Soul City: Multi-Media TB Strategy

Soul City, a 13 episode 1/2 hour TV drama was aired at prime time (8pm) on SABC1 and discussed TB as a health issue. The Healing Hearts radio programme addressed TB in 3 out of 45 15-minute episodes broadcast on 8 different language stations and a further 10 community radio stations. Printed media was used to support health messages delivered by TV and radio with more detailed information. Three 34-page glossy booklets were developed each series and illustrated with characters from the TV series. The booklets were serialized in 2 languages in 10 newspapers nationally with a total of 2.2 million booklets distributed as inserts in these newspapers.

Education, Health,

The following TB Health messages were delivered by Soul City: TB can be cured; people who take medication for TB are no longer contagious; anyone can get TB; people with TB need support and help; people with TB can work; symptoms of TB; people with TB must complete their treatment. Soul City reaches diverse groups from metropolitan townships where access to TV and newspapers is fairly common, to remote rural areas where radio may be the only communication link. Soul City is an on-going strategy which makes it unique. People have become familiar with the series and its characters so that any new series captures a large and faithful audience from the first episode. It was felt that TV was the most effective medium in communicating the message that TB is curable. The message was reinforced when people had access to 2 media sources which "demonstrates the effectiveness of media synergy".