* Ad placement value estimated at $220 million in 2005
* Six new PSAs to run across television, radio and outdoor media
* TV shows incorporate HIV/AIDS storylines
Recent Research Underscores Effectiveness of PSAs and HIV-Themed Show
Combination
* Half of targeted viewers said they had talked with a partner about
safer sex
* 77% said they were more likely to use condoms
* Nearly 40% had visited a doctor or had been tested for HIV
NEW YORK, Jan. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Viacom Inc. and the Henry J. Kaiser
Family Foundation today announced the year-three launch of the Emmy and
Peabody Award-winning public education initiative KNOW HIV/AIDS, which
includes targeted public service announcements (PSAs), HIV-themed programming,
and free print and online information resources.
Building on the momentum of the campaign's first two years, which
delivered HIV awareness, testing, and prevention messages to millions of
people across the United States, Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean, KNOW
HIV/AIDS today began premiering six new PSAs across Viacom's television, radio
and outdoor properties. The new spots are a part of Viacom's $220 million
2005 ad placement commitment. Since the beginning of the campaign, Viacom has
committed $600 million of media value to the initiative. And, throughout the
same timeframe, KNOW HIV/AIDS has created a total of 100 PSAs, including the
six new spots and five re-tagged ads that premiered today. The campaign will
also debut new longer-form television and radio programming throughout 2005.
This year, CBS's top new drama "CSI: NY," UPN's comedy "Eve," CBS's
long-running drama "Judging Amy," and Showtime's hit series "Queer As Folk"
are incorporating HIV/AIDS themes in upcoming episodes. These storylines were
developed as a result of briefing sessions on HIV/AIDS conducted by Kaiser for
the shows' creative teams. MTV, MTV International, BET, VH1 and Infinity
Broadcasting also have special HIV/AIDS-related programming planned throughout
the year.
Drew E. Altman, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer, Kaiser
Family Foundation, said, "The size and scope of the KNOW HIV/AIDS campaign is
unprecedented and is beginning to show real results. In a very short period
this unusual partnership of a media giant and a not for profit health
organization has reached millions of young people with important information
about HIV testing and other ways they can protect themselves."
Sumner Redstone, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Viacom, said, "We
couldn't be more proud that KNOW HIV/AIDS is entering into its third year.
HIV is spreading at an alarming rate, yet it can be prevented ... if people
have the right information and the ability to act on it. Viacom's effort is a
result of our powerful media assets coupled with literally thousands of
employees, who have volunteered their talents, ambitions and hope, in order to
educate our audiences and to start turning the tide against this devastating
disease."
Working with DDB Issues & Advocacy, a division of DDB Seattle, a
full-service communications company, Viacom and Kaiser created the six new
PSAs as part of a compelling series that emphasizes the power of knowledge in
fighting HIV/AIDS. The television and outdoor ads demonstrate how education
can change misconceptions, fears or prejudices about HIV/AIDS. The radio ads
reinforce this message by broadcasting powerful youth-oriented statistics. All
of the PSAs are tagged with the campaign's website,
http://www.knowhivaids.org, for those seeking more information.
"DDB Issues & Advocacy has been thrilled to work with Viacom and Kaiser
over the course of this very important effort to eradicate ignorance about
HIV/AIDS. The year-three ads reach the general population with the powerful
message that knowledge can reverse the increasing trend of this disease," said
Candy Cox, Managing Partner DDB Issues & Advocacy, a division of DDB Seattle.
In total, 23 KNOW HIV/AIDS PSAs are running across Viacom's broadcast
networks CBS and UPN; cable networks MTV, BET, VH1, CMT: Country Music
Television, TV Land, Nick at Nite, Showtime, Spike TV and Comedy Central; and
183 Infinity Broadcasting radio stations in the top 50 markets. Both English
and Spanish ads are displayed on billboard, bus and bus shelter advertising
faces in the nation's largest markets. The total number of spots that
premiered today is 11, which includes the six new spots as well as five
television ads that have been re-tagged for the KNOW HIV/AIDS campaign. These
spots were produced in association with Kaiser's partnership with MTV, Fight
For Your Rights: Protect Yourself, and VH1's media partnership with The Global
Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
During the first two years of the initiative, the campaign has generated
39 television PSAs in more than 200 markets, which ran nearly 170,000 times;
24 radio PSAs in the top 50 markets, which ran more than 21,000 times; and 26
distinct billboard ads ran in the top 25 markets on more than 11,000 outdoor
faces. In addition, 40 broadcast shows and cable programs incorporated
HIV/AIDS into their storylines and episodes, which were seen by millions of
viewers, and through syndication will be seen by millions more. The campaign
has also prompted more than 21 million unique hits to the KNOW HIV/AIDS
website and more than 750,000 calls to the campaign's combined hotlines.
In addition, an August 2004 survey conducted by the Kaiser Family
Foundation of a random sample of African-Americans underscored the
effectiveness of the KNOW HIV/AIDS and BET's Rap It Up PSAs and HIV-themed
shows. Among the 18- to 24-year-olds who had seen the programming, half said
they had talked with a partner about safer sex, and approximately 77% of those
who were sexually active said they were more likely to use a condom. Nearly
40% said they had visited a doctor or had been tested for HIV. The full
report on the survey is available at the KNOW HIV/AIDS website.
About KNOW HIV/AIDS
KNOW HIV/AIDS combines the power of Viacom's media brands and unmatched
audience relationships with the public health expertise of the Kaiser Family
Foundation to foster awareness of the disease and its prevention. Every
Viacom division is involved in the campaign, and 100 messages have aired to
date, totaling $600 million in media value. The PSAs are offered rights-free
and cost-free to any television or radio network. Additionally, Viacom has
produced 40 television shows on the topic seen by millions worldwide. The
campaign targets areas of the world where Viacom has a concentration of
assets, especially the United States and Europe, and it partners with other
companies to focus on regions most affected by the disease. Outside of the
United States, KNOW HIV/AIDS is branded Staying Alive, building on MTV
International's award-winning campaign of the same name, and encompasses the
full range of Viacom's international properties.
Through a joint effort of KNOW HIV/AIDS and the BBC World Service Trust,
messages in seven languages are broadcast to 60 million people in Africa and
the Caribbean. In Russia, the campaign has teamed up with Gazprom-Media,
Russia's largest private media holding, to help implement a cross-platform
initiative on HIV/AIDS. KNOW HIV/AIDS is working in China with MTV and CCTV
for a branded AIDS awareness campaign in the world's largest country.
About Viacom Inc.
Viacom is a leading global media company, with preeminent positions in
broadcast and cable television, radio, outdoor advertising, and online.
Viacom's well-known brands include CBS, MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, VH1,
BET, Paramount Pictures, Infinity Broadcasting, Viacom Outdoor, UPN, TV Land,
Comedy Central, CMT: Country Music Television, King World, Spike TV, Showtime,
and Simon & Schuster. More information about Viacom and its businesses is
available at http://www.viacom.com.
About The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation
The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation is a non-profit, private operating
foundation 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. Information on HIV/AIDS is available
at http://www.kff.org, and a daily news summary report on developments in
HIV/AIDS is available on http://www.kaisernetwork.org, the Foundation's free
health information service.
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SOURCE Viacom Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.viacom.com
http://www.kaisernetwork.org http://www.kff.org
http://www.knowhivaids.org
CONTACT:
Kristi Gorman, +1-212-846-6261,
kristi.gorman@viacom.com, or Imara Jones, +1-212-258-6363,
imara.jones@viacom.com, both of Viacom Inc.; Rob Graham,
+1-650-854-9400 ext. 237, robg@kff.org, or Tina Hoff,
+1-650-854-9400, ext. 210, thoff@kff.org, both of The Kaiser
Family Foundation
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