This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Sood, S. Articles by Jacoby, C. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

‘Come Gather Around Together’

An Examination of Radio Listening Groups in Fulbari, Nepal

ssood{at}jhuccp.org

Manisha Sengupta

Johns Hopkins Bloomburg School of Public Health, Center for Communication Programs, 111 Market Place, Suite # 310, Baltimore MD 21202, USAmsengupt{at}jhsph.edu

Pius Raj Mishra

Nepal Family Health Program (NFHP), Behavior Change Communication (BCC) Unit, Sanepa, Lalitpur, Nepalpmishra{at}nfhp.org.np

Caroline Jacoby

Johns Hopkins University/Center for Communication Program, 111 Market Place, Suite # 310, Baltimore MD 21202, USAcjacoby{at}jhuccp.org

It has been shown that educational messages via mass media based entertainment can improve family planning behavior. It is likely that audience participation in the form of listening groups may enhance the impact of these programs. In Fulbari (Nepal), a partnership between local government agencies, community leaders, audience members and program staff led to the launch of listening groups complementing a mass media family planning initiative. Using survey data supplemented by anecdotal evidence and service statistics, this study examines the association between membership in these listening groups and family planning behavior. Multivariate logistic regression models show a significant relationship between radio listenership and knowledge and behavior variables above and beyond the positive association with the radio program itself. Results affirm the importance of a partnership between program organizers, community leaders, NGO partners and the audience community, in order to at least sustain positive family planning outcomes.

Key Words: audience initiative • entertainment–education • family planning • listening groups • mass media

Gazette, Vol. 66, No. 1, 63-86 (2004)
DOI: 10.1177/0016549204039942


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?