PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

Accent's sponsored productions for non-profit organizations, government agencies, corporations, and international organizations often address problems and suggest solutions. Media productions can rarely solve problems on their own. But television, radio, and print elements of a campaign do have enormous power to reach large numbers of viewers and listeners with important messages, make people think, and stir them to action, provided that the messages are communicated in a way suited to television and radio. Our productions are works of visual storytelling -- very different from lectures, scholarly articles, informational websites, or brochures. Our programs show people facing a problem in a concrete way. They tie information and ideas to emotions, based on the assumption that people remember and act on information and ideas only when they have been moved by what they see.

How can Medicare encourage seniors to practice preventive medicine?
In talking with seniors, Accent producers Cecilia Domeyko and Jack Jorgens found that the love of grandchildren is a powerful motive for them to take better care of their health. They wrote and produced a charming PSA called "The Birthday Present", where the affection of a cute granddaughter stirs a grandfather to go to the doctor for a checkup.

What can the Catholic Church do to keep young Hispanic families from drifting away from the Church?
Accent created "La familia unida, esperanza en la vida" ("A united family means hope for the future"), a five-year campaign addressing forces which threaten young families, including domestic violence, substance abuse, lack of communication between parents and children, gang violence, lack of forgiveness, cultural prejudice, and AIDS. Programmers have called this award-winning series one of the most powerful Spanish-language campaigns they have ever seen.

What can Medicaid do to let low-income families know that the loss of welfare does not necessarily mean the loss of Medicaid?"
Accent launched "You Don't Have to be on Welfare to Get Medicaid", a bilingual TV and radio PSA campaign targeted at Medicaid agencies in 36 participating states, where actors representing mothers and young couples talk about how medical assistance has helped them with glasses for their child or prenatal care for their unborn child. Regional Medicaid directors were urged to personally appeal to local radio and TV stations to air them in their communities. The result was seventy million impressions in the first three months.

How can the World Bank and USAID encourage policy makers and educators in other developing countries learn from the educational reforms of Uganda?
Producer Cecilia Domeyko developed a story about an experienced tutor Mr. Kaate who over four weeks visits his district schools, talks to students, makes suggestions to teachers, brings new teacher materials, and holds parent meetings to stress the importance of their participation. He is a wonderful role model, and he embodies everything the educational reform is trying to accomplish. The result? The program aired on more than 90 TV stations and was seen by hundreds of policy makers and education officials around the world.

What can Medicare do to help women understand the importance of being tested for HIV?
Accent's crew went to four cities nationwide to talk with women who have courageously faced the trauma of testing positive during pregnancy and giving birth to an HIV positive child.

How can the Ford Foundation and Miranda Foundations encourage Latin American countries to set up private funding for the arts?
Accent went to Cuba and taped the nation's most talented musicians, dancers, actors, painters, and sculptors - encouraging corporate sponsorship and the creation of foundations by showing the beauty and power of the arts so vital to the culture of any nation.

How can the National Eye Institute educate the public about the dangers of eye disease for diabetics?
During pre-production research, Accent discovered that Salsa star Celia Cruz's husband has diabetes. In a VNR and PSA released in radio and TV, they talk about the importance of eye exams.

What can the American Bar Association and AARP do to make Hispanic seniors more aware of their legal rights?
Accent adapted a series of English-language educational Public Service Announcements where the popular actress Rita Moreno spells them out.

How can Medicare help nursing homes recruit and retain overworked and underpaid Nursing Assistants in a tight job market?
Accent produced an educational video letting nursing assistants express their gratification with helping people, and illustrate the growing movement to offer better working conditions, training, and increased pay. The program includes spokespersons from everyone involved with nursing homes, including resident and their families, nursing assistants, ombudsmen, representatives of for-profit and non-profit nursing homes, government agencies, and consumer groups.

How can AARP reach out to the Hispanic community as successfully as it has with other senior groups?
Accent assisted in creating a novella ­ style comic book about managing family finances as the beginning of a pilot project which may include TV and radio PSAs, news releases, and dramatic vignettes in the telenovela style.

What can the World Bank to mitigate the devastating impact of large development projects (dams, roads) on individuals, families, and local industries?
Accent produced a program to dramatize the problems created by forcibly moving people from their ancestral lands, and clarifying for development partners new requirements for handling forced resettlement -- not merely compensation, but training, community building, and continuing support after the move has taken place.