Media campaign improves health in Cambodia

Cambodia

Jackie Chan starring in a campaign to help stop the spread of HIV and AIDS

Working in partnership with the Cambodian government, Cambodian broadcasters and a range of international and local organisations, we produced a mass media campaign to help stop the spread of HIV and AIDS, improve care and support for people living with HIV, and improve the health of Cambodia's mothers and children.

Start date: 2003
End date: 2006/2009
Media types: television, radio, print
Issue: health
Country: Cambodia

The co-ordinated campaign consisted of a television soap opera, three radio phone-in and discussion programmes, television and radio public service announcements and a print magazine.

Programming focused on improving sexual health, increasing condom use and changing attitudes to people living with HIV and AIDS.

It also addressed the health of young children by:

  • Encouraging breast feeding
  • Raising awareness of acute respiratory infection
  • Promoting hand-washing to prevent diarrhoea
And it encouraged new mothers to have pre and ante natal check ups and take iron tablets to prevent anaemia.

All the programmes were broadcast in the Khmer language.

Audiences

The primary target of the HIV elements of the mass media campaign was 18-34 year olds, because they are most vulnerable to HIV infection.

The primary target of the maternal and child health elements of the campaign were carers of children under the age of 5 and pregnant women living in both cities and the countryside.

Television soap opera and magazine

Cambodia's first hospital television soap opera, ‘Rous Cheat Chivit', ('Taste of Life') was set in a nursing college and aimed to change attitudes and behaviour around HIV and AIDS. It was broadcast twice a week on the country's most watched station, TV5 and the state broadcaster, TVK. One hundred episodes were broadcast in total. More

The television programme was supported by a photo-strip magazine. Each month 66,000 copies were produced and distributed to the public by UNICEF (also sponsor to public this magazine) and local non-governmental organisations.

Youth radio phone-in programme

' Really?' encourages young people to air their views and ask questions about taboo subjects, including safe sex and drug abuse. The weekly programme is still being broadcast on radio station FM 103. More

Radio discussion programme for men

' Real Men' encourages men to talk about sensitive subjects, including how married couples can negotiate condom use. The weekly programme is still being broadcast by the national broadcaster, Radio National of Kampuchea (RNK). More

Radio phone-in programme about maternal and child health

First Steps, Cambodia's first mother and child health live radio phone-in programme, was broadcast by the national broadcaster, Radio National of Kampuchea. Ninety nine shows were broadcast in total. More

Public service announcements

Working in partnership with local radio and television stations, we produced 23 television and 22 radio public service announcements (PSAs) about child and maternal health. In the space of a year, the radio PSAs were broadcast more than 35,000 times across 11 radio stations. More

We also produced 31 television and 30 radio PSAs about HIV and AIDS. The radio PSAs were broadcast as total of 22,813 times. More.

Research and impact

Extensive quantitative and qualitative audience research was carried out to measure the reach and impact of our work in Cambodia. More

Working in partnership

TV and radio are increasingly powerful tools for change

Dr. Mam Bun Heng, Secretary of State for Health

The campaign is the result of strong partnerships between the BBC World Service Trust and Cambodian broadcasters and the Cambodian government, supported by a raft of international and local organisations and non-governmental organisations.

"TV and radio are increasingly powerful tools for change. Together with the BBC, we look forward to making an even greater difference in the lives of the people of Cambodia."
Dr. Mam Bun Heng, Secretary of State for Health

Broadcasters, including, TVK, TV5 and Radio National of Kampuchea and FM 103, have generously donated producer time, in-house technical facilities and airtime to the campaign.

In return, we have provided the broadcasters with production training and skills building workshops.