16 countries. 3 continents. In 2022, we saw transformational programs broadcast across the world. We completed two shows in Zambia, where 1.4 million listeners tuned in on a regular basis. We released new podcasts focusing on the rights of women and girls, abortion, and bodily autonomy in the US, as Roe v. Wade fell and reproductive rights were trampled. We took to the streets in Nepal, changing hearts and minds about child marriage. We responded to the global population reaching 8 billion people, loudly. And we launched new partnerships in Latin America, which will propel our programs forward.
Thank you to our worldwide team of donors, artists, scientists, and advocates who turn popular entertainment into a force for universal good.
In partnership with USAID, PMC-Zambia broadcast two radio shows: Kwishilya (“Over the Horizon”) and Siñalamba (“Breaking the Barrier”). The results speak loudly – 1.5 million active listeners across 17 community radio stations. The two shows ran for four years, totaling an amazing 624 episodes, addressing issues on adolescent reproductive health, education, child marriage, family planning, gender-based violence. You can meet Agness and Bupe, who began using family planning because of the show, and below you’ll find photos from the close-out event, which brought together our many partners – including USAID, Ministry of Health, and others – and was featured on prime time news because of the shows’ impact.
We know it’s possible to gain critical acclaim, loyal audiences, and achieve social outcomes — because it’s what we do. We develop and produce original content designed to both entertain and address contemporary social issues. This year, we launched two podcasts addressing essential issues in the United States.
This dynamic and timely 10-episode podcast series chronicles the fight for abortion access. The series accompanies women, non-binary people, doctors, doulas, and advocates who traverse state lines, the law, and numerous barriers to providing or accessing safe abortion. Winner of Marcom’s 2022 Platinum award for Best Podcast Series and featured on Apple Podcast’s New and Noteworthy.
“WITH THESE FIRST-PERSON NARRATIVES, OUR LISTENERS WILL TAKE THE JOURNEY WITH INDIVIDUALS AND THOSE HELPING THEM NAVIGATE THE PATH ACROSS FAMILY LINES, EMOTIONAL LINES, AND STATE LINES.”
Lisa Caruso, Head of U.S. Content
Stand-up comedian Gina Brillon and journalist Kimberly Brooks host The State Of: Women, a weekly podcast series that explores how some of the 50 states champion women’s rights while others don’t. The series includes lively and solution-oriented conversation as the hosts share personal stories and examine the differences in gender equity state-by-state, illuminating inequalities in policy and practice and how to take action to drive change.
The world’s population reached 8 billion people in 2022. PMC used this opportunity to draw global attention to the social and environmental power of prioritizing health, education, and equity for all.
Population 8 Billion is a limited series podcast to help you better understand what a world of 8 billion people means for the planet, the environment, and the future of our diverse societies. The series interviews scientists and activists as it delves into why global population growth deserves your attention and what inputs drive population growth and declines.
Thank you for browsing some of the highlights from 2022. We also, of course, continued our transformative storytelling in places like Ethiopia, Burundi, Nigeria, and Kenya; shared our insights with other global leaders at events like The International Conference on Family Planning and The Social & Behavioral Change Communication Summit; and launched new programs around the world, like our work just beginning in Liberia.
At PMC, we look to the coming years with excitement, even in the face of great global challenges, because we know we are advancing the equitable, sustainable world we’re all fighting for, one action at a time.