The Communication Initiative
Development action with informed and engaged societies
The Communication Initiative
After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at cila.comminitcila.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
Time to read
1 minute
Print
a- a+
Published 26 years ago
Last updated 1 year ago
Read so far

Radio Announcers against AIDS - State of Ceará, Brazil

0 comments
This programme captialised on the democratic potential of radio and the charisma and intimacy the radio announcer may develop with his or her listeners to promote reproductive health and prevent sexually transmitted diseases (in particular, AIDS). Its efforts were focused in the State of Ceará, Brazil. Objectives included:
  • Reducing the incidence of infection by HIV/AIDS and other STDs in the State of Ceará
  • Improving the coverage and the quality of information disseminated on STD/AIDS and promoting reproductive health through a partnership with the radio media in Ceará.
Main Communication Strategies
Popular culture and humor were used to challenge the fatalistic and stereotyped stigma that is associated with AIDS. The project sensitised, trained, and monitored a group of 50 radio announcers in the State of Ceará, working from the premise that health communication must look for a language that is popular, honest, direct, and interactive to face the misinformation, tension, and conflicts that are generated by questions related to gender, reproductive rights, sexuality, family planning, and STD/AIDS prevention.Activities included:
  • Creation, production and distribution of campaign pieces - mini-soap operas, rap, forró (NE Brazilian country music), parodies, popular poetry, and other spots - recorded on CD and cassette tapes to be transmitted by radio
  • Seminars and training sessions with radio announcers from the capital and the interior of Ceará (four seminars were organized in 1998/99 in Fortaleza, Sobral and Juazeiro do Norte)
  • Production and distribution of informative newsletters sent at regular intervals to the "radio announcers network" with educational materials about the themes of the Project.
Development Issues
HIV/AIDS, Health.
Key Points
An evaluative study is underway of the impact of the Project among the radio announcers and among their listeners.
Partners

Health and Social Development Institute (ISDS), Ceará State Secretariat of Health (SESA-CE), Ceará Association of Radio and TV Stations (ACERT), BEMFAM-Ceará, Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Mayors and Municipal Secretariats of Ceará, Project HIV/STD - Fortaleza, Ceará Secretariat of Culture and Sports, UNICEF-Ceará, Federal University of Ceará (UFC), University of Fortaleza (UNIFOR), Pathfinder of Brazil, USAID.

Sources

"Documenting and Sharing Learning in Health Communication for Development - A Literature Review." Prepared by Rafael Obreg