Capturing perceptions and experiences

Alongside the monitoring of the print, radio and television CFAR has from 1995 been observing emerging trends and conducting surveys on such diverse and critical issues as HIV/AIDS, the general elections, the impact of media violence on children and the portrayal of women in advertising. The findings are used to in capacity building workshops, media campaigns and to inform and create awareness among the media, stakeholders and the general public. It has also resulted in a host of publications.

Audience Research

CFAR has been continuously monitoring radio, television and the print media since 1992 but the focus since 1995 has been on the electronic media which has grown from a single state-owned channel to over 40 channels. More importantly it is a medium that has the power to engage in a range of socio-economic issues and has, in many ways, become a critical arbitrator of fashions, tastes and mores.

This research has been aimed at understanding what viewers' watch, how they watch, when they watch and how a program affects them. Unlike one-off marketing surveys and research ours is a continuous process that goes to the heart of the viewers and their environment the intention being to enable audience to become active partners in the broadcasting process. These interactions with the audience have resulted in authentic documentation of viewers' preferences. It has also given these groups a sense of identity with a higher awareness of their rights as consumers.

An integral part of this research has been the setting up of Viewers' Forums in Delhi, Ahmedabad, Lucknow and Mau that enable viewers to voice their opinions in an organized and timely manner. Many among them are now vocal advocates in their own right. Besides this CFAR has created advocacy training modules for grassroots practitioners with simple but effective pointers on how to interact with the media, present issues lucidly and comprehensively and retain media interest in the process. Kits have also been created for media practitioners to enable them to quickly reach the core of the issues and not get bogged down by details.

At another level CFAR uses its access to policy makers in government and heads of networks and program managers to keep them appraised of programme trends and the feedback from audiences. This is done to enable them to fashion new norms and practices that are more inclusive and gender sensitive.

Communication Research

Central to this research has been the focus on exploring and capturing the perceptions and experiences of the community at the grassroots level on various issues. These findings are factored into communication campaigns and advocacy strategies for specific development programs and issues. Innovative techniques particularly participatory, field-based, target-based, target-group intensive research are used to suit diverse regions and habitats and to address diverse media including the small, local and folk mediums. Today we have rich experience in addressing the Information, Education and Communication (IEC) needs of programmes in such sectors including primary education, rural women's awareness and media education for children in difficult circumstances. Read More