- August 4, 2008 - PCI-Media Impact, a not-for-profit organization that produces social change TV and radio programs around the world, along with its long-time Latin American partner, Calandria Association of Social Communicators (La Asociacion de Comunicadores Sociales Calandria), will present important program innovations recently developed that spark local community participation using storytelling and local radio to combat HIV and AIDS at the XVII International AIDS Conference 2008 running from August 3 "“ 8 in Mexico City.

The presentation, entitled: Entertainment Education Radio in Latin America: An Intergenerational Response to HIV, will be held on Thursday, August 7 from 4:30 to 5:30 PM at the Community Dialogue Space. The presentation will feature an interactive discussion , between the presenters and the audience, demonstrating how individual experience and local examples can be integrated into broadcast media using an intergenerational dialogue as an effective tool to strengthen the regional response to HIV and AIDS.

"We welcome the opportunity to show how our jointly produced radio serial drama Con el Viento al Favor (With the Wind in My Sails) effectively engaged local communities in 6 Peruvian provinces to make a real difference in the fight against HIV/AIDS," said PCI-Media Impact Executive Director Michael Castlen. The presentation will include clips from a documentary film produced about the project. The Spanish language film, with English subtitles, will then be available for screenings worldwide. Brenda Campos, PCI-Media Impact's Latin America Program Manager, will lead the delegation from New York to the conference. Over the past two years, she has been intimately involved in the organization’s work in Latin America, producing 45 radio serials in seven Latin American countries and more than 100 other productions.

The radio drama is the third jointly produced radio series made with Calandria Association of Social Communicators (Calandria) since 2002. Con el Viento al Favor was broadcast by six radio stations in northern and southern Peru in 2007 as part of locally produced call-in radio shows that involved the dialogue of adults and youths.

The drama featured the Flores family, which at first appears perfect. They have a tidy house, a hard working father (Eduardo), a devoted mother, and two children, Angel and Mariana, who both have good grades at school. However, Eduardo is macho, authoritarian, racist, and is having love affairs outside his marriage. His wife turns a blind eye to avoid a scandal. Angel has serious issues with his sexuality, and Mariana falls easily into a harmful relationship. In the end, Eduardo is jailed for using funds inappropriately at work, which puts the family in crisis. In contrast to the Flores, the Medina family seems more chaotic. They argue constantly and openly. However, they are a loving and communicative family that successfully deals with several issues, including the fact that their uncle, a young musician and DJ, is HIV positive.

"This is the typical family novella, it draws the audience into the story, draws out their opinions and invites them to reflect about the consequences of the character's choices," says Javier Ampuero, Director of Production at Calandria, who is part of the delegation coming from Lima. "The magazine format engages the listeners enjoy "Con el Viento a Favor", and above all, it challenges them to make a difference in their lives, their families and their communities."

Audience response was overwhelmingly positive to the program. One adolescent female listener from Puno, said "Now I know that HIV is not the same as AIDS. AIDS is the advanced HIV, the disease with fever. HIV is the virus that can be transmitted but is not contagious." Another listener from Lambayeque said when asked about how the program made a difference for her, "The program helped me to differentiate between HIV and AIDS, because we always confuse those two. We say 'he is AIDSY, don't hang out with him because he is AIDSY.' It was very helpful for me when the guy in the radio drama talked and defined what exactly is HIV and AIDS."

Calandria and PCI-Media Impact continue to collaborate on programs throughout Latin America, including the My Community broadcasts , which promote social and behavioral change in health, human rights and the environment in communities throughout Latin America using local radio broadcasts. Eleven new radio series began broadcasting in June to seven Latin American countries with a signal strengthen estimated to reach more than 4 million people.

About Calandria
Founded in 1983, Calandria Association of Social Communicators is an organization that uses communication in an effort to impact Peru's political, social and economic development. http://www.calandria.org.pe/

About PCI-Media Impact
Since 1985, PCI-Media Impact's programs have addressed the root causes of poverty and have encouraged people to make choices that lead to better health and sustainable development. Working with local partners worldwide, PCI-Media Impact produces carefully researched and culturally sensitive radio and television dramas that combine the power of storytelling with the reach of broadcast media. For more information, please visit PCI-Media Impact's website at www.pci-mediaimpact.org

PCI-Media Impact

PCI-Media Impact

PCI-Media Impact is at the forefront of innovative social change communications programming. Its pioneering approach uses creative media, the power of storytelling and the reach of broadcast media to mobilize individual, community and political action in the areas of sexual and reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, environmental conservation and sustainable development, human rights and democracy.

For over twenty years, its programming has captured people's imagination. Media Impact has trained hundreds of organizations and community leaders in the effective use of media. Working with media professionals, it has completed more than 242 productions, including radio and television serial dramas, comic books, documentaries and public service announcements reaching hundreds of millions of people in 27 countries around the world.

From Mexico to India, Kenya to China, Media Impact has been: "Telling Stories, Saving Lives." For more information, please visit the website at www.mediaimpact.org.

PCI Media Impact Videos:

Click here to watch Who is Media Impact?
Click here to watch Behind the Scenes of PCI Media Impact
Click here to watch Taru Has Changed My Life: Educational Radio Soap Opera

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