Message from ESAT board

Ethiopian Satellite TV (ESAT)

(Press Release) — The Ethiopian Satellite Broadcasting Service (ESAT) has been off the air for the past 24 hours.

We have received thousands of telephone calls and email inquires concerning the interruption of service. We thank our viewers and supporters for their expressions of good will, moral support and concern.

We wish to communicate the following facts to our viewers at this time:

The service interruption is not caused by any action or omission of ESAT or any of its personnel. The interruption is not the result of equipment failure or technical problems on the part of ESAT.

We are in communication with our service providers to find out exactly the cause of the interruption, and work cooperatively with them to resolve any issues or problems, if any.

We request that our viewers and supporters who have expressed different hypotheses, theories, assumptions and beliefs concerning the causes and origins of the interruptions to withhold and reserve judgment until we have ascertained all of the facts.

We wish to assure our viewers and supporters that ESAT will continue to provide the services it has started, and asks for the continued and sustained support of all who believe in freedom of expression.

We would like to express our appreciation and gratitude to our viewers and supporters for their moral, financial and material support. We ask our viewers and supporters to bear with us patiently as we resolve the current service interruption issue.

(Contact info: Abebe Belew at [email protected])