Helene Perold & Associates

In February and March 2008, a study was conducted on the implementation of the African Broadcast Media Partnership Against HIV/AIDS (ABMP) and its impact in a select number of participating broadcast companies. The research took place in seven African countries (Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Swaziland, and Tanzania) with 18 broadcasting companies and 36 external stakeholder organisations surveyed, resulting in a data-set of 100 face-to-face interviews. The aims of the survey were to: assess the extent to which the key objectives of the ABMP are being implemented; find out how surveyed countries perceive the benefits and challenges of participating in the ABMP; examine institutional opportunities and limitations; and gauge perceived contribution to national HIV/AIDS efforts of the sample broadcasters. The evaluation found that the Partnership contributed to national HIV/AIDS campaigns and that broadcasters also benefited from improved technical capacity.

The ABMP is a pan-African coalition of broadcast companies created to reinvigorate and increase the effectiveness of broadcast media’s contribution to the fight against HIV/AIDS. They do this through centrally developed core content and locally developed company content. The coalition's main pan-African campaign, It Begins with You, involves a series of public service announcements on radio and television that are reinforced by longer form programming such as talk shows, magazine, and public affairs programmes produced by member countries, as well as a reality TV show called Imagine Afrika. The campaign promotes the theme of hope and possibility, and emphasises personal initiative in combating HIV/AIDS.

The survey found that there are five broad types of impact that the ABMP has made on participating companies: fostering collaboration, learning, increasing HIV/AIDS as a programming focus, targeting the youth, and increasing viewership. Most respondents indicated that the ABMP has prompted increased co-ordination between broadcasters and governments and between broadcasters and organisations. Some also noted that it has helped improve or market their own content. Some respondents found that it increased social responsibility and consciousness. The survey found that respondents learned a lot about HIV/AIDS and about producing high quality creative programming. One respondent also noted that the coalition facilitated organisational learning. For many respondents, a major impact of the ABMP is its ability to make stations incorporate more HIV/AIDS issues in their programmes in a more creative way. Respondents in Tanzania mentioned that another significant impact was that the programming touches youth and increased their station's viewership.

As part of the study, interviewees were asked to comment on the audience impact of the Imagine Afrika reality show and the YOU campaign. Respondents in all 7 countries perceived the initiatives as making a positive impact on the audiences for which they were designed. These impressions were based on anecdotal feedback such as call-in shows, emails, short messaging services (SMSs), and letters received from viewers. Some even claim the programmes were having such effects as lowering infection rates and increasing levels of awareness, although most made it clear they had not done research to assess these impacts.

Respondents were also asked to comment on the impact of the ABMP on national HIV/AIDS efforts. Again, most felt it was having a positive impact. A number of broadcaster respondents indicated that the coalition helped them increase awareness levels of the general public and work with role players like the government to support communication efforts about HIV/AIDS. The survey notes that the coalition also triggered teamwork and the bridging of divisions in some countries. Respondents in Mozambique felt the ABMP introduced broadcasters to new communications approaches and helped reinforce the country's communication strategy around HIV/AIDS. Respondents from 4 countries felt that the coalition actually boosted national HIV/AIDS efforts by providing content that was supportive of national campaigns. In addition, the core content appears to have made an impact on other influential players as it has been adapted by other broadcasting companies and has caught the attention of high-ranking government officials.

According to the study, respondents have a number of plans for taking the initiative forward. These include producing more programming in local languages; improving and increasing the quality and quantity of HIV/AIDS programmes; strengthening teamwork; increasing public participation; and sourcing additional funds for HIV/AIDS programming.

Broadcast HIV Africa website on February 19, 2009.