Advances in Journalism and Communication, 2017, 5, 278-292 http://www.scirp.org/journal/ajc ISSN Online: 2328-4935 ISSN Print: 2328-4927 DOI: 10.4236/ajc.2017.54016 Dec. 29, 2017 278 Advances in Journalism and Communication Facing the Enemy Head-On: The Role of Pasimba Radio Program in Promoting the Fight against HIV and AIDS in Malawi Precious Madula 1,2* , Yu Hong 1 , Wellman Kondowe 2 1 School of Journalism and Information Communication, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China 2 Department of Languages and Literature, Mzuzu University, Mzuzu, Malawi Abstract Radio programs are very important in developing countries in informing the masses about public health matters. Their role is quite visible in the fight against HIV/AIDS through dissemination of messages aimed at informing the publics about the dangers of HIV/AIDS and what prevention measures can be em- ployed. Drawing on framing and social learning theory together with readings on media effects, this study aimed at establishing whether Pasimba radio pro- gram is having an impact in promoting behavioral change among couples in Malawi. Data was collected through a survey (N = 100) and data was analyzed using cross tabulations, chi-square, correlation and regression. Results indi- cate that there is a significant relationship between respondents who listen to the program and those that have the propensity to undergo HIV test. This im- plies that Pasimba program is having an impact in influencing behavioral change and that there is a correlation between listening to the program and having the motivation to know one’s serostatus. Keywords Media Campaign, Couple Communication, Behavioral Change, Voluntary Counselling and Testing 1. Introduction Media effects research is one of the areas that has attracted interesting scholar- ship for the past five decades. Findings have hovered between no effects and mi- nimal effects. Recently, research has once again shown that mass media effects are very powerful in shaping people’s attitudes, values and beliefs. To lend weight on How to cite this paper: Madula, P., Hong, Y., & Kondowe, W. (2017). Facing the Ene- my Head-On: The Role of Pasimba Radio Program in Promoting the Fight against HIV and AIDS in Malawi. Advances in Journalism and Communication, 5, 278-292. https://doi.org/10.4236/ajc.2017.54016 Received: November 30, 2017 Accepted: December 26, 2017 Published: December 29, 2017 Copyright © 2017 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY 4.0). http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Open Access