An Assessment of HIV and AIDS Radio Campaign Messages in Zambia: Documenting Change

This 51-page report, published by Panos Institute Southern Africa, is designed to assess HIV/AIDS radio campaign messages in Zambia and the impact they have on their intended audiences. The report is part of a larger study that includes similar assessments from five Southern African countries - Botswana, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The intention is to document the assessments and share detailed tips on how to carry out an effective HIV/AIDS radio campaign and to advise respective media users on the most effective way of presenting HIV/AIDS information on radio. The Zambia study found that radio is the best medium of communication in Zambia, as it reaches the majority of people, is cheap, and is widely accessible. However, despite radio being so useful and convenient, the report states that there are currently insufficient HIV/AIDS radio programmes/advertisements.

The Zambian study was conducted in five districts and looked only at radio as a source of information. It explores radio's effectiveness in terms of listenership, coverage, intended audiences, and the impact of communicated messages. It seeks to investigate the role that radio campaign messages play in the Zambian context. In gathering data for the study, researchers conducted focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, and questionnaires. Secondary data collection included a review of published and unpublished reports, books, and seminar and conference papers.

The research suggests that existing programmes do not communicate the information that Zambians are looking for. According to the report, study respondents find information to be shallow, fragmented, and sometimes incorrect. This is mainly due to the fact that most radio presenters lack in-depth knowledge, do not research HIV/AIDS-related issues, and receive little or no support from their supervisors. However, the study also found that in cases where programmes were initiated by sponsors, messages tended to be of better quality. In addition, the report states that one station's programming was deemed to be of better quality because of the involvement of affected groups and people with technical information on the subject matter.

According to research findings, the intended audiences are often not even aware that a programme designed for them exists because they are not involved in the message development process, and because there is usually no programme promotion before broadcast. It was also found that most women do not have as much access to radio as men do. Certain groups of people, particularly politicians, the church, and parents, tend to react strongly to messages they feel are not culturally appropriate. The report states that this may be because these people are usually not involved in the planning and message development stages; in addition, there is a cultural tendency in Zambia not to discuss sexual issues openly.

The report includes a number of recommendations for media, government, and other stakeholders. The media recommendations include:

• training for radio staff on HIV/AIDS reporting;
• increasing involvement of intended audiences in planning and message development;
• creating programmes that cater to specific age groups in terms of language, age of the presenter, etc;
• increasing the variety of programming and including more edutainment content;
• training presenters on how to monitor and evaluate programmes; and
• ensuring a balance of messaging regarding prevention, treatment, and care.

Recommendations for government and other stakeholders include:

• developing media policies on HIV/AIDS content;
• providing technical and financial support to radio stations;
• monitoring and evaluating programmes via the National AIDS Council;
• ensuring that HIV prevention messages are being communicated;
• sharing information with radio stations and other media;
• acting as watchdog for programme quality and accuracy of information; and
• training radio presenters on HIV/AIDS messaging, pre-testing, and monitoring and evaluation.

The report also includes practical guidelines for producing good radio programmes. These include:

• Be clear on what you want to communicate.
• Identify the intended audience in advance.
• Involve people living with HIV/AIDS in broadcasts.
• Avoid stigmatising people with HIV/AIDS.
• Work with health professionals when preparing programming.
• Work with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) - in particular, traditional theatre groups - to amplify their work.
• Get support, interest, and commitment from upper management.
• Be bold in taking risks and pushing limits.
• Involve youth, adults, and other community leaders.
• Incorporate messages about HIV/AIDS into other programming.

The report also includes a list of key messages that need to be communicated, including: testing positive for HIV is not a death sentence; focusing on most common forms of transmission - sexual, mother-to-child, and injection drug use; and reminding people that it is not possible to tell if a person is HIV-positive by looking at them or by their background.