News

PCI-Media Impact Wins Interaction’s Outstanding Photograph Prize

August 25, 2008 – PCI-Media Impact, a not-for-profit organization that produces social change television and radio programs around the world, was recently awarded Outstanding Photograph by InterAction for James Rodriguez’s snapshot of Guatemalan children participating in a clean-up of their neighborhood in San Pedro, Guatemala.

To address the unhealthy waste management practices in rural Mayan-Quiche speaking Guatemala, PCI-Media Impact partnered with local radio stations and local organization LaAsociacion Juventud Kiche to produce the radio serial drama Jach b’al Re Loq’ b’al K’u’x(The Love Recycle).  The drama featured two of PCI-Media Impact’s most recognizable character types: Chelly, an 18 year old woman who wants to improve the earning potential of her father’s farm, and Don Tavo, Chelly’s father who become ill after struggling to make the farm a success. The drama unfolds as the Tavo family attempts and fails in attempt after attempt to raise different crops.  With no success, the family starts recycling inorganic materials and finally establishes a secure income for the family.

The drama was at the core of the radio magazine, Uj Mox pero Uj saq (Crazy but Clean), which featured not only the radio drama, but also call-in discussions with experts in environmental protection and conversation and recycling.  From the radio program, the local communities of El Quiche, Totonicapán, Quetzaltenango, Huehuetenango, San Marcos and Cobán changed their attitudes toward the environment.  The program mobilized local youth, who listened to the program in school each day, to organize a clean up of their towns.  The award-winning photograph captures one of those initiatives.

“Rodriguez’a photograph depicts PCI-Media Impact’s work to build grassroots social movements around some the greatest issues facing the world.  Through this innovative program, we have energized a new generation of youth leaders and environmentalists.  Most importantly, the message that environmental stewardship can be a fun, social activity for children is coming through loud in clear in this amazing photograph,” explains Michael Castlen, Executive Director of PCI-Media Impact.

Jach b’al Re Loq b’al K’u'x is just one of the 46 radio serial dramas PCI-Media Impact has produced in Latin America in the last four years through its My Community program.  My Community empowers underserved communities through PCI-Media Impact’s communication for social change methodology.  The design of My Community allows each community to establish sustainable public awareness campaigns around health and economic development.  Currently, PCI-Media Impact has 11 radio serial dramas being broadcast throughout Latin America.

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health highlights cost effectiveness of PCI-Media Impact's "My Community" program in 2008 INFO Report Series

August 2008 - Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and its Information and Knowledge for Optimal Health (INFO) project, with funding from USAID, released the 2008 INFO Report Series. The series, the first since 2002, aims to share essential information and knowledge about the best practices of reproductive health professionals around the world.

The series publication entitled, Entertainment-Education for Better Health (click here to see publications) recognizes PCI-Media Impact's My Community project as a cost effective method of engaging the community on health issues using mass media. In the chapter Investing in Mass Media:Getting the Most for the Money, the writer uses our work as an important example of success, saying “starting small can help to hold down costs. For example, the organization PCI-Media Impact trains members of community organizations to write and produce radio dramas in its My Community initiative”. The chapter includes additional information about our program and photographs from current programs in Guatemala.

PCI-Media Impact Executive Director, Michael Castlen, served on the advisory review panel for the publication along with other notable colleagues from the field of public health, communications and international development.

PCI Media Impact presents program innovations
at the XVII International AIDS Conference 2008 in Mexico City
Presentation will demonstrate how local broadcast media and storytelling can combat HIV

August 4, 2008- PCI-Media Impact, a not-for-profit organization that produces social change TV and radio programs around the world, along with its long-time Latin American partner, Calandria Association of Social Communicators (La Asociación de Comunicadores Sociales Calandria), will present important program innovations recently developed that spark local community participation using storytelling and local radio to combat HIV and AIDS at the XVII International AIDS Conference 2008 running from August 3 – 8 in Mexico City. << read more in full press release >>

PCI-Media Impact Launches 2008 Program Schedule
11 radio programs will reach 4 million people across Latin American

July 29, 2008 – PCI-Media Impact,a not-for-profit producer of social change TV and radio programs around the world, announced the 2008 broadcast schedule for its My Community radio programs. My Community broadcasts promote social and behavioral change in health, human rights and the environment in communities throughout Latin America using local radio broadcasts. Eleven radio series began broadcasting in June to seven Latin American countries with a signal strengthen estimated to reach more than 4 million people.

For the complete schedule, please click here.

The My Community initiative stems from partner organization support throughout Central and South America. The collaboration helps PCI-Media Impact develop an ever-growing network of both grassroots organizations and corporate partnerships, enabling them to form relationships for future programs in impoverished regions. The mission of PCI-Media Impact is to tell stories and save lives by way of advocating, in a combined effort with similar organizations, to promote greater rights and better health through the use of communications. << read more in full press release >>

The Fourth Year of My Community begins with training
in Bogota, Colombia
PCI-Media Impact calls for participants to participate in 2008-09 Program

July 4, 2008 - PCI-Media Impact, a not-for-profit producer of social change TV and radio programs around the world, announced start of the application process for its My Community Training 2008, a social change communications and social marketing workshop to be held in Bogotá, Colombia this fall. PCI-Media Impact’s My Community Training will host 20 diverse individuals from organizations spanning Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, the Andean region, and Brazil, offering creative methodologies to use media for promoting social and behavioral change in health, human rights and the environment. After the training, the organizations will be able to apply their new knowledge and skills producing radio programs that will help them to achieve their goals of generating positive change in their communities.

Through discussing various communication and development strategies, participants will share innovative ideas and personal experiences for educating their communities. In addition, groups will attend lectures and participate in small workshops concerning theoretical bases for PCI-Media Impact’s social communications methodology, as well as learning techniques such as script writing, broadcasting and design of social marketing campaigns.

The program will starts with a training in Bogota, Colombia on November 10-14, 2008. Application deadline is August 30, 2008. For more information contact: Alexander Amézquita alex@pci-mediaimpact.org Tel: Quito, Ecuador: + 593 2-25-5-9012 or Mark Waters mwaters@pci-mediaimpact.org Tel: New York: +212 687 3366

Or view our Spanish Language Website at: http://es.mediaimpact.org or http://www.pci-mediaimpact.org/micomunidad

PCI-Media Impact Launches Radio Soap Opera in California
New radio soap operas focus on youth sexual health and offer support to migrants

June 24, 2008 – PCI-Media Impact , a global not-for-profit producer of TV and radio shows in over 25 countries, announced the U.S. premier of the first of four radio serial dramas to be broadcast by the Radio Bilingue network. Radio Bilingue, the Spanish language radio network, will air the programs on six radio stations in California and one in Arizona during the month of June. The program will also be available through its web stream.

The first series will focus on migration issues, with subsequent broadcasts to focus on sexual and reproductive health issues, masculinity/gender roles, and women’s health. The series was co-produced by PCI-Media Impact and El Centro Universitario del Sur (CUSUR) of the University of Guadalajara in Jalisco, Mexico.

The first drama, Al Otro Lado: Allá está el Dinero, Aquí la Vida (The other side: There is the money, here is life), focuses on a group of women in the twilight of their lives, some who have lived and worked in the US when they were younger. The women have started a cooperative-farm at home in Mexico and are asking the government with assistance in building greenhouses. Finally, without government support, they build the greenhouses themselves, with not a single man involved, as they are all working in the United States. The story provides practical information on government services for Mexican migrants and their families. The show was inspired by, written by and performed by a group of women working in one such cooperative. << read more in full press release >>

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