Groundbreaking Entertainment Education Research in Mozambique

RBC is proud of groundbreaking Entertainment Education research in Mozambique just published by two of our Associates, Amy Henderson Riley and Suruchi Sood, with Massimiliano Sani: https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2019.1606137

They examined the impact of Ouro Negro (Black Gold), a serial radio drama designed to change behaviors and social norms around improving children’s health and development.

Using qualitative and quantitative methods, they found that the radio series’ dramatic plots and characters were more effective in changing health behaviors among listeners than traditional health promotion approaches that rely on factual messaging.

This was the first time a powerful EE “narrative persuasion” effect was confirmed in Mozambique, although the research was unable to show lasting shifts in broader social norms affecting health behaviors.

The authors say that further research on EE should more equitably marry theory (which tends to happen in the Global North) and practice (which more likely occurs in the Global South).

The study was part of a mid-term evaluation of the Ouro Negro program sponsored by UNICEF and produced by PCI Media Impact with Radio Mozambique.