Communications Channels

Radio is a crucial part of the mass media landscape in SADC Member States. Programming formats often include radio spots and dramas, both of which may use songs, jingles and other methods to deliver messages.

Radio spots are brief segments, usually between 15-60 seconds, that can be used to deliver 2-3 specific messages and a call to action. Radio dramas often use story or dialogue formats and can be used to provide culturally nuanced, socially relevant and entertaining messages.
 

• Radios are affordable and portable with wide reach to spread messaging.
• FM stations are common in urban settings and AM/community radio are more effective in rural areas.
• Community radio offers opportunities for local leaders to spread messaging.
   

• Radio use is rapidly becoming less common than television in upper-middle-income countries.
• Costs associated with development and delivery of programming can be significant.
• Programmes need to plan and execute radio media together with other media to provide impact at scale.
  
   

• Television provides visual impact thorough graphic imagery with a particularly high level of engagement and novelty in rural communities. 
• There is an opportunity to use Public Service Announcements (PSAs) for health promotion messaging across Member State, National and private sector TV networks.
• Public-Private-Partnerships (PPPs) with media providers can yield bonus spots that support the networks’ Social-Cause-Related-Marketing (SCRM) activities.
   

• High cost of purchasing media plans together with the costs associated with development and delivery of programming can be significant.
• Though lower cost, messaging frequency is limited with light media plans.

• All SADC member States have influential national, provincial and local newspapers.
• Policy makers and educated elite are the primary audiences of many newspapers. There is an opportunity to use informational approaches and topical news stories to deliver IYCF messaging via media advocacy activities.
• Newspapers are an important medium for opinion leaders with readership far exceeding circulation.
   

• Newspapers are not considered a primary media channel in SADC SBCC research (9).
• Access to daily newspapers is limited in rural areas.
• There is a limited reading culture in remote areas.
   

• Outdoor media provides a cost-effective messaging opportunity with extensive reach in rural and urban areas.
• Repeated messaging exposure in the community may increase awareness of messaging.
• There is an opportunity for targeted approaches with image-based messaging in neighbourhoods, clinics, community centres and other locations.
   

• Messaging location and placement are important, and visibility may be limited to only parts of the day.
• Relatively impersonal message delivery.
• Limited experience with nutrition-related outdoor media messaging delivered through signs, wall branding and vehicle stickers.
   

Mobile phone messaging

(including MHealth, smartphones and SMS messaging)

• Mobile phones are widely used across much of the SADC region.
• SMS messaging provides an efficient, low-cost opportunity to deliver messaging once a database of users is established.
   

• Mobile phone use is still limited in some areas.
• MHealth apps cannot be used in areas where advanced phone technologies are limited.
• The cost of MHealth app development may be significant.
   

• Social media is a fast-growing medium for low-cost, high-reach, targeted interventions, particularly for young mothers, fathers and caregivers.
• Content can be interactive and personalised. 
• Stories of real community members can be used to provide culturally resonant content and emotional engagement.
   

• Social media interventions require literacy and may have limited reach with some groups.
• Very limited use in some areas because of limited penetration of advanced phone technologies and high cost of streaming data in many locations.
• Can lack credibility since some opinion leaders and social media influencers may be viewed as promoting a range of causes and products to make money, which undermines community trust.
   

• Despite a need for image-based messaging in areas with low literacy, there is a limited availability of printed materials in many areas.
• IEC materials present an opportunity to collaborate with heath systems, humanitarian food distribution programmes and others to deliver messaging efficiently.
   

• Timely and efficient delivery of IEC materials is important to ensure they are available to communities in need.
• IEC materials should be viewed as supporting message dissemination and campaign reach, but not as primary campaign activities.
   

• Community-based events foster community dialogue and conversation that the bolsters social support for behaviour change and increases intention to act.
• Events can achieve large reach at the community level during and following the event.
   

• It can be time intensive to establish relationships and trust in the community.
• Community-based events are less personal than direct, interpersonal communications.
• The costs associated with training and programme delivery can be significant.
   

• Personal, interactive communications can be used to explain complex information.
• Familiar relationships enhance trust and influence and may increase intention to act.
   

• Interpersonal communications are often low reach and time consuming.
• Costs associated with training and programme delivery can be significant.