Abstract: In the absence of a cure or vaccine for AIDS, communication strategies which impact on the complexity of gender roles and safe sex practices, remain key to curbing the HIV / AIDS epidemic. Popular, entertaining media is increasingly used as a vehicle for health promotion and social change, and for HIV / AIDS communication within that. The Soul City Institute for Health and Development Communication is a non-governmental organisation that harnesses the power of media for social change. Through the popular edutainment methodology, the project uses a mixture of prime time television and radio dramas in synergy with print material to raise debate, inform the public and shift attitudes and behaviour around key health and development concerns. Recent research (2000) shows that Soul City reaches 67% of the African & Coloured youth & adult population nationally. Previous Soul City evaluation research clearly demonstrates the potential of edutainment as an effective vehicle for health promotion and social change. As far as HIV / AIDS specifically is concerned, Soul City evaluation results demonstrate Soul City's role in increasing knowledge and awareness of HIV/AIDS; HIV/AIDS has emerged as one of the most popular and memorable issues which Soul City has covered to date - research indicates that some people regard Soul City as synonymous with HIV / AIDS education. Independently conducted research confirms Soul City's status as a leading vehicle for conveying information on HIV / AIDS in South Africa: a recently conducted, independent study on risk-awareness and attitudes on HIV / AIDS in South Africa, lists Soul City as the top TV programme and Radio programme from which people spontaneously (i.e. through unaided recall) say that they have obtained useful information on HIV / AIDS. This presentation will systematically look at the impact of Soul City 4 in the area of HIV / Aids in particular. I.e. it will draw on the latest Soul City Evaluation Results (2000), and will trace the impact of Soul City (on HIV / AIDS related matters) at an individual, and at a broader community / societal level of analysis. Using a composite model of behaviour change developed by the institute the impact of Soul City 4 on AIDS will be measures by measuring: HIV / AIDS knowledge & awareness; attitudes; perception of social norms; a range of practices and intermediate practices; perception of risk; interpersonal communication patterns; community based (collective) norms and values among other variables. We will draw on the results of quantitative as well as qualitative evaluation studies. All of the above are framed in the context of effective strategies for health promotion and will contribute to the Colloquium objective of systematically reviewing the effects of health care interventions.