The co-production partnership between the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), BBC World Service Trust (BBC WST) and Doordarshan (DD) has been extended for a year.
The partnership was established to promote HIV/AIDS awareness and support through mass communications. It is under this partnership that detective series like Jasoos Vijay, the youth show Haath Se Haath Milaa and a range of TV spots designed to convey HIV/AIDS messaging, are being broadcast by DD nationally and regionally (in chosen areas, with appropriate language versions).
The new project extension will see both programmes produced for a second run and will also extend the number of languages in which the output is broadcast. The public service ads are mainly produced by DD producers, while the programmes are produced from BBC WST’s base in New Delhi using local technicians and talent and drawing on the expertise of both of its partners and the Trust’s small international staff.
BBC World Service Trust Director India, Colin Rogers, said “Research has shown that our mass communications campaign has achieved significant impact in raising audience awareness of the issues surrounding HIV/AIDS particularly in the area of care and support and in removing stigma. The campaign run by this partnership is the largest of its kind in the world and is a model which is being replicated already in South East Asia and in Africa. We are very proud of our association with NACO and Doordarshan and delighted that the success of the first year’s output has led to their enthusiasm for continuing and expanding the project.”