- June 4, 2009 - PCI Media Impact, a non-profit organization specializing in the use of Entertainment Education to promote social change, premiers their Ecuadorian serial drama, "Toque Magico (Magic Touch)", every Wednesday on both YouTube and Facebook.

"¨Magic Touch was first broadcast in 2008 in partnership with Colectivo Pro Derechos Humanos, a community organization specializing in human rights. The show promotes youth awareness of gender equality and assists in the cultural elimination of inequity and prevention of violence against women.

Magic Touch was featured as the principle segment of the 60-minute live call-in show, Ponte Once (Pay Attention). Ponte Once, part of the Radialistas network, fights discrimination and violence against women throughout the local community. The show targeted youth ages 15 to 24 in the province of Manabí, Ecuador and had an audience of over 50,000 listeners.  In addition to broadcasting the production as part of a radio magazine on Capital Radio and San Gregorio Radio, the provincial government of Manabí supported the exclusive broadcast of Magic Touch on 20 additional radio stations in the province.

Magic Touch strengthened the social mobilization campaign to promote gender equality by activating collaboration among the various youth coalitions that form part of the Ponte Once network. These coalitions organized forums, parades, walks and information desks that highlighted the topics covered in the show. They also visited 25 schools in several different cities to distribute materials on gender equality, promote pivotal topics covered in the show and encourage adolescent participation in the campaign.

The story begins with the Spider and her helper, the Dictionary, telling the story of the "School of Magic and Wizardry." The school is known to host the most distinguished sorcerers and witches in the universe, yet gender discrimination inhibits the witches from participating in certain activities such as, reading the great book of magic, taming beasts or hunting for ghosts. Micala, a young witch, is tired of being confined to flying her broom and cooking caldrons of food. With the help of her mother and her teacher, Sol, she fights for witches to have the same opportunities and rights as sorcerers.

On February 29, 2009, Ximena Gudiño, the show's local producer, was awarded the Journalism Mention of Honor in the category of Communication for Development by the National Union of Journalists of Ecuador (UNP). The award recognized the collaborated effort of PRODH, UNFPA and PCI-Media Impact for the production and broadcast of Magic Touch.
 
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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.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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