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Nelson Mandela and MTV join forces to fight HIV/AIDS
07 May 2003. MTV Press Release.
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MTV will produce a new 60-minute special celebrating the life of humanitarian and former President of South Africa Nelson Mandela to premiere globally to a potential audience of one billion people in July 2003. The special will mark the 2003 debut of the groundbreaking Staying Alive HIV/AIDS awareness campaign, as well as Mr. Mandela?’s 85th birthday.
The special is also being offered rights free to broadcasters worldwide, along with all other HIV/AIDS awareness programming associated with the Staying Alive campaign.
Offering viewers a historical look at Mr. Mandela?’s life, the special will also profile several young people from diverse backgrounds who will travel to Johannesburg to meet Mr. Mandela and discuss topics with him such as HIV/AIDS awareness, discrimination, war and more. The premiere date and additional elements to this year?’s Staying Alive campaign will be announced in the coming months.
?“With half of all new HIV infections among those under 25 years old and a vast array of complicated issues facing them, young people have more tough decisions to make in their lives today than at any other time in history,?” commented Mr. Mandela. ?“I look forward to meeting the young people travelling to Johannesburg to participate in MTV?’s programme to talk about these important issues, as well as to discuss how to use the knowledge that history has given us as a guide on how to plan for the future.?”
?“We are honoured to produce a special on Nelson Mandela, who is one of the world?’s most important humanitarians, in celebration of his 85th birthday and to launch this year?’s Staying Alive campaign,?” said Bill Roedy, President of MTV Networks International and Ambassador, UNAIDS. ?“MTV remains committed to using its airwaves to enable young people to express their opinions on issues that affect them most, and this special will put them face-to-face with one of the most important public figures in history. We are particularly pleased to partner with the Nelson Mandela Foundation, UNAIDS, the World Bank, the Kaiser Family Foundation and Family Health International, who have each played a crucial role in HIV/AIDS awareness.?”
In 2002, MTV produced the acclaimed Staying Alive HIV/AIDS awareness campaign in partnership with Levi?’sŪ Jeans, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Paul G. Allen Charitable Foundation, Population Services International?’s YouthAIDS, UNAIDS, the Kaiser Family Foundation and the YouthNet program spearheaded by Family Health International. The multimedia campaign included a concert special, Staying Alive: A Global Forum on HIV/AIDS featuring former US President William J Clinton, Staying Alive: The Documentary 2002 hosted by Mary J. Blige, and seven public service announcements. The campaign also featured a multilingual, informative Web site on HIV/AIDS awareness, www.staying-alive.org.
MTV Presents Levi?’sŪ Jeans Staying Alive Concert in Association with YouthAIDS, the campaign?’s history making concert special featuring highlights from events in Cape Town, South Africa and Seattle, Washington, included an appearance by Mr. Mandela alongside performances from multi-platinum acts Sean ?‘P. Diddy?’ Combs, Alicia Keys, Missy Elliott, Dave Matthews and Michelle Branch. The special was subsequently awarded the ?‘Special Jury Positively Outstanding Programme?’ Award at the 2nd Annual Cable Positive POP (Positively Outstanding Programming) Awards in New York City, for exceptional original HIV/AIDS-related cable network programming. In addition, the Staying Alive campaign programming was distributed to 64% of all TV households worldwide, or 798 million households, through its rights free distribution agreements with third party broadcasters and premieres on all MTV channels globally.
?“I challenge broadcasters from around the world to air our special on Nelson Mandela,?” continued Mr. Roedy, ?“to get HIV/AIDS awareness messages out to the widest possible audience. Through the media?’s continued commitment we can all make a major impact in the fight against HIV/AIDS.?”
MTV?’s parent company, Viacom Inc., has also launched an unprecedented, global media campaign to combat HIV/AIDS in partnership with the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. The campaign, KNOW HIV/AIDS, features public service messages, television and radio programming, print and online content. The multi-year, $120 million effort combines the public health expertise of the Kaiser Family Foundation with the power of Viacom?’s media brands and unmatched audience relationships to foster awareness of the disease and its prevention. For more information, visit www.knowhivaids.org.
MTV Networks International includes the premier multimedia entertainment brands MTV: Music Television, VH1, Nickelodeon, TMF (The Music Factory) and KinderNet seen in more than 377 million households in 164 countries and 18 languages via 83 locally programmed and operated TV channels and 41 Web sites. The company?’s diverse holdings also include interests in television syndication, publishing, home video, radio, recorded music, licensing & merchandising and two feature film divisions, MTV Films and Nickelodeon Movies. MTV Networks is a unit of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B).
Family Health International (FHI) works to improve reproductive health and HIV/AIDS around the world through biomedical and social science research, innovative health service delivery interventions, training and information programs. YOUTHNET is a global program, managed by FHI, committed to improving the reproductive health and HIV/AIDS prevention behaviors of youth 10 ?– 24 years old.
The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation is an independent national health philanthropy dedicated to providing information and analysis on health issues to policymakers, the media, and the general public. It is not associated with Kaiser Permanente or Kaiser Industries.
UNAIDS is the leading advocate for worldwide action against HIV/AIDS, bringing together eight United Nations organizations. It leads, strengthens and supports an expanded response to the epidemic that will prevent the spread of HIV, provide care and support for those infected and affected by the disease, reduce the vulnerability of individuals and communities to HIV/AIDS, and alleviate the impact of the epidemic. |
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