Adapt & Air Media Spots

In preparation for the pretest, a one-day training is conducted for the pretest team which include the State Ministry of Health/Primary Health Care Development Agency officials.

TCI engages States in pretesting the existing media spots, specifically focusing on five key areas:

• Comprehension
• Attractiveness
• Acceptance
• Involvement
• Whether the material/activity induces action

The adaptations have mainly related to elements of the written and spoken word to:

• Determine whether the language and terms used are appropriate to the audience’s literacy level/ reading levels.
• Review text, narratives and captions for content accuracy, quantity of information and clear presentation of concepts, including whether they are presented in logical order.
• Determine whether wording is used appropriately and if it addresses the audience’s behavioral and socio-cultural barriers to change.
• Examine culture-specific statements and local idioms used; consider whether they are in the preferred language of the audience and used in the right context.
• Determine whether text complements visuals used (and not compete with it).
• Find out if the messages and the people communicating the messages are relevant, credible and attractive to the audience.

In most cases, the main adaptations relate to the translation, language and credits. However, in some States, more elaborate adaptations have been made to be socio-culturally acceptable.

See the Get It Together spots in Pidgin, Hausa and Yoruba for some examples of adaptations.

In the near future, TCI will be building state capacity to identify their targeted audience knowledge gaps related to family planning, so that the SBCC Committee can develop its own messages and materials.

Although States can receive discounts and bonuses from State-owned media stations, the stations are mandated to generate revenue. So, government is a customer to them as well. As a result, media agencies that already have relationships and discounted rates with a variety of media stations may be more cost-effective to pursue for airing spots. TCI supports SBCC Committee members to identify media agencies that have relationships with preferred radio stations with best rates and discounts.

Then, SBCC Committee members, LPAY ambassador and social mobilizers are asked to monitor broadcasts to evaluate the quality of the spots aired to be sure that viewers and listeners can hear and see the spots accordingly. Establish the frequency of the spots. Find out adherence to broadcast schedule provided and report observations so that they can addressed immediately.

TCI uses a rapid media habit survey with SBCC Committee members, LPAY ambassadors and social mobilizers to help assess the media band (TV/radio) and/or media stations they view/listen to and when they do the majority of their viewing.

Then, SBCC Committee members, LPAY ambassador and social mobilizers are asked to complete the media monitoring log according to their viewing habits. For more information on monitoring radio spots, check out the Media Monitoring Plan.