Media & the HIV/AIDS landscape

"When you are working to combat a disastrous and growing emergency, you should use every tool at your disposal. HIV/AIDS is the worst epidemic humanity has ever faced.… Broadcast media have tremendous reach and influence, particularly with young people, who represent the future and who are the key to any successful fight against HIV/AIDS. We must seek to engage these powerful organisations as full partners in the fight to halt HIV/AIDS through awareness, prevention, and education."
(Kofi Annan, UNAIDS, 2004).

The words of the former UN chief, remind us of the urgency with which operatives in the fight against HIV/AIDS need to mobilise media resources as much as all other resources to tap into the "tremendous reach and influence, particularly with young people."

Traditionally, the role of the media was put into three categories:
1. Educate
2. Inform
3. Entertain

Education
The media is still seen, in many parts of the world as a tool for education. To this extend, early scholars were encouraged to scurry through magazines and newspapers to improve their knowledge as well as their English. This was done with the understanding that those working behind the scenes to provide media products had thoroughly looked at their content before passing it off to their consumers.

Inform
The media played the important role of bringing information to the listening, reading or viewing public. Programmes were produced, columns published, which carried in-depth analyses of issues. Researchers referred to articles and news clips in their findings. This role, has remained, albeit, its abuse by the media.

Entertain
The media has for years religiously pursued the role of entertainment. Movies, film, video technology, the internet, music on radio and television, magazine stories - all have maintained a grip on the entertainment starved public. Over the years, especially in the wake of the AIDS pandemic, scholars have at many a forum discussed the role if any, that the media can play in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The effects of media consumption on people's attitudes and behaviour regarding sex are should be increasing interest to policy makers and program planners. Of much concern is the extent to which frequent consumption of media with high levels of sexual content is made available, against low levels of counter portrayal of responsible sexual conduct.

The questions then could be: "How can the mass media be used to promote responsible sexual behaviour?" Can HIV/AIDS media prevention interventions be done in a social context and a culturally sensitive manner that does not erode the impact and effect of the message in the eyes of culture gate-keepers?

Organisations working to use the media need to come up comprehensive proactive media plans if their messages are to be effective.