PSI Accepts Two Global Media Awards

WASHINGTON, DC, December 7, 2006 — PSI/Romania and PSI/Thailand have been awarded 2006 Global Media Awards for Excellence in Population Reporting. This is the second year in a row that PSI programs have received the award, which honors those who have contributed to creating awareness of population problems through journalistic endeavors.

PSI/Romania was awarded Best Combined Media Effort on Behalf of Population for the “Femei Adevarate — True Women” campaign. The telenovela aired in early 2006 for six weeks as part of an edutainment show that discussed key messages regarding reproductive health. The series is used as part of an interpersonal communications campaign by PSI facilitators with small groups of women in factory and other settings, and is complemented by public relations materials (posters, flyers, invitations) to help raise awareness of reproductive health issues.

The “True Women” project is part of the Romanian Family Health Initiative (RFHI), a long term USAID-funded program implemented under a sub-award from John Snow Inc. RFHI targets vulnerable women aged 15-49 to make them aware of modern contraception options and to encourage responsible choices regarding reproductive health.

True Women was earning accolades even before the receipt of the Global Media Award. At a press conference following the unveiling of the campaign, USAID Director Rodger Garner noted the importance of such a new approach and its impact on the targeted audience. “By watching the show and the televised discussion afterward, tens of thousands of families throughout the country had an opportunity to learn about reproductive health. Best of all, they saw how important it is to talk openly about reproductive health — mothers with daughters, wives with husbands, friends with friends.”

The national TV station in Romania, which aired the series and produced the talk show after each episode at no cost, has also expressed interest in re-broadcasting the show in January 2007. The series has already been re-broadcasts on four regional TV stations this year.

PSI/Thailand won in the category of Best Commercial Advertising Campaign for “Targeted Behavior Change Communication: Transgenders in Pattaya.” The campaign promotes healthier social norms, employing a network strategy that allows programmers to reach transgenders (TGs) and to permit rapid dissemination of messages. Educators and multimedia were used communicate with the TG community of Pattaya.

Peer volunteers who work in the community and at local drop-in centers are equipped with messages such as: “A negative test result doesn't guarantee that the person isn’t HIV infected. So, never have sex without protection,” and “Show love and care by using a condom every time with your partner.” Through interactive activities, key ideas are reinforced and are fostered within an environment of trust and open dialogue. Posters reach TGs at local NGO offices, hospitals, public health clinics, government offices, night clubs, and in public areas around Pattaya.

"The real award," said PSI Thailand Country Representative John Hetherington, is "the knowledge that this does have an impact on general HIV prevalence."

The Population Institute's Global Media Award for Excellence in Population Reporting is designed to encourage greater media coverage of population and development issues. It is awarded annually in 15 categories and decided by an international panel of distinguished judges. PSI was honored previously in 2005, when PSI/Zimbabwe received the award for Best Combined Media Effort on Behalf of Population and PSI/Nepal was honored in the category of Best Television Documentary.

PSI's receipt of the Global Media Awards demonstrates the utility with which popular media are increasingly being used as vehicles for social change. PSI/Romania and PSI/Thailand continue to be innovators in the field, introducing communication strategies to confront the changing face of global health in an increasingly targeted way.

Representatives from PSI/Romania and PSI/Thailand were in Washington to receive the awards at a ceremony on December 6th.

— Carlie Danielson, PSI/Washington

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The "True Women" project encourages Romanian women to make responsible choices regarding reproductive health.   The Global Media Award winner in Thailand encourages populations to "Show love and care by using a condom every time with your partner."