Population Media Center

Tafigawalo
© Population Media Center

Teaching choice through entertainment

How to use the power and attraction of TV, radio and website entertainment to educate on reproductive health issues? William Ryerson tackled this big question in 1998 when he started Population Media Center (PMC), a nonprofit, international nongovernmental organization, specialized in creating serialized dramas for TV, radio and web.

Ryerson recognized that health and human rights violations not only harm individuals and their families, but these conditions also create unsustainable population growth. He decided to create an organization to address these crucial issues, with reproductive health being one of the most essential.

Reproductive health information should be available to all people so that everyone can make decisions that are right for them and their family

Missie Thurston, Population Media Center

Soap operas on reproductive health
Soap operas on reproductive health
© Population Media Center

Population Media Center focuses on the information and cultural barriers that impact a large proportion of 220 million women that lack access to contraception. Their unique method of intervention through entertainment creates large-scale change, motivating more women and men to learn more about contraception choices. Ruwan Dare, one of PMC’s radio serials in Nigeria, proved to be remarkably popular, reaching more than 12 million listeners. Listeners are nearly two times more likely than non-listeners to think that “people should plan how many children they have”, according to one study.

Population Media Center works towards ensuring equity, one of the Coalition’s strategic Pillars. “The goal of our long-running dramas is to provide information to all people – particularly women, girls, and people who have never had an opportunity for education,” says Ryerson.

Member of the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition

Population Media Center

Population Media Center has been a member of the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition since 2010.

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This article is part of the Coalition’s ongoing work in promoting partners and members across the globe. All the opinions reflected in this article belong to our members.

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This story is part of “Who’s Holding up Our Pillars?”, a Coalition effort to invite our heroes working in supply chains to tell their stories. Read their stories and see who they contribute to our vital, everyday work.

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