New International Development Resource to Bridge Communication Knowledge Gaps

WASHINGTON, March 8, 2010 - Global media and communications research company InterMedia today
launched "AudienceScapes" (www.audiencescapes.org), a multi-platform
communication resource intended to support and improve international
development efforts and outcomes.

AudienceScapes fills a need in the development community to better
understand how people gather, share and use information at both the
grassroots and the policy levels — essential knowledge for those using
communication, public interest education or media-based initiatives to
improve lives in the world's poorest countries.

AudienceScapes is based on a unique research program that can be put to
immediate practical use by development practitioners in areas such as mobile
money, financial services, public health and agriculture. AudienceScapes
research also is a handy resource for identifying local needs in media,
communication technologies, development information and development policy.

"Currently, development organizations seeking to target audiences and
policymakers have limited access to comprehensive baseline information they
can use to guide their communication and advocacy efforts," said Mark Rhodes,
President of InterMedia. "As a result, the many millions spent each year on
development-related communication activities often produce disappointing
results. The losers in this equation are people in the developing world who
don't receive critical public interest information that could improve their
quality of life."

With support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, AudienceScapes
comprises several integrated elements:

    -- Innovative research, disseminated as data through a user-friendly data
       query tool, and as custom downloadable analytical reports. The
       research is based on:

           -- National quantitative surveys looking at (1) the general
              population's access to and use of media, access to and use of
              information and communication technologies (ICTs), and
              word-of-mouth communication habits; and (2) how these factors
              affect people's acquisition of knowledge about key development
              topics. The surveys have been piloted in Ghana, Kenya
              (completed) and Zambia, with plans to roll them out in other
              countries.

           -- In-Depth Interviews with policymakers to find out how they
              gather, assess, share and disseminate critical information
              related to development topics, and find out how global
              development partners can play a constructive role in this
              process. The interviews were launched in the same three African
              countries.

    -- The AudienceScapes website (www.audiencescapes.org). An
       easy-to-use, rich knowledge center of data and analysis for
       development practitioners. The site features detailed "Country
       Communication Profiles," plus other resources for development
       practitioners working in communication, media development, technology
       development and policy dialogue. The site is being launched with a
       core group of 10 complete profiles of countries in Africa, Latin
       America and Asia, but many more profiles will be added over the coming
       months.

"There's a clear need to better supply the development community with
essential research on developing country audiences, media use and
communication habits to improve development outcomes," Rhodes continued.
"This need is greatest in the places where development organizations focus
much of their work: in poorer countries, among at-risk populations, and in
rural areas — many of which are under-researched."

To allow the development community to become acquainted with the site's
features, through April 2010, AudienceScapes users will not have to register
to access its resources. After April, registration will be required. Aside
from the Communication Profiles, features include a unique "Practitioners'
Field Blog," aimed at providing real-time, ground-level insights related to
the media, communication and development topics covered in the research. In
addition, users will find important country statistics on communication,
economics and demographics, as well as convenient links to country-specific
development information on many other websites.

"This is just the beginning of AudienceScapes," said Project Director
Peter Goldstein. "We're encouraging people to use the various resources we're
launching today, and to provide feedback on how it helps the planning,
implementation and outcomes of programs with a communication or media
element, or those seeking to fill local media and communication technology
needs. Our next step will be to expand the AudienceScapes research program to
10-15 more countries and, in parallel, significantly expand the offerings on
the website."

InterMedia (www.intermedia.org) is a leading international
communications and media research, evaluation and consulting organization
creatively equipping clients to understand their audiences, gauge their
effectiveness and target their communications in transitional and developing
societies worldwide. Based in Washington, D.C., London, UK, and active
year-round in more than 60 countries, InterMedia helps clients understand
complex issues in challenging research environments. The company's strengths
include its people — area experts skilled in scientifically-based research
and focused on client solutions — its vast global network of local research
partners and contacts and its rich experience implementing more than 700
media and opinion surveys over the past 15 years.

The AudienceScapes program is supported initially by a US$1.29 million
two-year grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Findings and
conclusions of the AudienceScapes research project are those of InterMedia
and do not necessarily reflect the positions or policies of the Bill &
Melinda Gates Foundation.

Alex Wooley, VP Communications and Development, +1-202-434-9332, wooleya at intermedia.org, or Peter Goldstein, AudienceScapes Project Director, +1-202-434-9584, goldsteinp at intermedia.org, both of InterMedia