Skip navigation

Sophie Chalk's blog

HIV/AIDS, Stigma, Messaging and Media?

To: The HIV/AIDS Communication Network with The Communication Initiative

Sophie Chalk from International Broadcasting Trust on HIV/AIDS, stigma and direct messaging. Do you agree with this perspective and the recommendations from the IBT report HIV and Stigma - the Media Challenge? Which of the quotes from Japhet, Scott and Hohlfleder is closest to your perspective and why? Please reply by email or click Read More below and contribute online. Thanks

HIV/AIDS and Stigma: The Media Challenge

There has been a lot of academic debate around development communication and media messaging, much of which has centred on whether direct messaging works – does it genuinely engage the public and lead to behaviour change or is a more nuanced approach required? What more can be done to engage the public with the issue of HIV? IBT’s research has found that there is real fatigue with this story both among the public and in the media. We have published a piece of research examining the role of the media in HIV and stigma. Can the media play a meaningful role in reducing stigma which is one of the main barriers to testing and treatment of HIV? Will it play a greater role than it is? How can we persuade the media to get engaged?

Garth Japhet, the founder of The Soul City Institute for Health and Development Communication in South Africa, believes that a more subtle approach is needed: ***“The issues that we are dealing with are not slogan issues.

Does direct messaging work? The HIV and Stigma perspective

To: The Health Communication Network with The Communication Initiative

Sophie Chalk from International Broadcasting Trust on HIV/AIDS, stigma and direct messaging. Do you agree with this perspective and the recommendations from the IBT report HIV and Stigma - the Media Challenge? Which of the quotes from Japhet, Scott and Hohlfleder is closest to your perspective and why? Please reply by email or click Read More below and contribute online. Thanks

HIV/AIDS and Stigma: The Media Challenge

There has been a lot of academic debate around development communication and media messaging, much of which has centred on whether direct messaging works – does it genuinely engage the public and lead to behaviour change or is a more nuanced approach required? What more can be done to engage the public with the issue of HIV? IBT’s research has found that there is real fatigue with this story both among the public and in the media. We have published a piece of research examining the role of the media in HIV and stigma. Can the media play a meaningful role in reducing stigma which is one of the main barriers to testing and treatment of HIV? Will it play a greater role than it is? How can we persuade the media to get engaged?

Garth Japhet, the founder of The Soul City Institute for Health and Development Communication in South Africa, believes that a more subtle approach is needed: ***“The issues that we are dealing with are not slogan issues.

HIV/AIDS Communication