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‘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

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