Strengthening Partnerships among Local FM Radio Networks and Reproductive Health Agencies on HIV/AIDS

"This paper provides an overview of how local FM radio has been used around the world to promote health and development goals. It is intended to inform UNFPA country representatives of the potential use of local and community radio to achieve UNFPA objectives worldwide."


Below are summaries of each section of the paper:


What is Local FM/Community Radio?
- many definitions are presented; however, "the focus of this paper will not be on arguing over the nuances of definition of local and community radio that follow, but on determining how best to use the opportunity presented by local and community radio", that is, participatory communication as a medium for social change.


Why is Local FM/Community Radio so Effective?- "In many developing countries, where most of the population lives in extreme poverty, and are thus unable to buy a newspaper regularly, or acquire a television; where most of the population is illiterate, and does not know how to read or to speak the dominant national language; where the communication network is defective and thus does not allow widespread distribution of periodicals in the districts, localities and villages - local and community radio surfaces as the medium that can most easily reach the target audience."


Why is Local FM/Community Radio Flourishing Now? - beyond the fact that, in some areas, radio is still the only medium that can reach a large audience in a cost-effective way, the authors point to media liberalisation, improvements in technology, and technical and financial assistance from international development organisations. In sum, the authors explain, community radio stations "are a well-informed, trusted and valued part of the local social structure. They can ask their listeners to tell them what they want and need in terms of non-formal education and training, and can help articulate and promote these views locally. Local radio stations also have good access to organizations and individuals with the knowledge, skills and experience to respond effectively to local needs. Local radio can involve local people in its programming, providing a platform for local ideas and opinions and responding quickly and effectively to listener comments, questions and suggestions."


A Tour of the Use of Community Radio in Social Programming -the authors provide nearly 30 brief case studies of UNFPA- and non-UNFPA-supported local and community radio projects that focus on issues such as social change, health and community development, democracy, women's empowerment, self-sustainability, giving children a voice, counteracting the effects of hate radio, and optimising information services by combining radio and internet technologies.


What are the Major Challenges related to Working with Community Radio?- "Experience has proved it beneficial to collaborate with a variety of organizations and local institutions to gain support for newly emerging radio stations and programmes." But, the authors stress, these partnerships are not without challenges, including ever-changing national legislation governing community radio, governance issues related to community ownership and participation, financing, choice of format and programme content, lack of experience and training (especially regarding content), and lack of information or training on ways to make programmes more entertaining.

Innovative Ways to Evaluate Impact of Programming - "The following indicators are excerpted from a draft of "Healthy Communication" Materials - Number 7 - Evaluation....[they] may provide a useful starting point for UNFPA country programmes in developing systems to monitor the progress and evaluate the impact of community radio.

• Process Evaluation



Assessment of progress in implementing communication intervention plans:

• Overall
• Partnerships:success in mobilizing key communications and health partners for health communication programming
• Reach: percentage of the target group(s) who received the health communication information and messages
• Reaction: views of that group on the relevance of the health communications initiatives to their everyday lives and/or work tasks
• Involvement: have people experiencing the health issues been centrally involved in the programme initiatives developed?"

These factors are expanded in the document to include lists of questions (indicators) specific to news media partnerships (e.g., "Have the news media that best reach the most important populations for gains in development status increased their focus on the priority development issues?"), entertainment partnerships (e.g., "Is there an established, ongoing communication mechanism with the key decision-makers in the entertainment industry?"), and community media partnerships (e.g., "Are the development information and ideas presented to the community media in ways that are easy for them to comprehend and use?").


Lessons Learned - the authors stress that community radio stations should be viewed, first and foremost, as autonomous. However, stations may be dependent at various phases on international organisations for funding and training. Radio stations should focus on building alliances with local institutions, who may be able to provide information and resources.

Commenting on efforts to evaluate the effectiveness of community radio, the authors say that "traditional survey methods can be lacking. Such survey techniques require a large number of volunteers and financial resources. Indicators, such as an increased rate in family planning activity recorded at a local health service provider after a programme about fertility is aired, can be useful indicators of effective radio programming. In this way, a partnership with local health care providers is essential both as a support institution for programmes aired on community radio and as a tool for evaluation of effectiveness."

Why Should UNFPA Focus on Community Radio Stations?- The authors cite evidence suggesting that radio seems to have a particularly strong impact among women; for this reason, they say, "local and community radio is a particularly effective and important tool in achieving UNFPA's objectives in reproductive health and women's rights."

Continuing, and concluding, the authors state: "The only true form of development is that which calls upon the populations involved in the process. It must be carried out in the spirit of community participation and rely upon the abilities of the individuals affected. All steps leading to development must encompass cross-sectoral consultations allowing for cultural expression and maximumparticipation by the communities at which such projects are aimed."

"Community radio recognizes that the right to communicate is the premise of development, and that enlarging the scope of one's consciousness is the foundation of long-lasting development. In many parts of the world, the right to freedom of expression is still being trampled upon. More and more, participatory types of communication are being practiced in the face of numerous obstacles. They take on a variety of forms, not the least of which is radio."