Sun’s Fun ends with Gun
Sep 20, 2016
The ITN or ‘your family channel’ has become a news-maker after a long time after airing a trailer for a serial drama that is ‘suitable for adults after the children went to sleep.’ The US serial drama ‘Homeland’ was to be telecast at 10.30 pm on Sundays, but has been put on halt due to controversy. The media has reported that there are responses for and against the decision.
Leaving aside the pros and cons of those responses, it should be said that Saman Athaudahetti’s first publicity stunt at ITN has been a success. That is because, the opposing parties have given, and are still giving, it full publicity free of charge.
The following is not about that matter, but about the past experiences.
Ranil Wickremesinghe said one day, “What are these national newspapers? Like ‘Sun’ in England, they should publish a woman’s topless picture on the third page and give some fun.” We may have various opinions about his remark. We are talking here not purely on a standpoint of morality. However, in the Sri Lankan history, such Fun by Sun ended with the Gun.
When he was the youth affairs minister, Ranil conducted youth camps under the ‘Yovun Pura’ concept and attempted to give some fun for the youths. There, condoms were unofficially distributed to the participating youths. At that time, that was in 1982, that was unthinkable. From 1982, Fun became bigger by 1984 and was much popular among the youths. Youths camps were contesting shoulder to shoulder with president Premadasa’s ‘Gam Udawa’ concept. By 1985, the Fun was in a climax. But, come 1987, Sun’s Fun was ended with the Gun, and the youth took to arms. They rioted.
This is not a simple incident or unrelated. In 2002, when Ranil was the PM, together with Prof. Ganganath, he tried to give Fun by showing girls’ legs under the table with ITN news. The government was overthrown and time was not enough and the Fun was not taken any further. But, the Fun that was to be given through bracelets and chewing gum ended with the Gun by 2009. We are not talking mere imagination, but about the past of a social process.
England’s Sun is a newspaper subscribed to by millions. Its readers are from the working class. During their leisure time, they used to took a look at pictures of topless women in the newspaper and had some fun. They did not take the newspapers home. However, on a request by feminists in England, a year ago, Rupert Merdoch and others stopped publishing semi-nude pictures.
What Ranil has is a conceptual misconception. He still lives in a dream of bracelets and chewing gums to give Fun. Sri Lanka has set records by searching the keyword ‘sex’ in google. Sri Lankans do not know even the correct word to search for pornography. Therefore, the demand of a country that searches the internet for sex cannot be satisfied through ITN. On the other hand, problems of youths cannot be solved through reaching orgasm. After orgasm comes hunger. Then, in a country in which not even a cup of tea is available, sex ends with death. PM Ranil should learn not to think lightly about the Sri Lankan youths and their problems. He should understand that youth unrest is not about sex, and youth unrest begins after the orgasm.
Also, world famous, classical serial dramas should definitely be introduced to the Sri Lankan viewership. Through them, the Sri Lankans should be allowed to experience the various aspects of humanity. But, that should be done not through cheap tricks of marketing. It is true that Saman Athaudahetti is a media veteran close to Ranil. However, cheap marketing games will result in the so-called nationalists (who really are racists) playing havoc by looking for Victorian morals from those serial dramas. Therefore, reaching out to the Sri Lankan public with art should be done wisely.
The following is not about that matter, but about the past experiences.
Ranil Wickremesinghe said one day, “What are these national newspapers? Like ‘Sun’ in England, they should publish a woman’s topless picture on the third page and give some fun.” We may have various opinions about his remark. We are talking here not purely on a standpoint of morality. However, in the Sri Lankan history, such Fun by Sun ended with the Gun.
When he was the youth affairs minister, Ranil conducted youth camps under the ‘Yovun Pura’ concept and attempted to give some fun for the youths. There, condoms were unofficially distributed to the participating youths. At that time, that was in 1982, that was unthinkable. From 1982, Fun became bigger by 1984 and was much popular among the youths. Youths camps were contesting shoulder to shoulder with president Premadasa’s ‘Gam Udawa’ concept. By 1985, the Fun was in a climax. But, come 1987, Sun’s Fun was ended with the Gun, and the youth took to arms. They rioted.
This is not a simple incident or unrelated. In 2002, when Ranil was the PM, together with Prof. Ganganath, he tried to give Fun by showing girls’ legs under the table with ITN news. The government was overthrown and time was not enough and the Fun was not taken any further. But, the Fun that was to be given through bracelets and chewing gum ended with the Gun by 2009. We are not talking mere imagination, but about the past of a social process.
England’s Sun is a newspaper subscribed to by millions. Its readers are from the working class. During their leisure time, they used to took a look at pictures of topless women in the newspaper and had some fun. They did not take the newspapers home. However, on a request by feminists in England, a year ago, Rupert Merdoch and others stopped publishing semi-nude pictures.
What Ranil has is a conceptual misconception. He still lives in a dream of bracelets and chewing gums to give Fun. Sri Lanka has set records by searching the keyword ‘sex’ in google. Sri Lankans do not know even the correct word to search for pornography. Therefore, the demand of a country that searches the internet for sex cannot be satisfied through ITN. On the other hand, problems of youths cannot be solved through reaching orgasm. After orgasm comes hunger. Then, in a country in which not even a cup of tea is available, sex ends with death. PM Ranil should learn not to think lightly about the Sri Lankan youths and their problems. He should understand that youth unrest is not about sex, and youth unrest begins after the orgasm.
Also, world famous, classical serial dramas should definitely be introduced to the Sri Lankan viewership. Through them, the Sri Lankans should be allowed to experience the various aspects of humanity. But, that should be done not through cheap tricks of marketing. It is true that Saman Athaudahetti is a media veteran close to Ranil. However, cheap marketing games will result in the so-called nationalists (who really are racists) playing havoc by looking for Victorian morals from those serial dramas. Therefore, reaching out to the Sri Lankan public with art should be done wisely.
