he global partnership for the prevention of armed conflict

Media audiences are primarily affected by powerful stories that engage the emotions, told in first-person narratives by people directly involved.

Types of entertainment programming and advertising that can promote peace through attitudinal change include: billboards, posters, leaflets audio, video and print advertisements and radio drama or soap-operas.Helping to change people’s beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours requires in-depth knowledge about the conditions that enable people to make changes.Social marketing is never aimed at the ‘general public.’ A sophisticated and strategic use of the media will focus on particular target and segment audiences.A combination of these is most effective, but the media has a vital role to play in reaching large numbers of people. Key approaches to bringing about social change are: engaging large numbers of people engaging opinion leaders changing individuals’ attitudes, and changing socio-political structures. It can help change attitudes and behaviours away from violence and toward peace, and from polarisation to positive relationships. Conflict prevention and peacebuilding practitioners need to identify their specific goals and target audiences, and use the media to ‘sell’ new ideas and behaviours.

The media can play positive roles in conflict prevention and peacebuilding – as information provider, watchdog, diplomat, and bridge builder. Behavioural change happens through the cumulative impact of the media and other social institutions an integrated strategy is important. The media rarely directly affects behaviour, but it influences attitudes and opinions that shape behaviour. Entertainment programming and advertising encourage attitudinal change. Information programming can encourage cognitive change by increasing knowledge and framing public discussion.

How can civil society organisations working in conflict prevention and peacebuilding improve their interactions with the media? Why and when should they use the media? This paper from the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict argues that different types of media can bring about different types of change.

He global partnership for the prevention of armed conflict