CONTACT: Thomas Dima 212.459.1605 thomas@cablepositive.org

CABLE POSITIVE'S TONY COX FUND FOR LOCAL HIV/AIDS PROGRAMMING GRANTS $92,248 TO NINE AIDS SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS TO EDUCATE THEIR COMMUNITIES THROUGH ORIGINAL CABLE PROGRAMMING

NEW YORK, NY - February 27, 2002
Cable Positive's Tony Cox Fund for Local HIV/AIDS Programming has granted $92,248 to nine AIDS service organizations (ASOs) in partnership with local cable systems to produce locally focused HIV/AIDS-related cable programming. The grant program offers funding through two grant cycles annually, and encourages HIV/AIDS awareness, prevention, and education through original cable programming. Cable Positive, the cable and telecommunications industry's national non-profit AIDS action organization, established the fund in 1996 to encourage local cable systems and ASOs to collaborate in the production and distribution of original programming, including public service announcements (PSAs), addressing HIV/AIDS-related issues.

Many of the projects being funded through Cable Positive's Tony Cox Fund for Local HIV/AIDS Programming this cycle are in states with the highest number of cumulative AIDS cases, including New York (142,164; First overall), California (119,826; Second), Texas (53,987; Fourth), and Georgia (22,837; Ninth).

The 2002 Cycle 1 grantees are:

• African Community International/Comcast Cable Communications and Time Warner Cable--Indianapolis, IN
• Alpha and Omega AIDS Foundation/AT&T Broadband, Bell South, and Charter Communications--Decatur, GA
• Catskill Rural AIDS Services/Cablevision--Oneonta, NY
• HIV Action Initiative/AT&T Broadband, CT Public Access, and Cox Communications--Litchfield, CT
• Iowa Community AIDS Partnership/Mediacom--Cedar Rapids, IA
• L.A. Shanti/Adelphia Communications--Los Angeles, CA
• National AIDS Brigade/Comcast Cable Communications--Albuquerque, NM
• Provincetown AIDS Support Group/AT&T Broadband--Provincetown, MA
• Special Health Resources/Longview Cable Television--Longview, TX

Grantees will use these funds to produce locally focused PSAs, half hour programs, and documentaries. Some topics of original programming for this cycle include: sub-Saharan African immigrants residing in Indianapolis who are in need of culturally sensitive education and awareness messages; progressive harm reduction methods such as needle exchange; cutting edge pharmaceutical products such as microbicides, a chemical substance with the potential to significantly reduce the transmission of HIV; and HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention messages of how the virus is transmitted, measures an individual can take to reduce their risk of infection, and information of where to get tested and receive counseling.

While each of the programs will begin to air at different times throughout the spring and summer, cable systems will make an attempt to donate additional airtime during the month of June in an effort to facilitate Cable Positive's campaign surrounding National HIV Testing Day, June 27, 2002.

"Cable Positive's Tony Cox Fund for Local HIV/AIDS Programming allows local ASOs to reach their communities with important life saving information about HIV/AIDS," said Steve Villano, Cable Positive's Executive Director.

Cable Positive's Tony Cox Fund for Local HIV/AIDS Programming is named in memory of Winston "Tony" Cox, a founding Honorary Chair of Cable Positive and a major industry leader. As Chairman and CEO of Showtime Networks Inc. and throughout his career, Mr. Cox was a major advocate of original cable programming and AIDS education. Since the program's inception, Cable Positive's Tony Cox Fund for Local HIV/AIDS Programming has provided funding for 112 different AIDS service organizations (ASOs) in 28 states. Cable Positive has committed over $800,000 to fund 169 projects in the aim of HIV/AIDS awareness, prevention, and education.

The next deadline for grant submission is June 7, 2002. For more information, please contact Jesse Giuliani at 212.459.1547 or jesse@cablepositive.org