AudiencScapes

The latest demand for Zimbabwe to open its airwaves comes from a
coalition of civil society groups. Meanwhile, the MDC hurls charges of
politically biased programming at the state-controlled broadcaster, ZBC. AudienceScapes Fellow Tawanda Karombo reports.....

A political satire TV program, “The XYZ Show,” is gaining popularity for its unvarnished take on Kenya’s political figures. While its audience is growing, the program finds advertising dollars hard to come by. Dinfin Mulupi reports.

Beginning last month, Pakistanis with Internet access can now tune in to a web-based TV channel that highlights the concerns of marginalized citizens. With a focus on recruiting women and youth as reporters, “Maati TV” seeks to offer an alternative to mainstream media outlets. AudienceScapes Fellow Sonya Rehman reports.

The U.S.-based Sesame Street exports its signature brand of education through puppetry to nearly 20 countries around the world. Here, AudienceScapes offers in-depth profiles of two collaborations in South Asia. Sesame Street began with a vision of educating underprivileged American children using the popular medium of television. While most international co-productions are pursued in that same spirit, the realities of limited access to television have generated some inventive modifications. Read about rickshaw viewing events in Bangladesh to reach their large population of illiterate children.

By Gayatri Murthy, Research Assistant, AudienceScapesAudienceScapes Research Assistant Gayatri Murthy recently attended a discussion about Pakistan’s current media environment and its future development as predicted by veteran journalists and researchers from the region. While many have been concerned by the lack of objectivity and unconventional nature of media coverage in the Pakistani broadcast media, the panelists seemed to be alerting us to graver problems -- the lack of basic news and information in remote regions where populations are most vulnerable
Pakistan continues to be an important player in the Global War on Terror and simultaneously struggles with homegrown terrorism, devastating effects of the floods and economic adversity.

A highly rated Kenyan soap opera connects with its audience through text messaging and the Internet. While addressing serious topics in each week’s episode, Makutano Junction also has plenty of romance, humor and intrigue. Off the air, the show offers viewers resources and information.By Dinfin Mulupi “I have just watched Makutano Junction, and I have a problem and want to take it to children’s court. It concerns my kid who has been neglected by her dad. Please can you advise?” This is one of the SMS text messages received by the producers of a Kenyan soap opera after an episode aired that dealt with child abuse.  Unlike conventional soap operas, the aim of Makutano Junction is not to titillate but to educate.

The U.S.-based Sesame Street exports its signature brand of education through puppetry to nearly 20 countries around the world. Here, AudienceScapes offers in-depth profiles of two collaborations in South Asia. Sesame Street began with a vision of educating underprivileged American children using the popular medium of television. While most international co-productions are pursued in that same spirit, the realities of limited access to television have generated some inventive modifications. Read about rickshaw viewing events in Bangladesh [article below] to reach their large population of illiterate children.

A new television drama, Nivedita, tries to educate viewers about HIV/AIDS as it entertains them. The show’s creators have developed a rich website and celebrity public service announcements to make sure viewers can find out how to protect themselves or get tested.By Paromita PainNivedita is an Indian television drama about a young woman whose husband is unfaithful to her. So far, a storyline not unlike most soap operas the world over. But what happens next sets Nivedita apart from India’s typical soap opera. Nivedita meets up with her friend, Sushila, who displays all the signs of HIV infection. Nivedita learns that Sushila has contracted it from her husband. She encourages Sushila to go in for testing.

InterMedia Project
Manager Lyuda Andriyevska visited Ukraine this summer. She was eager to see how
the presentation of news and the general media environment in her home country
had been transformed after the February 2010 elections.By Lyuda AndriyevskaIn July I spent several weeks in Kyiv, my hometown. This was my first trip to Ukraine after the February 2010 election of Viktor Yanukovych as president. I was curious to see how the country had changed and, being in the media business, how the presentation of news had changed. I was surprised to witness how fast the new president has transformed the country and how rapidly the media have deteriorated. The quality of TV news, in particular, has degraded sharply.