Media and Public Health Communication at the Grassroots: Village Cinemas and HIV Education in Papua New Guinea

Abstract

Papua New Guinea has been experiencing a rapid influx of audio-visual media and mobile communication technologies. People living in remote communities are finding their own ways to access these media away from traditional mass media channels. The rapidly changing media landscape presents both challenges and opportunities to health communication initiatives, and creates a need for evidence-informed and adaptable approaches to health communication. This chapter investigates village cinemas (haus piksa or CD haus in Tok Pisin) as sites for HIV/AIDS message distribution in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea. While doing so, the chapter adopts a case-study approach in attempting to assess the potential of distributing edutainment material to audiences in the PNG Highlands via CD houses in their local villages. The chapter argues that understanding local behaviors of media consumption is critical for the design and implementation of public health communication initiatives.