I’m in Vienna at the International AIDS Conference, an event with 20 000 delegates in attendance from over 185 countries. With pushing boundaries the mantra, sexualized messages intermix with inter-faith celebrations and …
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Behavioural change through media and social networks, it’s the buzz phrase of NGO’s and larger organizations alike. Commercial outlets have caught in the last few years, capitalizing through a social marketing framework - playing on social conscience to reach into people’s pockets. MTV’s been at the forefront of this movement, using it’s influence to channel youth attitudes on the most pressing topics. Out of this lens, MTV Staying Alive Ignite is the network’s initiative to influence behaviours and attitudes through showing the risks around unsafe sex and injection use. The latest project, a personal venture by MTV CEO Bill Roedy, who’s taken a frontseat in promoting HIV/AIDS Awareness since the network started in the 1980’s, is a culturally relevant soap-opera with a message. It’s aimed to youth in the Caribbean and across Africa, and studies have shown that it’s dramatically impacting youth perceptions about the disease and risky behaviour.
MTV Ignite’s first production is Shuga, a sexy teen-soap based in Nairobi and focusing on Nairobi youth. Shuga purports to “make Sex and the City look like Sesame Street” with it’s sexed up storylines and characters in real life or death situations, but always with an integrated message of the risks of unsafe sex and other behaviour that leads to HIV transmission. Localizing the story lines, featuring local actors and a soundtrack of popular and up and coming Kenyan soundtrack, the show’s premier has gained real popularity in Nairobi and Lusaka, Zambia. Following this success, Roedy’s announced plans to expand the show into other countries where it’s hoped it will have the same far-reaching impact.
We’re digging the diverse (and addictive) storylines, the characters’ sense of style (and swagger) and did we mention the music? Of course, the messages behind the risqué plots make it worth watching too.
Watch the Shuga “Behind the Scenes” video below and get hooked to the series, which is available online.
Shuga: Behind the Scenes Part One Generic from mtv staying alive on Vimeo.
I’m in Vienna at the International AIDS Conference, an event with 20 000 delegates in attendance from over 185 countries. With pushing boundaries the mantra, sexualized messages intermix with inter-faith celebrations and …
The Chicago-based Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN)’s urban festival of music, faith and social justice took place on June 19th to an audience as diverse as the cultures represented onstage at Marquette Park. The festival, …
There’s an interesting new project based out of the University of Kent who’s methods seem really cool, even if the ultimate ends seem questionably ambiguous. Through four new projects, the research programme Radical Distrust hopes …
And just like that, one month later, the magic is over. If you’re like us - the withdrawal has hit you hard and all your freetime is now spent Googling the names of those previously unknown players for some Wikipedia insight into their lives, replaying videos of the greatest - and ugliest - moments and checking the stats on how likely Ghana is to take the next one home (we all need a feel good story, don’t we?). Through the lens of an all-encompassing, universal and non-elitist game of football, South Africa’s had a new platform on which it can be showcased. And with football as the focal point, what exactly did journalists, commentators and spectators expect from an “authentically” African World Cup? (Surely, it wasn’t Shakira’s Waka Waka as the break-out hit of 2010).
It’s here and the excitement can’t be contained. In case you’ve been buried somewhere… or live in North America, the World Cup is in full swing in South Africa. The first few days may have had …
We will regularly be presenting a featured artist, writer or performer who is exploring questions of identity and personal narrative through their medium of expression.
The map is your representation. No rigid lines, no defined routes. You direct it on your own account.
It’s been nearly one month since Arizona passed law SB1720 into procession, effectively aiding the discrimination of all migrants in the state. The law may purport to stem the flow of “illegal” immigrants across …
We will regularly be presenting a featured artist, writer or performer who is exploring questions of identity and personal narrative through their medium of expression.
The map is your representation. No rigid lines, no defined routes. You direct it on your own account.
Bombs, turbans and chanting “In the Name of God” - these are the limited satirical portraits distributed of Arabs when it comes to comedy. Fortunately, there’s a growing positive association with Arabic comedic timing as …
Exile, memory, displacement, discovery - all themes you may expect associated to the Palestinian cause and embodied in corresponding creative matter. The films at this year’s London Palestine Film Fest resonate with all of these …
I’m in Vienna at the International AIDS Conference, an event with 20 000 delegates in attendance from over 185 countries. With pushing boundaries the mantra, sexualized messages intermix with inter-faith celebrations and …
And just like that, one month later, the magic is over. If you’re like us - the withdrawal has hit you hard and all your freetime is now spent Googling the names of those previously unknown players for some Wikipedia insight into their lives, replaying videos of the greatest - and ugliest - moments and checking the stats on how likely Ghana is to take the next one home (we all need a feel good story, don’t we?). Through the lens of an all-encompassing, universal and non-elitist game of football, South Africa’s had a new platform on which it can be showcased. And with football as the focal point, what exactly did journalists, commentators and spectators expect from an “authentically” African World Cup? (Surely, it wasn’t Shakira’s Waka Waka as the break-out hit of 2010).
We will regularly be presenting a featured artist, writer or performer who is exploring questions of identity and personal narrative through their medium of expression.
The map is your representation. No rigid lines, no defined routes. You direct it on your own account.
Behavioural change through media and social networks, it’s the buzz phrase of NGO’s and larger organizations alike. Commercial outlets have caught in the last few years, capitalizing through a social marketing framework - playing on …
Behavioural change through media and social networks, it’s the buzz phrase of NGO’s and larger organizations alike. Commercial outlets have caught in the last few years, capitalizing through a social marketing framework - playing on …
