Semi-Structured In-depth Interviews

After having done some fundamental research by studying literature on the role of community radio in health care messages and investigating research methodologies, the empirical study was launched by interviewing participants who might be knowledgeable on the subject, namely HIV/AIDS awareness and education, as well as community participation in designing programmes aimed at creating awareness on HIV/AIDS issues within the Mafeteng community. In this study, the researcher used semi-structured in-depth interviewing to collect data from the station manager and presenters, as well as stakeholders, open-ended questions was used in the study to collect data from participants. The semi- structured interview also was used for data collection, because it allows the researcher to

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bring to mind information on issues raised in research questions and the literature review (George, 2014). Gregory (2015:117) defines semi-structured interviews as “interviewing that allows the researcher to explore views and opinions in depth, and the reasons why those views are held”. This also allowed the researcher to bring pre-determined questions into interview schedules which were not pre-cast and allowed the flexibility of probing. This type of interview also allowed the respondents to express their ideas and opinions at length and gave them the freedom to respond in their own words (cf. Babbie, 2015). Moreover, the semi- structured interview offered the researcher the opportunity to change or explore views, attitudes, aspirations and opinions, and why those were held regarding HIV/AIDS issues (Gregory, 2015). Therefore, a semi-structured in-depth interview was employed in order to determine the opinions, preferences and community perceptions towards HIV/AIDS awareness and education in the Mafeteng community.

Separate interview guides were created for each target group (see table 4.1).Seven (7) interviews were conducted to collect data from MCRS manager and presenters or producers as well as stakeholders from government and non-governmental organisations. First, interviews were conducted with the MCRS station manager and programme producers for selected programmes. The station manager and radio presenters were from the Mafeteng community, and they worked at the MCRS on a voluntary basis. However, they got a stipend from the programme sponsors and advertisements. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with the radio station manager who is also the presenter of the Morning Drive Show and Rea Ikaha meaning “Empowering Ourselves”. The station manager was interviewed because he had insight on the policy of the radio station and how this affected the role of the station in HIV/AIDS broadcasting. In addition, the manager saw to it that the programmes covered relevant issues that informed targeted audiences and which included health issues such as HIV/AIDS. The motivation for the researcher to decide on management was because of the

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role the managers played in the production of programmes and their obligation to produce HIV/AIDS content for MCRS. They formed part of the decision makers for the kind and formats of the programmes.

Secondly face-to face interactions were held with two presenters who also worked as producers of LumelangMakaota (life and health issues programme) and Thakaneng (youth programme) respectively. Presenters and producers of these programmes were interviewed because they were engaged in designing and producing HIV/AIDS communication messages. The presenters are responsible for broadcasting the programmes and get in contact with the beneficiaries or host them. They are also in most cases involved with or work hand in hand with beneficiaries from the Mafeteng communities and other stakeholders that are interested in health issues even if they are not infected with the virus.

In addition to these interviews, four interviews also were conducted with (purposively sampled) representatives of non-governmental organisations and governmental organisations, namely the Johns Hopkins Program for International Education in Gynaecology and Obstetrics (Jhpiego), the Communication Information Officer of the Mafeteng Hospital, the HIV/AIDS Focal Person and Coordinator from the Ministry of Local Government, and the Area Chief of Paballong, who also is a member of the Mafeteng District Urban Council. The responsibilities of these role players (bodies) were to share information, sensitize, create awareness and educate community members on health issues, including HIV/AIDS. They therefore provided the researcher with meaningful information that could assist the researcher to see how the programmes assisted the Mafeteng communities with regard to HIV/AIDS awareness and education, as well as their perceptions regarding HIV/AIDS awareness programmes. These stakeholders were found to be relevant for a number of reasons; first, because they were among people who were actively involved in HIV/AIDS awareness and education. Secondly, they were living and/or working within the area of the study.

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Notes were taken by the researcher during the interviews to capture the information discussed (cf. Wimmer and Dominick, 2014; Yin, 2013). In addition to taking notes during the interview process, a recording device was used to assist the researcher to capture detailed and accurate information from participants (Creswell, 2015). However, this was based on the agreement with the respondents, considering that sometimes respondents may be uneasy to talk freely in the presence of the recording devices (Creswell, 2015). The researcher selected an interview, because it allowed for probing when answers were not adequate or satisfactory, as well as when responses touched on issues of interest that had not been identified before, but deserved to be addressed (Babbie, 2015).

Even so, the researcher was aware of a number of pros and cons that the personal interview bears: it is more appropriate for complex situations; respondents are awarded a chance to be prepared for sensitive and complex questions; it also assists in collecting in-depth information; information can also be supplemented with the information gained from observation of non-verbal reactions, and, additionally, questions can be explained for clarification or put in the format that will allow respondents the opportunity to understand, and lastly, interviewing has a wider application or population such as children (Kumar, 2015:131-132). On the other hand, it is time consuming, more especially when potential respondents are scattered over a wide geographical area; the quality of data depends upon the quality of the interaction, and the quality also may vary depending on the quality of the interviewer, and lastly, the interviewer may be biased(Kumar, 2015:131-132).