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Global Village
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Happy 2000th…and Counting
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Enlarge textWhen Global Village started on 30 November 1998 it was scheduled alongside news programs on other channels and U.S. sitcoms. And, 10 years later I guess we can say Global Village continues to hold its own. Why?
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Well that's best left to the experts in the field. What I can deduce is that the inherent humanity in many of these stories is something that has touched a great deal of viewers around the country. This has been confirmed by the letters that keep coming in from viewers to tell us so. Maybe they all don't want the U.S. sitcoms or the real-life drama of the news programs when they are about to have dinner.
When it came to the idea of letting viewers choose their favourite stories to celebrate our 2000th episode, I thought we should concentrate mostly on the stories that first appeared in the series - the French series called Faraway People as this is where viewers formed their first impression of Global Village.
Wading through well over 900 documentaries that appeared over the years from the FARAWAY… series and filmed by countless producers worldwide who I'd never met I thought what were they all trying to show us in their stories?
Many deal with people, societies, minority races and individuals in faraway lands living lives different to ours and yet lives we can, if not identify with then certainly empathise with. It dealt with elements that define a people's identity. We saw nomadic people in Africa and the Middle East talking candidly on camera as we might do ourselves if someone shoved a camera in front of us. They were presented as ordinary people going about their daily lives and allowed to speak for themselves.
There were stories of individuals who achieved great feats of human endeavour, ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. The postman in Mafate on Reunion Island was such an individual who does his mail run on foot covering hundreds of kilometres over mountains, streams and forests. I still recall the viewers who were so moved by this they wanted his address so they could send him a new pair of sneakers. And he never complained about how hard his job is.
Others strived to make their dream come true. One such a person was Tony Amato, a passionate Italian-America from New York whose dream was to open his own opera house. And he did! Together with his wife, who made all the costumes, the Amato's financed their Seasons of Opera for decades. Tony would not only conduct the performances but sing the roles as well if any singer became ill. Amato Opera is still going strong today even though Tony retired this year. The fact that the renowned Metropolitan Opera House was a few blocks away never deterred Tony in his glorious quest!
To be continued next week.
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04 Nov 2010 9:07 AEST
From: Greystanes NSW
Global Village
Please keep this series going. Its the only program I deliberately look for in the TV guides. Life is more than just dumb sit coms, we need real life shows. Keep it on a fixed time daily. How about showing a selection of "Best Of" Global Village series.
19 Aug 2010 15:59 AEST
From: Brisbane
Observation
I have loved Global Village for a long time. Often it's the only thing worth watching on TV and I love its gentle pace. Has anyone else noticed that SBS seems to move around Global Village quite a bit, it seems to be the first one to be replaced when something else is on. Now that "Letters and Numbers" is on at 6 I was interested to see that the Election Speeches were placed at 5.30 but Letters and Numbers continues to go ahead. I think that SBS should show a bit more respect for GV viewers.
19 Aug 2010 15:58 AEST
From: Brisbane
Observation
I have loved Global Village for a long time. Often it's the only thing worth watching on TV and I love its gentle pace. Has anyone else noticed that SBS seems to move around Global Village quite a bit, it seems to be the first one to be replaced when something else is on. Now that "Letters and Numbers" is on at 6 I was interested to see that the Election Speeches were placed at 5.30 but Letters and Numbers continues to go ahead. I think that SBS should show a bit more respect for GV viewers.
18 Aug 2010 14:30 AEST
From: NSW
2000 episodes
How has Silvio Rivier been able to present so many episodes of the wonderful Global Village in 11 years? Does he travel to each village - the excellent narration would suggest that he is actually there, experiencing each new destination. But surely, he cannot possibly be there personall - how would he have the time and energy? I'm genuinely perplexed.
26 Jul 2010 18:23 AEST
From: Cooran Qld
Missing You
I believe I am "withdrawal" now. It has been farrrrr tooooo long since we saw our beloved Global Village!! 2000 shows. Believe it. It has appeal as if it was year one. I just love it. I immerse myself in the villages, their way of life. As a starved traveller, (never been o'sea s - must still be some thing to do with a convict sentence! ) I have lived and dreamed thru' your show. Now with FIFA, AND Tour De France, I am definately in "withdrawal". Lorraine Treves (Many thanks )
24 Apr 2010 1:08 AEST
From: BULLEEN, VICTORIA
"GLOBAL VILLAGE COLONIA DEL SACRAMENTO"
WE ARE SORRY THAT WE HAVE TO ASK YOU THIS, BUT WHEN I PUT MY TV ON FRIDAY 23 APRIL 2010, AT 6.30; THE PROGRAM THAT WE WANT TO SEE WAS FINISHING AND FOR MY BAD LUCK, THEY WERE SHOWING MY COUNTRY...URUGUAY...AT GLOBAL VILLAGE COLONIA DEL SACRAMENTO....WE REALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT...CAN YOU PLEASE HELP US TO GET THIS PROGRAM ??? WE ARE VERY SORRY ... I KNOW YOU WORK VERY HARD... BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP !!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME ... WE WILL WAIT FOR YOUR EMAIL AT: amondoutei49@hotmail.com
24 Apr 2010 1:08 AEST
From: BULLEEN, VICTORIA
"GLOBAL VILLAGE COLONIA DEL SACRAMENTO"
WE ARE SORRY THAT WE HAVE TO ASK YOU THIS, BUT WHEN I PUT MY TV ON FRIDAY 23 APRIL 2010, AT 6.30; THE PROGRAM THAT WE WANT TO SEE WAS FINISHING AND FOR MY BAD LUCK, THEY WERE SHOWING MY COUNTRY...URUGUAY...AT GLOBAL VILLAGE COLONIA DEL SACRAMENTO....WE REALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT...CAN YOU PLEASE HELP US TO GET THIS PROGRAM ??? WE ARE VERY SORRY ... I KNOW YOU WORK VERY HARD... BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP !!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME ... WE WILL WAIT FOR YOUR EMAIL AT: amondoutei49@hotmail.com
24 Apr 2010 1:08 AEST
From: BULLEEN, VICTORIA
"GLOBAL VILLAGE COLONIA DEL SACRAMENTO"
WE ARE SORRY THAT WE HAVE TO ASK YOU THIS, BUT WHEN I PUT MY TV ON FRIDAY 23 APRIL 2010, AT 6.30; THE PROGRAM THAT WE WANT TO SEE WAS FINISHING AND FOR MY BAD LUCK, THEY WERE SHOWING MY COUNTRY...URUGUAY...AT GLOBAL VILLAGE COLONIA DEL SACRAMENTO....WE REALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT...CAN YOU PLEASE HELP US TO GET THIS PROGRAM ??? WE ARE VERY SORRY ... I KNOW YOU WORK VERY HARD... BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP !!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME ... WE WILL WAIT FOR YOUR EMAIL AT: amondoutei49@hotmail.com
24 Apr 2010 1:08 AEST
From: BULLEEN, VICTORIA
"GLOBAL VILLAGE COLONIA DEL SACRAMENTO"
WE ARE SORRY THAT WE HAVE TO ASK YOU THIS, BUT WHEN I PUT MY TV ON FRIDAY 23 APRIL 2010, AT 6.30; THE PROGRAM THAT WE WANT TO SEE WAS FINISHING AND FOR MY BAD LUCK, THEY WERE SHOWING MY COUNTRY...URUGUAY...AT GLOBAL VILLAGE COLONIA DEL SACRAMENTO....WE REALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT...CAN YOU PLEASE HELP US TO GET THIS PROGRAM ??? WE ARE VERY SORRY ... I KNOW YOU WORK VERY HARD... BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP !!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME ... WE WILL WAIT FOR YOUR EMAIL AT: amondoutei49@hotmail.com
24 Apr 2010 1:08 AEST
From: BULLEEN, VICTORIA
"GLOBAL VILLAGE COLONIA DEL SACRAMENTO"
WE ARE SORRY THAT WE HAVE TO ASK YOU THIS, BUT WHEN I PUT MY TV ON FRIDAY 23 APRIL 2010, AT 6.30; THE PROGRAM THAT WE WANT TO SEE WAS FINISHING AND FOR MY BAD LUCK, THEY WERE SHOWING MY COUNTRY...URUGUAY...AT GLOBAL VILLAGE COLONIA DEL SACRAMENTO....WE REALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT...CAN YOU PLEASE HELP US TO GET THIS PROGRAM ??? WE ARE VERY SORRY ... I KNOW YOU WORK VERY HARD... BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP !!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME ... WE WILL WAIT FOR YOUR EMAIL AT: amondoutei49@hotmail.com
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Join Silvio Rivier as he spotlights one of the episodes each week relating to cultures, traditions and lifestyles of people around the world.
Silvio Rivier has been an integral part of SBS since the station first went to air. He is currently the presenter, narrator and producer of the series Global Village.
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