Poulaonti Media Center 2001 ANNUAL REPORT President’s Message n developed and developing countries, the effects of rapid population growth are evi- dent. Nonetheless, the population field continues to suffer from neglect — and some abuse — by too many world leaders. sources and 2) lessen the harmful impact of hu- IBut as Aldous Huxley wrote, “Facts do not cease manity on the earth’s environment. The emphasis to exist because they are ignored.” of PMC’s work is to educate people about the ben- Since Population Media Center’s founding in efits of small families, encourage the use of effec- 1998, the world’s population has grown by 289 tive family planning methods, promote AIDS million people, or the equivalent of a new United avoidance, elevate women’s status and promote the States population. Put another way, it is like adding concept of gender equity. We do this through en- all the citizens of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, tertainment-education serial dramas, other types Israel, Palestine, Libya and of entertainment media Tunisia to the world’s “Governments, non-governmental organi- and, more broadly, com- population in a four-year zations and the private sector should munication strategies that period. We face similar make greater and more effective use of have demonstrated their growth within the next the entertainment media, including radio effectiveness at changing four years, unless individu- and television soap operas and drama, attitudes and behavior. als and couples make dra- folk theatre and other traditional media In 2001, Population matically different deci- to encourage public discussion of impor- Media Center continued sions about the number of tant but sometimes sensitive topics with its mission of build- children they will have. ing awareness and use of related to the implementation of the Scientific societies and the Sabido methodology present Programme of Action.” groups studying earth sys- of behavior change com- tems warn increasingly of munications globally. The the growing challenges to — Programme of Action, United Nations positive response to the maintaining a habitable International Conference on Population organization’s outreach planet, including climate and Development, Cairo, 1994 and skilled personnel is change, extinction of gratifying. Population Me- plant and animal species, water shortages, energy dia Center trainers include not only Miguel Sabido, shortages and growing food shortages in various who created this communications methodology parts of the world. Combined with the poverty known to be uniquely effective at changing behav- and human suffering brought on by the AIDS epi- ior with regard to reproductive health, but also many demic, the prospects for many people — includ- of the people he has trained worldwide. ing those in the developed countries — are grim, During the year, PMC carried forward and unless behavior change occurs on a massive scale. expanded its programs around the world. At the The mission of Population Media Center is to same time, we added staff in our headquarters collaborate with the mass media and other organi- to better respond to countries and agencies seek- zations worldwide to 1) bring about stabilization ing our assistance. Simultaneously, our project of human population numbers at a level that can in Ethiopia grew from one staff member to eight, be supported sustainably by the world’s natural re- and implementation of our “Whole Society 2Population Media Center Strategy”™ in Ethiopia became a reality. PMC’s STRATEGIES PMC conducted in-depth workshops for cre- ative and production teams in the Sabido meth- nyone who wants to end population odology in Botswana and Ethiopia. We also held a growth or stop the spread of AIDS Soap Summit event in The Philippines hosted by A will take heart because of what the new head of state and the Philippine Congress. happened 25 years ago, in the first week In Brazil, we worked with the writers of the three of September. That week, PMC’s honorary prime-time soap operas on TV Globo to help them chair, David Poindexter, went to Mexico as incorporate hundreds of scenes related to social and part of his search for ways to use broad- health issues. We undertook missions to Malawi, casting to bring about behavior change Kenya, Nigeria and Zimbabwe for project plan- with regard to population issues on a ning, and we developed partnerships with a vari- global scale. He formed common cause ety of international health agencies, environmen- with Miguel Sabido, who was in the midst tal organizations and corporations. of producing Acompaname (“Come with In the pages that follow, you will read about Me”), the first family planning soap opera. projects under way or in development in fourteen The two of them began traveling globally countries: Botswana, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Kenya, to promote what has come to be called Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, Sudan, India, Indonesia, The the Sabido methodology of behavior Philippines, Brazil, Mexico and the United States. change communications. Population Media Center’s website Now a quarter of a century later, Sabido’s (www.populationmedia.org) logged over 23,000 strategy has been applied on every conti- visitors during the year, an increase of nearly 200% nent and in a spectrum of cultures, and the over the previous year. results have been scientifically evaluated Addressing population issues is a multi-faceted and published. These results point to challenge. It requires addressing not only attitudes Sabido as arguably the world’s foremost about contraception, but also cultural ideals with social communication expert. regard to childbearing and family size, the status The evidence of the effectiveness of of women and girls, belief in pre-determination entertainment-education in bringing about versus self efficacy, and attitudes about the accept- changes in reproductive behavior and in ability of exploiting children for their labor rather promoting adoption of other social and than sending them to school. These issues can only health goals is very strong. Radio and be addressed through cultural and informational television soap operas in Mexico, Brazil, programs that address the emotional aspects of de- India, Kenya and Tanzania have been docu- cisions about sex and reproduction. mented by independent research in their PMC is determined to become a global force massive effects on audience attitudes and for building capacity to use communications to behavior with regard to HIV/AIDS avoid- build a sustainable planet. With your help, com- ance and use of family planning. mitment and partnership, we will do just that. One of the advantages of using serial dramas, as opposed to documentaries or With many thanks, single-episode dramas, is that they allow time for the audience to form bonds with the characters. These long-running pro- grams also allow characters to evolve in William N. Ryerson Annual Report 2001 3 their thinking and behavior with regard to various issues at a gradual and believable Program Activities pace in response to problems that have been well illustrated in the story line. Africa Sabido-style serial dramas are a major Botswana part of PMC’s work. Through such serial During 2001, Population Media Center contin- dramas, PMC creates culturally relevant role ued to collaborate with the U.S. Centers for Dis- models, based on in-depth research. As the ease Control and Prevention (CDC) to establish a audience grows to admire an individual behavior change communication program in character, they often seek to emulate them, Botswana. The county has the highest rate of HIV particularly because the benefits of chang- infection in the world, estimated at 38% of the ing behavior are made evident. adult population. In any society, people seek to understand Based on a plan for formative research designed what the norm for behavior is. By using the jointly by PMC and CDC, a series of individual example of role models to whom the audience interviews and focus group discussions were con- has become deeply attached, characters in ducted throughout the country by researchers serial dramas can change social norms. from the University of Botswana. The purpose In each country where PMC works, the was to fill in the gaps in the existing literature on resulting programs are a product of that sexual and reproductive decision-making, which country, building on the talent of creative had previously been summarized through a lit- forces within the culture and the wisdom of erature review. the people in the countryside who partici- These research findings were presented during a pate in the formative research. three-week workshop for a team of producers and PMC’s major contribution is to enhance the capacity of each country in which we work to carry out effective communication Botswana Minister of Health, Joy strategies related to family and reproduc- Phumaphi, addresses the meeting of tive health and associated issues, such as stakeholder agencies during the PMC- the status of women. We also bring to- CDC workshop. gether representatives of the government, non-governmental organizations, UN agen- cies and broadcasters to collaborate on the project and to serve as its advisors. The values promoted in any PMC program are drawn from the constitution, laws and policies of the country involved, including fundamental principles laid down in United Nations agreements to which the country is a signatory. Population Media Center’s programming is designed to promote health and human dignity and emphasizes informed decision- making, tailored in each case to local needs and circumstances. PMC 4Population Media Center first four episodes. Casting of actors was also completed, and the pilot episodes were recorded in the studio. The pilot episodes were then produced and pre-tested with potential audience members around Botswana. Then the cre- ative team began writing and producing additional episodes. The radio serial, Makgabaneng (“Foot of the Hill”), went on the air on Radio Botswana nation- wide in August.