Evidence: Building Resilience: How Research Has Been Used to Develop and Evaluate a Media and Communication Approach
Building Resilience: How Research Has Been Used to Develop and Evaluate a Media and Communication Approach.
Name(s) of author(s)?:
Sonia Whitehead
Who published this paper, article, book (chapter) or other publication?:
A paper by BBC Media Action
What are the best extracts that highlight the evidence for the impact of a communication for development, social change, behaviour change, public engagement, or informed citizen strategy on a development issue and priority?:
There is growing evidence to suggest that media and communication can support people to become more resilient to short-term shocks and long-term trends. To date, however, systematic research on the role of media and communication projects in helping to build resilience is limited. This report advances this body of work in two ways. First, it shows how research carried out across Asia, and in Bangladesh and Tanzania has been used to build an approach to producing media programming for resilience that is rooted in the needs of people. Second, it shows the impact that media can have when adopting this approach. Specifically, the report shows how using research to understand different people’s needs, as well as the barriers and motivators they face personally and in their wider, socio-political context, is important when designing media and communication projects that facilitate change. Research across multiple countries shows that the main determinants of whether or not people take steps to become more resilient include: • The impacts they are currently feeling or the anticipated risk of those impacts • The extent to which they feel informed about how to take action • How connected they feel to others in their community • How confident they feel to act on their own • How much they believe resources or institutional factors are a barrier to uptake The report draws upon two examples – a national reality television programme in Bangladesh and a local radio programme in Tanzania – to illustrate the power of this approach. The evaluation findings from each of these projects show the impact that media and communication can have on supporting people’s resilience. • Reach: Both programmes reached people at scale. Over the course of the three-year project, BBC Media Action’s resilience programming in Bangladesh (including both the television programme and a PSA) reached an estimated 22.5 million people. In Tanzania, the radio discussion programmes and affiliated debate specials together reached 31% of the population in the two drought affected states. • Knowledge: In both countries, the programmes helped to improve people’s understanding of resilience issues – over two-thirds of audiences reported improved understanding as a result of listening to or watching the output. • Discussion: The programmes also stimulated discussion. In Tanzania, for example, 46% of listeners said that they discussed the topics covered in the programme with others. • Action: Ultimately, the research shows that the programmes have been successful at driving action.In Bangladesh, nearly half (47%) of viewers in Bangladesh could name actions that they had taken as a result of watching the programme. This included making water safe to drink, storing food and raising their houses so they were less at risk of flooding. However, although both programmes contributed to adoption of resilient behaviour, they did so in different ways. The Bangladesh programme worked primarily through the effect of perceived risk and lack of institutional support, whereas in Tanzania, knowledge and confidence appeared to be more important drivers of change.
To which development issue does this evidence and impact data relate?:
Resilience
To which strategic approach(es) does the evidence and impact data relate?:
Reality TV and magazine programmes (entertainment education), also community action and outreach.
What research methodology (ies) was/were used to produce this evidence and impact data?:
Quantitative surveys with general public, and qualitative research (including focus groups, community assessments and IDIs)
What is the URL to access this paper, article, book (chapter) or other publication?:
Why was this research evidence found to be useful?:
I have used the approach and the indicators that we have shown to be important in driving action across other countries e.g. Ethiopia and Myanmar and have seen similar results.
Further comments?:
More detailed research on the main example discussed in this report can be found at this link
Participating organisations in the Global Alliance for Social and Behaviour Change - Building Informed and Engaged Societies were asked to identify, in their opinion, the 5 most compelling research and evaluation studies that demonstrate the direct impact of this field of work on a major development issue. This was one of the nominees. For the full compiled list, please click here. For the compilation of the key impact data across all research evidence identified, please click here.