CNN Sweeps at Cable Positive's 6th Annual Pop Awards

NEW YORK - June 13, 2007

CNN garnered the POP Network of the Year Award and Christie Hefner, CEO, Playboy Enterprises, Inc. took home the first ever TelevisionWeek Education Advocate of the Year Award at Cable Positive’s 6th Annual POP Awards last night.  No network has ever swept all three major news categories before until CNN did it with two pieces by Dr. Sanjay Gupta and one from world-renowned reporter, Christiane Amanpour.  For the second year in a row Rainbow Media was the presenting sponsor of The POP Awards (Positively Outstanding Programming) held annually by Cable Positive, to educate their viewers about HIV/AIDS.

The event was hosted by long time AIDS activist and actress Gloria Reuben.  Most people remember her from her role on the hit television series ER, however Gloria is tireless in her efforts in the fight against HIV/AIDS.  Along with being the host for the POP Awards, Gloria will appear in Cable Positive’s June 27, 2007, release of Positive Voices: Women and AIDS, a new documentary produced by Cable Positive exploring the impact of the epidemic on women. 

Christie Hefner, CEO, Playboy Enterprises Inc. received the first ever Education Advocate of the Year Award presented by TelevisionWeek. Under Christie’s leadership, Playboy became one of the first companies to fund AIDS research in 1983.  Christie also personally spearheaded the building of Chicago’s CORE Center, one of the nation’s finest HIV/AIDS treatment facilities, by raising $30 million.

Award presenters Regan Hofmann, editor-in-chief, POZ Magazine, John Edward, best selling author and psychic medium, and Robert Verdi, fashion expert, were among the celebrity activists who were also on hand to show their support for Cable Positive and all the winners.

The following cable networks and programs were recognized for creating television that carries educational value and promotes awareness/prevention in the fight against HIV/AIDS:

Outstanding Documentary: Where Have All The Parents Gone? CNN

Outstanding Newsmagazine: Inside Africa, CNN

Outstanding Original Series: Noah’s Arc, LOGO

Outstanding PSAs: Fight for Her Rights: The Speech, MTV with The Kaiser Family Foundation

Outstanding Community Partnership: Look. Listen. Love. Respect, Callen-Lorde

Community Health Center & HIV Forum with Here!TV & LOGO

Outstanding News Coverage: Stopping A Killer, CNN

Outstanding Original Film/Movie: 3 Needles, Showtime

Outstanding Special Programming: 106th & Park: World AIDS Day Special, BET

Outstanding PSA Campaign: Be An Authority, MTV with The Kaiser Family Foundation

Outstanding Original Spanish Language Public Service: Enterate…Sida 25 Anos Despues Univision

Outstanding Original Spanish Language Programming: Enterate…Sida 25 Anos Despues Univision

POP Network of the Year: CNN