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Media Impact releases 2009 Impact Data on Latin America Radio Programming

Media Impact releases 2009 Impact Data on Latin America Radio Programming

Published 03-26-09

Submitted by PCI-Media Impact

March 26, 2009 - PCI Media Impact, a not-for-profit organization with over 25 years of experience inspiring global social change through storytelling and broadcast media, has selected eight coalitions of grassroots organizations for the 2009 My Community program. Created by Media Impact in 2005, My Community consists of educational and entertainment radio broadcasts and local outreach initiatives across Latin America promoting awareness and socially responsible practices in the areas of reproductive health, human rights, and the environment. In the past four years, My Community has impacted the lives of over 600 local community members through communication social change methodology training and the production of 36 radio dramas improving knowledge, attitude and behavior to an audience of over 17 million people. PCI Media Impact is proud to announce that the 2009 My Community program is releasing eight new radio broadcasts that will reach over 12 million listeners.

Congratulations to the 8 community organizations selected for the 2009 My Community program:

    CECOPI - El Alto and La Paz, Bolivia
    RED SIDA - Cusco and Apuriamac, Peru
    COLECTIVO PRO DERECHOS HUMANOS - Quito, Ecuador
    ASOCIACION COMUNICARES - Quetazltenango, Guatemala
    PRONATURA Chiapas A.C. - Chiapas, Mexico
    RADIO ECOLOGICA - Madriz, Nicaragua
    RED DE DESAROLLO SOSTENIBLE - National Broadcast, Honduras
    RADIO INTEGRACION - Loja, Ecuador

In November 2008, PCI Media Impact narrowed 50 My Community applicants to 10 groups of social entrepreneurs, which included health service providers, NGOs, community radio stations, and government ministries. These selected coalitions were then trained in communication for social change methodology, social marketing, radio production, and evaluation techniques. In 2009, Media Impact is assisting the eight chosen organizations with their research, production of entertainment-education radio drama series, partnerships with local providers, activities to promote community participation, and a sustainability plan. Currently, Media Impact's field staff and the community coalitions are in the pre-production stage. My Community's 2009 radio drama broadcasts will be covering issues of sexual and reproductive health in Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and Guatemala, and environmental sustainability and ecotourism in Mexico, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Ecuador.

Through My Community, PCI Media Impact strives to:

Improve knowledge, attitudes, and practices of important community issues.
The My Community radio dramas are grounded in social learning theory, and include positive characters who are rewarded, negative characters who are punished and transitional characters who embody the difficult choices we all face in life.

    In Honduras, after three successful seasons of Media Impact's radio drama Ke Ondas con to Vida? III (What's Up with Your Life? III), ASHONPLAFA's youth group gave sexual and reproductive talks to students in seven Tegucigalpan schools impacting lives of over 1,000 adolescents. ASHONPLAFA's two youth networks, one in Tegucigalpa and other in San Pedro Sulan, each consisting of 30 teenagers, are currently still using the radio drama episodes as the main inspirational component for their talks with students.

Build support, and influence others to take action for more favorable policies and legislation.
Media Impact provides local coalitions with the production skills and resources necessary to launch a full-fledged educational media campaign - complete with radio soap opera, radio magazine show, media advocacy and community outreach.

    To create greater civic participation in the Guatemalan election, the radio magazine show Sexo Tips hosted an open platform for the presidential candidates to speak out about their public policies and agendas. The station received a substantial amount of daily phone calls from local community members to discuss the candidates' projects for youth and sexual reproductive health.

Enhance sustainability so that Media Impact's local partners have the human, financial, and institutional resources needed to sustain changes after our formal involvement concludes.
Media Impact bolsters the skills and capacity of community leaders in addressing the most urgent development needs of their community. They train leaders in communication for social change methodology and establish support networks to sustain the momentum generated by the radio programs.

    I decided to participate in PCI Media Impact's training because I believe that radio is the most effective media to produce social change. I have 27 years of experience working not only in radio but as a social activist and I really believe in the impact of local radio stations. I am sure that with PCI Media Impact's communication for social change methodology is possible to entertain, educate, and mobilize people, all at once.
      -Training participant from Mexico

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 in an effort to create social awareness. For more information, please visit our website at www.mediaimpact.org.
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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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