I don’t know if anyone else caught it , but the May 11 episode of CBS’ FBI-themed “Numb3rs” featured a plot centered on the theft of thousands of doses of HIV/AIDS, malaria, and TB and $50 million for use in microcredit programs in Zambia. The episode includes an extensive (for a non-documentary TV show) description of the functioning and success of microcredit (including the 97% repayment rate) as well as suitably touching presentation of pandemic victims and those working on their behalf. Even includes the conversion of a “vulture capitalist” who repents from his years of preying on the debt problems of African countries.

You can watch the episode on Innertude here. The episode is entitled “Money for Nothing.” Clearly part of CBS’ efforts to include social issues in its programming agenda.

Nice to see American TV culture (occasionally) espousing more than prurient interest in Lindsey Lohan or Paris Hilton’s latest run-ins with the law.

This entry was posted on Monday, June 18th, 2007 at 8:02 am and is filed under In the news, Human Rights, Mark. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.