Member Highlights

LIVE UP Spotlight:
Committed CBMP Members Take Action

March 2008

St. Maarten Cable TV LIVING UP

St. Maarten Cable TV/TV 15 is going the extra mile in making HIV/AIDS a priority in its programming. CBMP Members can listen out for a new and catchy HIV/AIDS jingle to be included in the LIVE UP Programming Package thanks to St. Maarten Cable TV! We at the CBMP are impressed and delighted that this member has taken the initiative to write and produce a new radio jingle which touches on all key areas of HIV/AIDS awareness. They even managed to incorporate the term “Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome” into this jingle without missing a beat!

Management at St. Maarten Cable must also be congratulated for allowing their employees the opportunity to expand their knowledge on HIV/AIDS by organizing a sensitization workshop for the entire staff at the Carl and Sons Conference Center on Wednesday, February 20th, 2008 from 1:45PM – 4:15PM. Station Manager, Mr. Davey Woods noted that this kind of exercise is extremely important to all people of the region as we seek to respond to the issue of stigma associated with HIV/AIDS. “In addition, since our company as a CBMP member is promoting the LIVE UP campaign on a daily basis, I felt that our employees first and foremost should have a better understanding of the disease” Mr. Woods stated.

The CBMP once again salutes St. Maarten Cable TV for their initiative, creativity and commitment.

“Sparking the Consciousness” on HIV/AIDS Stigma and Discrimination in the Caribbean *

A broadcast company in Jamaica, the CVM Group, has effectively shown how to maneuver through the daily obligations of running a financially efficient company and still commit valuable airtime to making HIV/AIDS a priority in programming. They produced and aired three new HIV/AIDS documentaries, more than a dozen PSAs and 5 hours of live programming on World AIDS Day in December 2007.

Ms. Jennifer Grant, Vice President Broadcast Services, explains why CVM allocated priority time and space to HIV/AIDS related issues. “Our programming opened the eyes of our viewers to the fact that HIV/AIDS is no longer a death sentence. This is something that we will continue, exploring other programming vehicles to get the message across” she stated. Ms. Grant is quick to point out that this kind of commitment, as demonstrated by CVM, can have great benefits for the broadcast station.

1. Why did you choose "Sparking the Consciousness" as your campaign theme?
The idea came from a member of our news team out of extensive discussions on choosing a theme that would encapsulate what we hoped to achieve.

2. Which program do you think was most watched or most effective?
We felt that the three documentaries that were shot in the region reflecting the views on HIV/AIDS stigma and discrimination from people across the region were the most effective.

3. What if any training did you provide to your hosts?
The reporters and producers that worked on these programmes participated in the workshops mounted by CBMP in association with the Kaiser Foundation. This was a pre-condition of their mounting the programmes.

4. What was the response of the viewing public to the programmes aired?
The response was overwhelmingly positive, exceeding our expectations

5. How easy or difficult was it to get persons living with HIV/AIDS to speak on camera?
We found that there was some resistance but after the aims and objectives of the programming was explained persons living with HIV/AIDS were very willing to participate.

6. How do you see the type of programming you have produced changing some of the stigma and stereotypes usually associated with HIV/AIDS in the region?
Our programming opened the eyes of our viewers to the fact that HIV/AIDS is no longer a death sentence.

7. Did you experience any difficulty in selling the ad space for the completed programme?
This was not an issue at CVM because the Company committed airtime to the broadcast of the PSA’s and programming related to the project.

8. Do you have plans to continue these kinds of projects? If so, in what way?
This is something that we will continue, exploring other programming vehicles to get the message across. This project highlighted the need for sustained efforts at raising the awareness of the issues related to HIV/AIDS in the region. It also allowed us to interact in a formal way with the agencies and groups working very hard in this area in Jamaica.

9. What would you say was the biggest benefit of this exercise?
Our producers and reporters were exposed to training which heightened their sensitivity to the topic. This resulted in excellent programmes and a better work ethic on the part of these journalists.

10. What advice would you give your colleagues in the region about embarking on such a project?
I would recommend the experience on many levels. The training is invaluable. The discipline and work ethic that is required to submit for, plan and execute a project of this nature rebounds to the benefit of the organization. Our output increased, while simultaneously the level of awareness of the problems of HIV/AIDS in our countries heightened.

11. What would you do differently if you had to do this again?
This project as conceived was multi faceted in that we planned to mount three documentaries, PSA’s and a WAD Forum. In hindsight we recognized that it was too ambitious in the time allotted. We delivered 3 documentaries, PSA and 5 hours of live programming on WAD. Next time we will plan with a view to managing our resources more realistically.

I would like to say that CVM TV is truly appreciative of the support from the CBMP and the Kaiser Foundation in the execution of this project and we encourage other regional broadcasters to take advantage of the opportunities.

Rights-free copies of CVM’s productions will be distributed to CBMP members in 2008 Programming Packages. With this wealth of programming now added to the body of information available on HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean region, it certainly seems that Caribbean broadcasters are poised to truly have a much needed impact on HIV/AIDS related issues in the region.

For more information, contact Jennifer Grant.

Things That Matter – Broadcasting Corporation of the Bahamas LIVING UP

The BCB recently produced and aired a two hour show entitled “Things that Matter” which featured an interactive discussion on relationships, love and HIV/AIDS for both television and radio. The listening and viewing audience got the opportunity to participate in the discussion via telephone, fax and email.

Ms. Kayleaser P. Moss, Executive Vice President of Programming at the BCB noted that, "it is a timely discussion and we want to do our part, where we can reach out to a wider community and not just here in the capital, Nassau. We want to include all the islands, either by Radio or Television, especially those in the southern part of the archipelago. When you think about it, we are all so very close, and this (HIV/AIDS) is not just affecting the region, it is a global effect and every effort adds a little to the discussion. We aspire to see major change with HIV/AIDS in The Bahamas and globally, but if we create anything, we hope it is, awareness".

Mr. Charles Russell, Director of Television Programming at the BCB commented on the show’s popularity. “We got an overwhelming response to the show. It impacted the entire community on all levels so much so that we had to re-air it last week. I got telephone calls with people commending us on the show, and requesting that we do more programmes like this.”

The BCB is certainly no stranger to creatively educating their public on HIV/AIDS awareness and positive action as was evidenced just last year when their radio division took to the streets to broadcast a live health clinic. On that occasion popular radio personalities willingly and publicly got tested and encouraged the listening audience to come out and be tested as well. The BCB has in fact already identified a number of programmes for the coming year to complement those they aired in 2007.

Three Members to Tackle “Life after Diagnosis”

Kreative Communications Network (KCN, Anguilla), St. Maarten Cable TV and Grenada Cable Vision (GCV) will be contributing to Episode 2 of LIVE UP: The Show under the theme “Life After Diagnosis”. Mr. Anthony Pickering, Mr. Davey Woods and Ms. Amanda John of KCN, ST. Maarten Cable and GCV respectively, recently got the opportunity to hone their skills for the project at a Workshop held at the CMC Studio in Bridgetown Barbados on January 14th and 15th.

Producer for the Show Ms. Andrea Allan noted that “the LIVE UP The Show preparatory workshop was excellent! Being in the midst of professionals from various walks of life, all united in a common cause, was inspiring. The assembled reporters/producers all benefited from the well-informed presenters and I am confident that this will be reflected in their segments in LIVE UP The Show.”

During the session, Vice President and Sr. Advisor for Communications at the Kaiser Family Foundation, Ms. Jackie Judd, a former ABC News Producer, noted that “even though each region and each country has something unique to say about the disease, there are some universal truths. Every country has some success story and they are out there, and I hope one of the things we can do with The Show is to share information and ideas.”

* Produced in part with financial support from the CBMP Project Awards.
** Most programming described above is available for download and rights-free distribution