RESEARCH FINDS TELEVISION SERIES 'UN IN ACTION' HIGHLY REGARDED BY VIEWERS AND BROADCASTERS WORLDWIDE
Press Release
PI/931*
RESEARCH FINDS TELEVISION SERIES 'UN IN ACTION' HIGHLY REGARDED BY VIEWERS AND BROADCASTERS WORLDWIDE
19960215 The United Nations television series of three-minute video news items entitled "UN in Action", aired weekly in more than 100 television stations around the world, has been rated as excellent or very good by viewers and broadcasters worldwide. According to findings of a comprehensive internal study on the series conducted recently by the Department of Public Information (DPI), "UN in Action" is extensively used by broadcasting organizations."UN in Action" was initiated in 1987 and, since then, more than 500 episodes (up to 70 episodes per year) have been produced, distributed and broadcast worldwide either in English or with French, Spanish, Russian or Arabic adaptation. In addition, the English version is broadcast weekly by CNN World Report and viewed by 2 million people in the United States and by a much larger number in more than 140 countries that receive CNN International.
Each episode deals with one issue on the agenda of the United Nations, such as humanitarian affairs, environment, social or economic development, refugees, and peace-keeping, and shows how the Organization handles and copes with these global issues.
The main objective of the survey was to evaluate the reach of the series and the impact it has on its viewers. The methodological approach consisted mainly of collecting, through questionnaires, information and feedback from broadcasters, viewers and United Nations information centres that distribute the programme.
The survey indicates, among others, that:
-- 46.4 per cent of the television stations air the programme on prime- time newscast, and an additional 25 per cent air it during other newscast;
-- 53.6 per cent of the stations air the programme once a week, 14.2 per cent air it twice a week, and 16.1 per cent more than twice a week;
__________ * Press Release PI/929 dated 6 February should have been numbered PI/930.
- 2 - Press Release PI/931 15 February 1996
-- The overwhelming majority of the viewers rate the programme "interesting" or "very interesting", while only 3 per cent of them rate it as "not interesting";
-- A majority of viewers (76 per cent) indicates that the programme contributes significantly to their knowledge and understanding of the work of the United Nations; and, as one of the respondents writes, it "serves as their window to the UN";
-- 70 per cent of the broadcasters would air more episodes if produced, and 50 per cent are interested in a monthly half-hour magazine of the same character; and
-- The most interesting issues on the programme, as chosen by more than a half of the surveyed viewers, are children, education, peace-keeping, health, humanitarian assistance, environment, economic development, disaster relief and population.
The DPI will study the findings of the survey for future implementation in the production of "UN in Action". The Department will also consider the pilot production of a 30-minute magazine, as suggested by broadcasters.
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