Cable Positive Announces Top Accomplishments Of 2006 In The Fight Against Hiv/Aids
NEW YORK, NY — December 19, 2006
On the eve of it’s 15th Anniversary, Cable Positive, the cable and telecommunications AIDS action organization, announces the organization’s top 10 accomplishments of the past year including important work in the areas of HIV/AIDS messaging--particularly in new programming, community outreach, and partnerships as well as advances in education, awareness and prevention efforts. Since 1992, the Cable Positive has utilized the power, access, influence and reach of the cable and telecommunications industry to fight HIV/AIDS, and the industry has donated more than $16 million and one billion dollars of airtime to the fight.
Benefit Dinner Raises Record Breaking Numbers
On March 7, 2006 Cable Positive honored Jim Robbins & Cox Communications with the Joel A. Berger Award at “Positively Community: An Evening to Benefit Cable Positive” The dinner hit it’s 9th consecutive year of breaking $1 million, and set a new record total of 1.5 million, raised with Cox Communications, Fox Cable Networks and Bright House Communications, pledging some 2.5 million donated airtime.
The 2007 Dinner “Positively Time” will be on Tuesday, March 6, 2007 and will honor Glen Britt and Time Warner Cable and be preceded by a special comedy show on Monday, March 5 entitled, “Positively Time…to Laugh.”
New Original Programming Launches, Including 3rd Phase of the JOIN THE FIGHT HIV/AIDS Awareness & Prevention Campaign & a Brand New Mini-Doc Series-“Positive Voices”
High Powered PSA’s
Cable Positive to launched the 3rd phase of our “Join the Fight” PSA campaign, enlisting the largest range of celebrity activists to date and two celebrity directors: Liev Schrieber & Rosie Perez. Schrieber directed the campaign which included Bernard Hopkins, Naomi Watts, Lorraine Bracco, Eric McCormack, Tony Kushner, Bob Costas, Judith Light, Calvin Klein, B.D. Wong, Carson Kressley, and Famke Janssen. The Spanish language campaign, under the direction of Rosie Perez, includes Erick Elias, Judy Marte, Miss Universe 2006 Zuleyka Rivera, Lorena Rojas, Julissa Bermudez, and Wilmer Valderrama.
“Positive Voices: Matthew Cusick”
In addition, Cable Positive has also launched a new mini-documentary series entitled “Positive Voices” with the first in this series featuring Matthew Cusick, an HIV positive gymnast fired from Cirque du Solei based on his HIV status. The screening for this new 12-minute documentary piece was held at the Time Warner Center and was followed by a discussion panel focusing on discrimination vs. people who are HIV positive. Panelists included: Matthew Cusick, Dr. Marjorie Hill (GMHC), Steve Villano (Cable Positive), Regan Hoffman (Poz Magazine) and was moderated by Elizabeth Kaledin (CBS Evening News). The piece has been aired twice on the Sundance Channel and once at the United Nations.
“In Their Own Words: In Their Own Words”
Included in the PSA’s is a short 12 minute mini-documentary featuring the celebrity activists and directors speaking in their own words about why they wanted to include their voices in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
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“This is the strongest programming we’ve ever had,” says Thomas Henning, VP Programs & Services. “We’re even more excited about how well-received it has all been from everyone in the industry. It gets us even more motivated for the future.”
New Innovated Partnerships Launched Reaching Out to Both Local Cable Operators Nationwide and NYC Teens
“25 Stories for 25 Years”
Cable Positive has joined forces with Time Warner Cable's NY1 News to raise HIV and AIDS awareness through a new campaign called 25 Stories for 25 Years of AIDS. NY1 created 25 public service announcements (PSAs) to share the personal stories of New Yorkers who have joined the fight against HIV and AIDS. NY1 has also lifted the graphic templates from these powerful PSAs to form easy-to-follow toolkits that will be distributed through Cable Positive to cable companies and broadcast affiliates across the country. Using the graphic templates and toolkits as a guide, local cable companies and broadcast affiliates will now be able to easily produce and assemble their own 25 Stories for 25 Years of AIDS public service announcements (PSAs) that promote the fight against HIV and AIDS.
Teaching Teens to Talk to their Peers
Cable Positive has also partnered with NetAid to launch a public service announcement (PSA) competition on World AIDS Day, December 1, 2006, for all New York City public high schools students. The competition will challenge young New Yorkers to engage in critical dialogue about how their generation is being affected by HIV/AIDS on a local level and make connections to the global pandemic. Teams of one to ten students will have six weeks to explore the issue of HIV/AIDS in both a local and global context, discover solutions for addressing the problems, and express them creatively and powerfully in a short video, and upload it to a designated YouTube site that will be provided to students when they register for the competition. A panel of expert judges from the public health, media, culture, and education fields will select a winning team. The team will spend a day with Cable Positive, and learn techniques of shooting, directing and film production to transform their video into a professional PSA. The final PSA will be aired on both NetAid and Cable Positive’s websites, with pending plans for a television airing on June 27th, National HIV Testing Day.
“Our friends over at NY1 and NetAid symbolize the kind of personal and professional commitment which makes the fight against HIV/AIDS so effective,” said Steve Villano, President & CEO of Cable Positive. “Its partnerships such as these that give us evidence that we are reaching out and making an impact on the community.”
Cable Positive, PBS & NCTA Form Unprecedented Cable/Public TV Partnership
In May of 2006 Cable Positive, PBS (Public Broadcasting System) and NCTA (National Cable & Telecommunications Association) formed a cable/public TV partnership to distribute “The Age of AIDS” documentary and made it available on Cable Positive’s VOD service nationwide. Operators had the chance to promote both the PBS broadcast and the series' on-demand availability through public service announcements featuring Bono, former President Bill Clinton, and pioneer AIDS researcher Dr. David Ho.
More Than $350,000 in Grants to Community-Based and National Organizations to Fight HIV/AIDS in Local Communities
Cable Positive provided more than $350,000 in grants to both community-based and national AIDS service organizations for the fight against HIV/AIDS in local and targeted communities in the United States during 2006. This year our Tony Cox Community Fund, a program promoting partnerships between community-based AIDS service organizations and cable outlets; reached out to 30 cities in 18 different states. Cable Positive also granted $10,000 to Hope’s Voice for their 2006 Road to Hope Tour of College Campuses nationwide.
On top of giving out grants to organizations, Cable Positive has also received $19,000 in outside industry grants throughout 2006. The Fashion Industry for AIDS Awareness Campaigns recognized Cable Positive for its leadership in AIDS education & awareness with a $10,000 grant; and the US Health Resources and Services Administration
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(HRSA) has also rewarded us with a $9,000 grant for organizational restructuring through the Community Resources Exchange (CRE).
POP Awards Include 2 New Categories in Spanish Language Programming
Cable Positive’s 5th Annual POP Awards kicked off with two new categories for programming: Outstanding Spanish Language Program which went to Univision for Las Adolescentes y su Salud, and Outstanding Spanish Language Public Service Announcement that went to Telemundo for Ama tu vida, protégete, hazte la prueba del VIH. The ceremony was held on June 5th at the IFC Center and was sponsored by Rainbow Media and hosted by Anthony Rapp. MTV network was selected as POP Network of the Year.
Chapters Raise $300,000 In The Fight Against HIV/AIDS
Cable Positive’s Chapters which include Denver, New York, Atlanta, DC/Baltimore, Philadelphia and Southern California have raised a total of $300,000 in events and fundraisers for 2006. Proceeds from local events are split evenly between local ASO partners and in support of Cable Positive’s many programs.
"The chapters have been extraordinarily passionate in their commitment in the fight against HIV/AIDS” says Dana Levitt, Manager, Industry Affairs, I am extremely impressed with what our chapter leaders and volunteers are giving back to their communities. They capture the essence of Cable Positive—bringing our programs to the local level.”
Board of Directors Implement 5-Year Strategic Plan
Cable Positive’s Board of Directors implemented a new 5-year strategic plan, increasing focus on HIV/AIDS related programming. Other key initiatives include, utilizing new distribution platforms, expanding financial support, training, education and awareness and community building, outreach and international partnership initiatives.
Reed Salutes Cable Positive with Special 15th Anniversary Issue
Reed Business Information honored Cable Positive for our upcoming 15th Anniversary by including a special insert in their November 27th issue of Multichannel News. The feature includes a tribute to Joel Berger, former publisher of Cablevision Magazine, followed by comments from those who knew and worked with Joel. The issue also took a look back at the 15 years of Cable Positive and profiles industry leaders who are among the most active players in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Honored for Our Hard Work in the Fight.
Cable Positive’s work in areas of awareness, education and prevention were recognized this year with several prestigious awards including the National HIV/AIDS Partnership’s Red Ribbon Award in Communication for our work on the 2005-2006 Join the Fight PSA campaign; The National Ally Award from the Asian/Pacific Islander Wellness Center for our joint A/PI AIDS Awareness Campaigns; and a New York AIDS Film Festival award for our “Positive Voices: Matthew Cusick” short documentary piece.
About Cable Positive
Cable Positive is a national non-profit organization founded February 1992 by three concerned cable executives with the mission of organizing cable’s resources in the fight against AIDS. Cable Positive will mobilize the talents, resources, access and influence of the cable and telecommunications industry to raise HIV/AIDS awareness; support HIV/AIDS education, prevention and care; and strive to end stigma by creating a more compassionate climate for people whose lives have been affected by HIV or AIDS. Cable Positive has grown to include supporters from every major cable network, multiple system operator, cable system, hardware manufacturer, trade association, media publication, and affiliated industry vendors and suppliers. Since 1992, Cable Positive has raised more than $16 million in the fight against AIDS and the cable industry has donated over one billion dollars of airtime. For more information about Cable Positive, call 212.459.1502 or www.cablepositive.org.
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