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. 

On the transfer, co-founder Victoria Martin expressed her pleasure to see this work continue under Wits' leadership, knowing that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction. 

As Wits, we honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades and look forward building from that strong base. This includes co-founders Warren Feek (1953-2024) and Victoria Martin as well as La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA), which continues independently at lainiciativadecomunicacion.com with links to The CI Global site. We are also eager to forge new partnerships and entertain new ideas as we consider how best to contribute to social and behaviour change in our rapidly evolving environment.

If you are joining the International Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) Summit in Panama, please join Wits and CILA on Monday, 22 June, to share your thoughts and suggestion for the relaunch of the Communication Initiative. We will be in Pacifica 5 from 12-1:25 for the Refuel, Reflect, and Renew Lunch Series: The Communication Initiative: celebrating a driving force for Communication for Social Change and the way forward. We will reflect on the legacy of Warren Feek and family in creating the Communication Initiative, consider the contributions of CI over the years and then turn our attention towards the future in this dynamic session. 

If you are unable to join us in Panama, we still want to hear from you. Please contribute your thoughts by following this link: https://redcap.link/CommunicationInitiative2026 or reaching out to ci_surveys@commint.com. 

You can also follow the QR Code:

 https://redcap.link/CommunicationInitiative2026

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Interactive TV and Radio Programmes - Nigeria

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In Lagos State, Nigeria, the Program for Appropriate Technologies in Health (PATH) has developed a mass media project that involves the use of TV and radio call-in programmes to promote health issues. The project is linked with the USAID-funded IMPACT project, an HIV/AIDS prevention programme aimed at young people and adults. IMPACT is being implemented by Family Health International (FHI), in partnership with PATH.
Communication Strategies

The central strategy of this programme is to link mass media HIV/AIDS prevention activities already being implemented by partners with interpersonal communication activities - especially peer education activities.


In that context, the 30-minute-long TV and radio call-in programmes are coordinated. Each week, they both have guests from the partering organisations so that topics such as voluntary counseling and testing (VCT), rights of people living with AIDS (PLHA), and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can be discussed. At the same time, the services of these partners are promoted.


The shows are recorded and then played and discussed in peer education sessions, counseling sessions, community group meetings, and the like. Feedback from these activities is recorded and influences the content of future shows. A weekly competition related to the subject matter of the week is conducted through an HIV and AIDS telephone HelpLine. This competition is designed to not only promote the HelpLine but also to allow callers to be referred to local services.

Development Issues

HIV/AIDS, Reproductive Health, Youth.

Key Points

TV and radio are very popular forms of mass media in Lagos State; according to organisers, these call-in programmes are no exception. Due to popular demand, both programmes will go national sometime in 2003 and will increase their air times to 60 minutes.

Partners

PATH, FHI, USAID, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Metro FM Radio Station, local implementing partners.

Sources

Letters sent from Teresa Guillien to The Communication Initiative on December 9, 11, and 20, 2002.