In April 2003, an independent university team conducted a survey of the DFID/World Vision Radio Education Project developed with Radio Mozambique staff in Quelimane, Zambézia, Mozambique. The research team spoke to over 600 heads of households in 4 different locations throughout Zambézia.

The results show that listenership is almost 100% in these areas, which is higher than in previous surveys (the zones selected were also areas covered by local radio stations). Over 1.5 million people in Zambézia regularly listen to the radio each week. At least half of the households have their own radio; at locations such as Milange near the Malawi border, all but 21% of households have a radio. Young people listen more and; among youth, listenership is higher among girls. As many as 53% of respondents in some areas listen to RM-Quelimane on a daily basis. The local radio stations are reinforcing this coverage.

The survey found that the radio drama programmes based on the happenings in the fictional villages of Namarucha and Mualacala are widely listened to, especially at Gurúè and Alto Molocúè. Between 81% and 97% who say they listen are familiar with the individual characters in those programmes. The majority of those who listen do so once or twice a week and indicate that the programmes are a very good or excellent way of informing them about important life issues. With regard to special educational programmes on the local radio stations in these areas, 79% of the Gurúè sample listens to one of these (58% listen in the area as a whole).

The survey found lower percentages of people indicating that they were implementing something specific they heard on the radio in comparison to 2002 research on the same issue using the same question. However, this number is still significantly higher than it was in 2001. In 2003, 4 of every 10 people in Alto Molocúè listening to the Namarucha/Mualacala drama programmes are implementing an idea they first heard on the radio.

Researchers conclude that other forms of communication such as banners, T-shirts, posters, and conversations with extension officers and friends have had an impact on how audiences hear about topics such as HIV/AIDS, agriculture, health, education, and land issues. However, in the words of the project's Behaviour Change Expert and Media Trainer, "radio is streets ahead in the communication field. It will remain so for the next decade at least, possibly longer." The research team leader, Andrew E. Collins, would agree: "There are clearly no other methods of information dissemination that can effect the people of Zambézia in such a widespread manner for the foreseeable future other than radio broadcast".

For a copy of the survey, contact:

Dr. Andrew E. Collins
Director of the Disaster and Development Centre
School of Applied Sciences
Lipman Building
Northumbria University
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
NE1 8ST
United Kingdom
Tel: 00 44 (0)191 227 3408/3754
Fax: 00 44 (0)191 227 4715
andrew.collins@unn.ac.uk

Executive summary and press release forwarded by Patrick Craddock to The Communication Initiative on November 10 2003.