Bangkok--Nov 29--Francom Asia
CNN INTERNATIONAL & MTV INTERNATIONAL ANNOUNCE 1st EVER CO-PRODUCTION FOR NEWS SPECIAL ON HIV/AIDS
Staying Alive: An CNN & MTV News Special to Premiere on Both Networks
in Support of World AIDS Day 2004
30-minute News Special Offered Rights Free & Cost Free to All Broadcasters Worldwide
Airtimes: Wednesday December 1 at 11:30 and 20.30
CNN International and MTV International, owned by Viacom Inc., jointly announced a first-ever co-production agreement for a 30-minute news special on HIV/AIDS. Staying Alive: An CNN & MTV News Special will premiere on both channels globally on World AIDS Day, 1st December 2004 to a potential viewing audience of more than one billion people. The special will be offered rights free and cost free to all broadcasters worldwide to get HIV/AIDS prevention messages out to the widest audience possible. In the United States, the programme will air as part of MTV’s Fight For Your Rights: Protect Yourself campaign.
In a unique creative approach, local MTV channels and CNN bureaus around the world will work together to jointly produce news segments focusing on how HIV/AIDS affects young people in each region. Segments will be produced featuring local CNN news reporters or MTV VJs in several countries around the world. The special will deal with many different issues related to HIV/AIDS, including access to treatment, condom usage, discrimination and rising infection rates, among others. By covering such a wide variety of topics, the show will offer viewers the chance to see how the disease touches all people regardless of age, ethnicity, country or socio-economic background.
“This important partnership links MTV’s access to a potential audience of one billion people with CNN’s outstanding journalism, vast reach and credibility among adult audiences,” commented Bill Roedy, President of MTV Networks International and Ambassador for UNAIDS. “As the two largest global television broadcasters, this Staying Alive news special will have unprecedented distribution. I challenge other broadcasters to air this special rights free and at no cost to get crucial HIV/AIDS prevention messages out to the largest audience ever this year on World AIDS Day and beyond. HIV/AIDS is the defining morale issue of our time, and it remains a top priority at MTV to continue to raise awareness and engage others to form their own response to the epidemic.”
Rena Golden, senior vice president of CNN International added: “We are thrilled to be co-producing such an important program geared to provide our joint global audiences with access to vital information that is both relevant and compelling.”
“It has been estimated that 38 million people are currently living with HIV/AIDS. We firmly believe that education and democratic dissemination of credible information is the key to fighting this epidemic. I echo the challenge for all global broadcasters to deliver this message through the distribution of ‘Staying Alive.’ We're delighted to be working with MTV on this initiative, and hope this represents the beginning of an enduring partnership.”
Further details about the special, including local premiere dates and times will be announced in the coming weeks.
Launched in 1998, the Staying Alive campaign seeks to help prevent HIV/AIDS by empowering individuals to protect themselves, fight stigma and discrimination, and engage businesses, media and organisations to form their own response to HIV/AIDS. The campaign developed as a result of MTV’s long-term global initiative targeted to youth, and the KNOW HIV/AIDS campaign launched by Viacom. The initiative includes long-form programming, such as documentaries, concert events, news specials, and discussion programmes, public service announcements, sexual behaviour polls, a dedicated Web site in 10 languages (www.staying-alive.org), and off-air marketing and grassroots promotions. All media produced for Staying Alive is offered rights free, at no cost to all TV and radio broadcasters. Last year’s campaign reached 74% of the world’s TV households. In addition to CNN, Staying Alive campaign partners are UNAIDS, the World Bank, the Kaiser Family Foundation, Family Health International, UNFPA and Sida.
MTV: Music Television is the world’s leading multimedia brand for youth and can be seen in more than 411 million households in 164 countries via 41 channels in 18 languages in the Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, North America and Russia. MTV’s holdings also include 35 locally operated Web sites worldwide as well as publishing, home video, radio, recorded music, licensing & merchandising and a feature film division, MTV Films. MTV is a trademark of Viacom International Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B).
CNN International is the world’s leading global 24-hour news network. The CNN International news network can be seen in more than 170 million television households and hotel rooms in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide, via a network of 38 satellites. Since September 1997, CNN International has been regionalized into five separately scheduled channels: CNN International Europe/Middle East/Africa, CNN International Asia Pacific, CNN International South Asia, CNN International Latin America and CNN International North America.
To broadcast this news special or any Staying Alive HIV/AIDS-related programming rights free and at no cost, contact: Sara Piot in London at +44 (0) 207 478 6314 or via e-mail ([email protected]).
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