Many questions have been raised about the direct impact of communication interventions on development issues. This Drum Beat summarises some of the reach and impact data [including statistics and comments from the qualitative data], specifically related to HIV/AIDS, that resulted from an extensive evaluation of the Soul City communication strategy and action in South Africa. More extensive data in the form of evaluation reports is available from Soul City [see contacts below]. Further data will be released soon.



Drum Beat 64 outlined the evaluation methodology for this evaluation. Details of the methodology can be viewed at Drum Beat 64.



MAIN ELEMENTS OF SOUL CITY INITIATIVE

1 Soul City in South Africa includes a prime time television drama series; a daily radio drama series; booklets on the topics covered by the broadcast media; publicity and advocacy campaigns; and partnerships with organisations and social networks relevant to the issues covered. It seeks the "use of edutainment media in bringing about social change".

2. The data below relates to Soul City 4 - a 12 month period in 1999/2000.

SOUL CITY REACH

3. Soul City 4 reached 16.2 million people in South Africa through radio, TV or print; which equals 79% of the target audience [from a nationally representative sample of 2000 "African and Coloured" South Africans]. Soul City on TV reached 13. 9 million viewers; Soul City radio reached 13.3 million listeners, and Soul City print reached 9.4 million readers. Those who watched the TV series included 68% of all respondents, 75% of urban respondents, 60% of rural respondents and 79% of 16 to 24 year olds.

4. Popularity - Nationally, Soul City was amongst the most favourite TV and radio programmes for all South Africans, 57% saying that it is their first or second favourite TV programme.

5. Quality - Soul City won the Best Drama series at South Africa's annual TV awards event [The Avantis] in 2000.

6. Information sources - Spontaneous recall of TV programmes from which respondents [statistically representative of the national population in South Africa] feel that they have obtained useful information about HIV/AIDS:

• Soul City - 47%
• Felicia - 14%
• None - 11%
• Take 5 - 8%
• Two way - 7%
• News - 5%
• Bophelo - 3%
• Vicious C - 3%

[3 others cited below 3%]

7. "We have used the booklets which have been absolutely fantastic"; "I found the radio Soul City strong because even though we don't see the picture, but it makes us interested, so much that whatever you are doing you are interested"; "Soul City is not like any other drama because it touches crucial subjects that are being experienced by people in the community".

SOUL CITY IMPACT - HIV/AIDS

8. People accessing Soul City are significantly more likely to discuss HIV/AIDS with someone close to them. The more elements [TV, radio, print] of Soul City that people access the more likely they are to have a dialogue and debate on HIV/AIDS issues. 39% of people accessing three elements of Soul City discussed HIV/AIDS with friend or family and 36% of those that accessed two elements. This compares with 21% of those with no exposure to Soul City.

9. Question - "How often have you talked to your family or neighbours about HIV/AIDS?" These answers come from the rural sub-sample in the national survey:

• No radio - Often 13%; Occasionally 28%; Never 59%.
• No SC radio - Often 19%; Occasionally 28%; Never 47%.
• Low SC radio - Often 20%; Occasionally 44%; Never 36%.
• Medium SC radio - Often 27%; Occasionally 45%; Never 28%.
• High SC radio - Often 32%; Occasionally 41%; Never 28%.

10. In KwaZulu/Natal a third of the people who spontaneously [through unaided recall] referred to Martha's Story" [a SC episode that focussed on AIDS] had not themselves seen this episode.

11. "Before, people were very ashamed to talk about condoms, but since this picture [Soul City] has been playing for a long time, things have changed."

12. Proportion of rural respondents who DISAGREE with the statement "boys or men have the right to have sex with their girl friends if they buy them gifts":

• No exposure to any radio - 67%.
• No exposure to SC radio - 72%.
• Low exposure to SC radio - 81%.
• Medium exposure to SC radio - 89%.
• High SC radio exposure - 89%.

13. In relation to the statement "Most of your friends think a man is right in expecting a woman to have sex with him without using a condom." the results were:

• Baseline - Agree 41%; Neutral 0%; Disagree 59%.
• Evaluation - Agree 22%; Neutral 13%; Disagree 65%.

14. "The change that I am talking about is that of pressure from friends. They pressurised me about my girlfriend. So, that gave me a lot of pressure but fortunately after watching that [SC] episode I abstained from committing that thing...."

15. Responses to the statement: "People in your community think that people with HIV/AIDS should be moved away". Measured against the exposure to the three media elements used by Soul City [SC]:

• No accessing of SC media: Agree 20%; Neutral 14%; Disagree 67%.
• Access 1 SC source: Agree 13%; Neutral 9%; Disagree 79%.
• Access 2 SC sources: Agree 13%; Neutral 6%; Disagree 81%.
• Access 3 SC source: Agree 9%; Neutral 4%; Disagree 87%.

16. Question: "Have you ever asked your partner to go for an HIV/AIDS test in the past six to seven months?" Responses:

• No radio access - Yes 52%, No 48%.
• No SC radio - Yes 34%, No 66%.
• Low SC radio - Yes 68%, No 32%.
• Medium SC radio - Yes 77%, No 23%.
• High SC radio - Yes 70%, No 30%.

17. Question: "When do you use condoms?" when asked of people 16 to 24 years of age and measured against the level of access to Soul City TV:

• No Soul City TV - Always [use a condom] 26%.
• Low Soul City TV - Always [use a condom] 38%.
• Medium Soul City TV - Always [use a condom] 32%.
• High Soul City TV - Always [use a condom] 38%.

18. Rural Traditional Leader: "I think it was important about HIV. yes and forcing the people about sex, sexuality. Yes, those are things that are still in my heart... these two issues...".

19. Rural Clinic Nurse: "I can say that it influences us as workers in the community and as workers directly. Number one as I have explained, TV is indeed the one with the influence more than everything, and yes, the radio works a lot with those who do no have TV..."

20. Urban Preacher: "With me the influence I got from Soul City is that I should not be ashamed any more to talk about sexual matters with the youth...I just speak to them truthfully and they respect that and that is thanks to Soul City."

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What do you make of this selection of the data from the Soul City evaluation?

Does it make a compelling case for the direct influence of communication on a development issue[s]?

What questions does it raise?

Does it provide you with good advocacy material in support of expanding your communication work in your organisation?

Can we generalise the Soul City results to other communication initiatives?

How do these results compare with other evaluation findings? [stating which evaluations you are quoting].



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Garth Japhet, Executive Director of Soul City is presently in Washington D.C. on a 3 month sabbatical hosted by The Change Project at AED. He can still be contacted on garthj@soulcity.org.za



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For the full evaluation reports please contact Susan Goldstein at Soul City Suegold@soulcity.org.za

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Additional Items



a. For some new sections on The Communication Initiative web site [and possble Drum Beat themes] we are looking to identify as many initiatives as possible in the following categories - Awards, Electronic Magasines, Books on Communication themes, Training Events, Conferences and other major meetings; and Health related work with the Elderly. Please email wfeek@comminit.com with information.



b. There was an error in the advertisement for the Regional Director - Panos Vacancy. The correct contact email is psa@panos.org.np See Panos Vacancy for details.



c. If you emailed Ann Shrosbree concerning the Participatory Theatre for the Rights of Women & Girls in Nepal that was featured in The Drum Beat #76, please do so again as they have had computer problems - email ann@smallworld.org.uk

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This Drum Beat prepared by Warren Feek wfeek@comminit.com

Please send items for The Drum Beat to the Editor - Deborah Heimann dheimann@comminit.com