The Communication Initiative
Development action with informed and engaged societies
The Communication Initiative

After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. 

Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future. 

On the transfer, co-founder Victoria Martin expressed her pleasure to see this work continue under Wits' leadership, knowing that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction. 

As Wits, we honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades and look forward building from that strong base. This includes co-founders Warren Feek (1953-2024) and Victoria Martin as well as La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA), which continues independently at lainiciativadecomunicacion.com with links to The CI Global site. We are also eager to forge new partnerships and entertain new ideas as we consider how best to contribute to social and behaviour change in our rapidly evolving environment.

If you are joining the International Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) Summit in Panama, please join Wits and CILA on Monday, 22 June, to share your thoughts and suggestion for the relaunch of the Communication Initiative. We will be in Pacifica 5 from 12-1:25 for the Refuel, Reflect, and Renew Lunch Series: The Communication Initiative: celebrating a driving force for Communication for Social Change and the way forward. We will reflect on the legacy of Warren Feek and family in creating the Communication Initiative, consider the contributions of CI over the years and then turn our attention towards the future in this dynamic session. 

If you are unable to join us in Panama, we still want to hear from you. Please contribute your thoughts by following this link: https://redcap.link/CommunicationInitiative2026 or reaching out to ci_surveys@commint.com. 

You can also follow the QR Code:

 https://redcap.link/CommunicationInitiative2026

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The Good Life Network

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The Good Life Network is a "pop-up" health and development television channel airing between December 1 2015 and March 31 2016 on satellite television in South Africa. Programmes cover nutrition, health, fitness, human rights, youth sexuality, and HIV, as well as consumer and gender rights. The Good Life Network is led by Soul City Institute for Health and Development Communication and Ochre Media in partnership with the National Department of Health.
Communication Strategies

The Good Life Network is intended as a call to action for all South Africans to make small changes to live a healthier life. The channel will broadcast a number of different programmes, which are designed to be entertaining in order to encourage audiences to live the "good life".

The programmes include the following:

  • Health Bulletins - combines citizen journalism with headline stories, using a weekly studio news bulletin format supported with online audio visual resources, field reports, and interviews.
  • The Village Shrink - focuses on mental health and well-being, suggesting compassionate strategies for coping with everyday life.
  • SuperDoc - focuses on women's health issues using real case studies. In each episode, the show's host, Dr. Gau Motau, unpacks a health issue with a medical expert and profiles an everyday woman who has been personally affected. The show aims to be engaging and informative and encourages audiences to take preventative health measures.
  • FitLife - promotes the concept that achieving fitness is affordable and within everyone's reach. FitLife promotes everyday Community Fitness Programmes happening in neighbourhoods and parks with inspiring "fitness makeover" programmes.
  • Health Busters - tackles health fads and dispels health myths. Host and comedian Joey Rasdien will take on products and populist health myths in a funny, entertaining, and insightful way. Programmes investigate the psychology and the myths behind some of the weirdest health and beauty desires and searches for real answers to the health claims that many products make.
  • Food Police - features dietitian hosts helping candidates improve their eating habits by improving general food literacy. In this reality programme, the Food Police will raid cupboards and reinvent meals that are healthier.
  • Shape Up - features a mix of counsellors giving information and suggestions related to life-skills and tools to build real, meaningful relationships.
  • Get Up Stand Up - includes stories of everyday, community heroes who sacrifice their personal lives in order to make a difference in the lives of others.
  • Cooks for Life - showcases simple, effective, nutritious, budget-friendly African meals for families. Host Mogau Seshoene is an entrepreneur, foodie, and cook.

The Good Life Network website features the channel's schedule, a blog, and information about the shows, as well as general health information. Audiences can also access more information and connect with the programmes through the GoodLife Network Facebook page.

The Good Life Network will be available on DSTV channel 199 in Southern Africa for customers using the Access, Family, Compact, Extra and Premium packages.

Development Issues

Health

Partners

Soul City Institute for Health and Development Communication, Ochre Media, National Department of Health, Multichoice, and Times Media Group.

Sources

Soul City website, Good Life Network website, and Jozi Style website on January 5 2016.