CONTACT: Thomas Dima 212.459.1605 thomas@cablepositive.org

CABLE POSITIVE ANNOUNCES FIRST- ANNUAL POP AWARDS

For Positively Outstanding Programming Keeping HIV/AIDS on the Radar Screen

NEW YORK, NY - December 5, 2001
Cable Positive, the national non-profit organization that galvanizes the cable industry's talent and resources in the fight against HIV/AIDS, announces Cable Positive's Positively Outstanding Programming (POP) Awards. The first-annual programming awards reception will honor exceptional HIV/AIDS-related original cable network programming. On announcing the awards program, which will be held in New York on February 6, 2002, Steve Villano, Executive Director of Cable Positive, noted that the POP Awards are an exciting way to "recognize selected networks for their work on behalf of HIV/AIDS awareness and education, and to further encourage other programmers to create added HIV/AIDS-related programming for their viewers."

Cable Positive will immediately begin accepting submissions in the following categories:

¨ Outstanding Series Episode/Storyline
¨ Outstanding Original Film/Movie
¨ Outstanding Documentary or Newsmagazine Series Episode or Special
¨ Outstanding News Coverage
¨ Outstanding Biographical Series Episode or Special
¨ Outstanding Special Programming

All submissions are due by Friday, January 11, 2001.

In order to qualify for submission, each entry must be an originally produced program that has aired at least once on a national cable network in the United States from January 1, to December 31, 2001. There is no fee for submissions or a limit to the number of entries. Entry applications are available online at www.cablepositive.org accompanied by additional directions for submission. Submissions will be judged for content accuracy, message clarity and program quality.

Villano further observed, "The subject of HIV/AIDS has become a minor story for broadcast television and much of the print media, with a few exceptions. The cable industry is leading the public dialogue about HIV/AIDS by donating hundreds of hours of time to air Cable Positive produced public service announcements (PSAs) as well as groundbreaking new programs. Cable television and its programmers deserve recognition for continuing to keep HIV/AIDS on the public's mind."

Cable Positive is a national non-profit organization that was founded in February 1992 by three concerned cable executives with the mission of organizing cable's resources in the fight against AIDS. Cable Positive is dedicated to unifying the talents, resources, access, and influence of the communications industry to raise AIDS awareness; to fund AIDS education, research and care; and to promote a more compassionate climate for people whose lives have been affected by HIV and AIDS. Cable Positive has grown to include supporters from every major cable network, MSO, system, hardware manufacturer, trade association, media publication, and affiliated industry vendors and suppliers. For more information about Cable Positive, call 212.459.1502 or visit www.cablepositive.org.