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Winner: Core Competence
REGION: INDIA
INDUSTRY TYPE: BROADCASTING
WEBSITE: www.bbcworldservicetrust.org
The BBC World Service Trust (BBC WST) partnered with the Government of India's National AIDS Control Organization and state broadcaster, Doordarshan, to produce a mass media HIV/AIDS campaign that has already reached more than 250 million people.
Goal
To reduce the rate of HIV infection and decrease stigma by developing prevention campaigns to increase knowledge and change behavior around HIV/AIDS.
Program Scope
Over a period of six years, BBC WST has produced and aired hundreds of hours of television and radio content with HIV/AIDS messaging that has reached millions of people across India. TV and radio programming has been coupled with local community interventions and the incorporation of new media and mobile phones where appropriate.
Outcomes
- 70 million people in India have watched the show Jasoos Vijay, to follow the adventures of an HIV-positive detective. During its broadcast run, the show was one of the top 20 most viewed television programs in India.
- In total, the shows Jasoos Vijay and Haath Se Haath Milaa reached more than 250 million people.
- Amongst those who had seen BBC WST’s campaign programming, 85% said that they learned something new and 6.7 million people said they had taken action as a result.
For more than 75 years, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has been one of the best known and most respected voices in international broadcasting. Today it broadcasts on radio in 33 languages to a weekly audience of more than 183 million listeners. The BBC World Service Trust (BBC WST) is the BBC's international charity.
THE WINNING PROGRAM
The sheer magnitude and reach of BBC WST’s HIV/AIDS mass media campaign in India makes this program truly ground breaking in its scale and impact.
In 2002, BBC WST initiated a partnership with Government of India's National AIDS Control Organization and state broadcaster, Doordarshan, to encourage the open discussion of sexual health issues and change behavior and attitudes toward people living with HIV through a combination of public service announcements (PSAs), reality TV shows, dramas, interactive discussion programs, music videos, competitions and outdoor advertising. BBC WST was able to leverage free airtime for the campaign, in exchange for its training and technical help.
To ensure that messages were accurate and uniquely tailored to the Indian cultural context, BBC WST met with government ministries, UNAIDS, health workers and NGOs and conducted research of at-risk groups. Notable components include the creation of 118 half-hour episodes of India's first-ever detective drama series with HIV/AIDS messaging, 117 half-hour weekly episodes of a youth reality TV show, 52 weekly episodes of a phone-in radio show, and more than 50 TV and radio PSAs.
CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS
Embedded Research and Learning Processes
By embedding research and learning processes into the development of campaign components, BBC WST ensured rigorous monitoring, evaluation and reporting. In-depth research established parameters and content while pre-testing messages helped to refine relevance and importance among viewers to ensure the project’s impact.
Materials Targeted to Women and Girls
To reach out to female populations with limited access to television, BBC WST produced 28 half-hour weekly episodes of a radio show on women’s empowerment and health issues. Regular contributors to the program included 12 female development workers who were trained by the BBC on the basics of journalism and radio programming skills.
BROADLY APPLICABLE PRINCIPLES
Supplemental Toolkits for NGOs Extend Impact
To reach populations in remote areas, BBC WST partnered with local NGOs to distribute multi-media toolkits, which included 11 audiovisual films, a user manual and supplementary materials such as games, flipcharts and flashcards that facilitators can use to conduct and stimulate community discussions about HIV/AIDS.
Celebrity Involvement Increases Public Appeal
BBC WST’s weekly youth-focused reality TV show featured young achievers who had made outstanding contributions towards raising awareness about HIV/AIDS. By including top film stars in the show, the series leveraged the appeal of the Indian film industry to attract interest and raise awareness about HIV/AIDS.