TV & VIDEO - July 28, 1988

TV as a medium might frequently get dumped on in the United States, but about 1,200 garbage men in India love their favorite show so much that they have gone on strike until “Ramayana” returns to the air. Twenty of the garbage men have already been arrested by police, who contend the workers’ refusal to collect garbage could contribute to the spread of disease. An estimated 100 million people have watched the weekly “Ramayana” since it started in January, 1987. It has been called the most popular Indian TV series ever, but the series’ 78-week run has ended and it was not granted an extension by the government-owned national TV network.