DIALOGO AL DESNUDO: Bringing Gender into the Mainstream

Project Dates: 1995-1996

• Overview
• Audience Impact
• Additional Findings

Overview

In 1995, a steering committee comprised of JHU/PCS, CIES, IPPF and the National Sub-Secretariat for Gender Affairs in Bolivia was formed to support the latter in its initiative to develop a commercial television program, Dialogo al Desnudo (Naked Dialogue). The program was intended to positively position reproductive health and related gender issues in the public eye.

In February of 1996, twelve weekly one-hour shows hit the airwaves on prime time in Bolivia. This was the first time that an enter-educate TV series on gender issues was developed and broadcast throughout the nation. The purpose of the series was to increase discussion about gender and sexuality among Bolivian women and men ages 15 to 45. Topics covered in the program included sexual orientation, reproductive rights, adolescent sexuality, couple communication, and STDs, among others. A commercial sales strategy of the series helped defray broadcasting costs and generated revenue to partially offset production costs.

Audience Impact

Audience impact was measured by two post-series probability surveys in La Paz and Sucre: one midway though the series and the second at the end of the broadcast. In-depth interviews and focus groups provided further information on audience reactions to the series. Results indicated that interpersonal communication between partners concerning sexuality increased 14 percentage points after the series, from 58 to 72 percent.

Additional findings

• 39% of the audience watched the series to learn more about sexuality
• 90% stated that they would like to see more episodes of the show
• 21% of those who viewed the series learned about it through promotional advertising
• 11% percent learned about the series from a friend
• Only 19% of those who knew about the program did not actually see it

As a result of the positive feedback from the series, 12 more episodes following the same style of the series were produced - see Piel de Luna project description for more information.