal by ESAT.
    But for now my limited contributions will go to Elias’s legal fund. We have to prove ourselves in issues like Elias’s case to see if we can do some thing bigger. Then we can talk and be trusted on delivering big.

  8. My Ethiopian brothers, where are all the “Eritreans”, who come here and supposedly support Ethioipa.
    When it comes to meaningful discussion to help Ethopia, they are silent. When it comes for a chance to divide, they jump and acquire an Ethioian nickname.
    We have now figured them out.
    I hope all of us Ethioipans pay attention to these foolish shaebia cadres.

  9. I will be giving at least 50 dollars a month along with some of my family members to ESAT, good job ESAT and keep up the great job as i am not supporting any party but i have to support ESAT as this is a support of a free media to our people in ethiopia who suffers with lack of independent media and information as the govt controls every media for it’s propaganda. Let ethiopians stand beside ESAT and help esat by any means possible.

  10. To badme stone says

    I don’t thing there is that much of devotion by Eritreans as you may have suspected but if they do what is wrong with that. Every one takes care of his/her own. You better forcus on what you can do. I dont believe what Eritreans say on this forum will divide Ethiopians. If Ethiopians will be/are divided it is their fault not Ethiopians. I don’t think this is a well desrved blame. Eritreans have done their home work long ago and now they have other problems. Lets focus on what we can do. I am not saying this to you only but to every one who thinks like you. Half of the people in this forum are pretenders but the struggle is not here. Don’t you worry.

Leave a Reply