The Communication Initiative
Development action with informed and engaged societies
The Communication Initiative
After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at cila.comminitcila.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
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Ebola: audience research by mobile phone

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Author: Dorothy Peprah, April 21 2015 - As we tentatively celebrate the recovery of Beatrice Yardolo, the last known Ebola patient to be discharged from a treatment centre in Liberia, BBC Media Action continues working on programmes and training across the region to ensure Ebola is minimised.

Radio programmes like Kick Ebola from Liberia have played a crucial role in stemming the outbreak. But how could we measure this when the normal methods of audience research - face to face interactions with listeners - were off limits?

Human to human exchanges

The Ebola virus outbreak was at its peak when the first episodes aired. Programmes like Kick Ebola from Liberia encouraged people to avoid close physical contact - since Ebola is passed on through bodily fluids. Our usual research methods were therefore potential risk factors for contracting and spreading a highly infectious disease.

Finding solutions

In the face of this challenge, we opted to use a mobile phone survey to reach our audience in Liberia. The first round of data showed Kick Ebola from Liberia reached 85% of those surveyed. While we accepted this methodology meant we could only reach those Liberians with access to a mobile phone (estimated to be 42%), it would still provide very useful data in challenging times. Over 80% respondents found Kick Ebola from Liberia highly relevant, trustworthy and a platform to voice their concerns with 91% taking life-saving action, such as avoiding physical contact and washing hands.

Learning and ongoing conversations

As Kick Ebola from Liberia continues, we anticipate further rounds of mobile surveying along with carefully considered focus group discussions.

We’ve learnt a lot, and importantly, we’ve gained vital mobile phone survey experience, a research method to deploy in situations when human contact needs to be minimised.

Click here to access this BBC Media Action blog and related links on their Ebola work. Image credit: BBC Media Action

Contact:
BBC Media Action
BBC Media Centre, MC3A, 201 Wood Lane
London
W12 7TQ
United Kingdom (UK)
Phone: 44 (0) 20 8008 0001
Fax: 44 (0) 20 8008 5970
Media.action@bbc.co.uk