December 10, 2007 – PCI-Media Impact, a global not-for-profit producer of innovative TV and radio shows featured in over 25 countries announced the successful completion of a five-day media training that took place in Quito, Ecuador. The trainings, part of PCI-Media Impact’s innovative My Community strategy, were coordinated with the help of ALER (Latin American Association of Radio Education), a Latin America-based NGO that produces socially-responsible radio programs.

Nine coalitions with representatives from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, and Venezuela participated in an intense series of media trainings devoted to radio production and the principles of Entertainment-Education and social marketing. After the training participating coalitions were asked to design and submit their own proposals for a potential radio serial drama that PCI-Media Impact will fund and produce in 2008.

PCI-Media impact played host to the coalitions, arranging a series of workshops and seminars focused on teaching them how to design, produce and evaluate their own radio serial dramas. Beyond the more technical aspects of radio production, including serial drama methodology, character and message development, the participants were taught how to employ qualitative and quantitative tools to measure a serial drama’s success. Instructors also emphasized the need to identify community needs as part of formative research and the importance of identifying local partners ““ civic-minded organizations, NGOs or clinics ““ to help with program promotion, generate community support or assist with program outcomes, such as service-delivery and audience involvement.

Twenty-eight coalitions submitted applications to attend the 2007 PCI-Media Impact media training. The nine coalitions and twenty participants selected were: Maria Teresa Illanes Salas and Paola Dimattia Duran from Instituto para el Desarrollo Humano, Angelina Garcia Aycardi and Nelly Moreno from Fundación Pro-Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Walter Hurtado, Osawaldo Contreras and Alejandra Paola Paredes from RARE and Colegio Técnico Quijos, Sandra López Astudillo and Juan Carlos López Trujillo from Grupo de Apoyo al Movimiento de Mujeres del Azuay (GAMMA), Elba Oneida Rodas and Juana Crecensia from Asociación Comunicares, Francisco Gallo Razo and Rafael García from Sistema Chiapaneco de Radio y TV, Lecgisia Torres and Edelson Gómez from Fe y Alegría 105.7 FM, Amor Antunez, Rosa Guarente, Belmar Franceschi from PLAFAM ““ Venezuela and Ana María Encalada and Paúl Ortiz from Radio Integración.

The PCI-Media Impact training emphasized the need to keep audiences interested in a program’s storyline, from concept to execution. Building on this point, the coalitions were separated into teams during the training and were asked to structure, write and produce two episodes of a potential serial drama.

“These trainings incorporate talent from many countries and are designed to be both informative and fun,” said PCI Director of Programs, Natalia Vaccarezza. “Yet the end goal remains the same: allowing PCI-Media Impact to acquire the most innovative and cost-effective projects year-round.”

“PCI-Media Impact’s trainers and their Entertainment-Education methodology and tools have made an immense contribution to our institution,” said Maria Teresa Illanes of IDH, Bolivia.

At the end of the media training the nine coalitions sent proposals to PCI-Media Impact, each one focused on a social issue relevant to the country of origin. The proposals represent a variety of program formats, from magazine to Internet, and will cover topics and themes ranging from the protection of sex workers in Bolivia to environmental conservation in Ecuador. From these nine proposals PCI-media Impact will select the five most promising radio projects to fund in 2008.

PCI-Media Impact will announce the seed-funding winners on December 21, 2007.

About PCI-Media Impact

Since 1985, PCI-Media Impact’s programs have addressed the root causes of poverty and have encouraged people to make choices that lead to better health and sustainable development. Working with local partners worldwide, PCI-Media Impact produces carefully researched and culturally sensitive radio and television dramas that combine the power of storytelling with the reach of broadcast media. For more information, please visit PCI-Media Impact’s website at www.pci-mediaimpact.org