News on Toast: #StopKony gets angry reception in Uganda

A #StopKony film screening in Uganda incites anger among locals, people paid up to $200 to queue for the new iPad and lads mag FHM mag goes bust: The morning’s hot topics in bite-sized pieces just right for dunking.

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Ugandans angered by #StopKony screening

A StopKony campaign poster.

Since it launched on March 5 the #StopKony campaign video has racked up more than 79 million views, become the most viral video in history, sparked passionate online debate and led to thousands of inches of newspaper columns around the world.

But not, it seems, in Uganda, the country it claims to want to help. While the film has been a topic of discussion in local media, few Ugandans have been able to actually watch it due to limited internet access. Until this week, when a public screening of the film in the country’s north ended with stone throwing.

Thousands of Ugandans turned out in the town of Lira on Tuesday night to watch the 30 minute film screened by local activist organisation the African Youth Initiative Network (AYINET).

It’s fair to say the screening did not go well.

Many of the crowd, which included former abductees and mutilation victims of Kony’s LRA soldiers, objected to what they saw as the film’s “insensitivity” and its “outdated view” of Uganda. Many were puzzled as to why it seemed to focus on a white man and his son instead of on Ugandan people. Their confusion turned to anger by the end of the film, with many throwing rocks at the screen. You can watch their reactions in the news report below.

As AYINET director Victor Ochen, himself a victim of the LRA wars, puts it in his great blog post about the film (which I recommend you read):

“Restoration of communities devastated by Kony is a greater priority than catching or even killing him. Simply killing or catching Kony will not improve the lives of the victims in northern Uganda.  I agree that people’s generosity must change lives, but why spend millions on Kony alone while thousands of survivors are dying of repairable physical and psychosocial pain?”

With that in mind, I’d like to leave the final word to British journalist Charlie Brooker, who sums up #StopKony and its architects, Invisible Children, in a manner that will both make you laugh and shock you:

>> Has your opinion on #StopKony and Invisible Children changed since you first saw the video? Do you think Ugandans have a right to be angry?

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youScream, weScream, iScream for iPad

The new iPad goes on sale today.

Scores of geeks and tech fans turned out at Sydney and Melbourne Telstra stores at midnight last night for the release of Apple’s “New iPad”, the first in the world to get their hands on the new device.

The gadget will go on sale in other cities when shops open today, while America still has 24 hours to wait.

While shoppers clamour to get their hands on the device, Aussie telcos are clamouring to get their hands on those shoppers with a fierce pricing war for wireless plans. Make sure you read the fine print though – the iPad might only cost $479, but throw in a two-year wireless contract and all of a sudden that new gadget’s set you back anything from $1100 to $2000. Yeesh!

Meanwhile, it seems not everyone was keen to queue up past midnight to get their hands on the device. This savvy couple put a classified ad on Gumtree.com.au offering “up to $200″ for 100 volunteers to queue for them! Now THAT’S smart.

>> What item would you queue up at midnight for?

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FHM axed as men’s magazine market goes bust

Australian FHM magazine has gone bust. Pun intended.

In further proof that men’s magazines are on the decline ACP magazines yesterday announced it has axed FHM, ceasing publication with the mag’s May edition.

For those who saw the magazine’s shocking sales figures in the most recent audit it’s perhaps no surprise – FHM‘s sales had halved what they were in 2011, down from 50,154 copies a month to just 26,026.

I’m sure most women won’t be reaching for the Kleenex over this news, given that FHM wasn’t exactly a flag bearer for the feminist movement. In fact in December the University of Surrey conducted a study into British FHM and other UK lads’ mags Loaded, Nuts and Zoo, and concluded that most people couldn’t tell the difference between quotes from the magazines and those from convicted rapists. Nice.

Lads’ mags have been in decline globally for some time now, with many analysts blaming a tough advertising market and others speculating that men are starting to turn to more sophisticated health-focused magazines.

That may be true, but it seems pretty clear to me why blokes aren’t buying magazines with centrefolds and busty babes on the cover anymore. To paraphrase Kath Day Knight, I’ve got two words for you, FHM: Online. Porn.

>> What do you think about men’s magazines and their portrayal of women? Why do you think men aren’t buying them anymore?

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And that’s your last bit of News on Toast for the week! Don’t cry, there’ll be more on Monday. Meanwhile: Have you done your homework yet? Please do, it’ll make us so happy.

Main pic: Digitally altered picture by Petra Starke.