CONTACT: Thomas Dima 212.459.1605 thomas@cablepositive.org

CABLE POSITIVE HITS 81% PARTICIPATION AMONG CABLE SYSTEMS IN THE TOP 100 FOR 2002 NATIONAL HIV TESTING DAY (JUNE 27) CAMPAIGN

Networks and Systems Support HIV/AIDS Education Efforts At Record Levels

NEW YORK, NY - June 21, 2002
Cable Positive, the cable and telecommunications industry's national non-profit AIDS action organization, announced today that 81% of the top 100 cable systems are participating in Cable Positive's 2002 National HIV Testing Day (June 27) campaign. More than 110 systems nationwide are partnering with the organization to air public service announcements (PSAs) in an effort to get Americans tested for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. National cable networks have also joined the effort at record-breaking levels with more than 60 participating in the campaign. Cable Positive's 2002 National HIV Testing Day campaign is an initiative to promote HIV testing among Americans.

This year's PSAs can be viewed by going to the Cable Positive website, at www.cablepositive.org.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that more than 300,000 Americans are living with HIV and do not know it. By partnering with cable networks and systems nationwide to air PSAs promoting HIV testing, safer sex, and AIDS awareness, Cable Positive hopes to increase the number of Americans getting tested for HIV, lower the rate of HIV transmission and save lives.

"Cable television has truly stepped up to the plate with the rate of participation in our National HIV Testing Day campaign at more than double last year's pace," said Steve Villano, President and CEO, Cable Positive. "This further demonstrates the cable industry's leadership in the fight against AIDS and the importance of getting life saving information to tens of millions of Americans." In 2002, Cable Positive has doubled the participation of the top 100 systems to reach 81% participation.

Cable Positive's National HIV Testing Day Campaign uses PSAs and donated airtime from cable networks and systems to communicate the message of HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention to more than 73 million cable television households across America. Cable networks and systems have placed PSAs in heavy rotation from now through July 4, concentrating most of their efforts on June 27.

For this year's campaign, Cable Positive produced and distributed a PSA reel of more than 15 different spots with several in Spanish. The reel contains a mix of celebrity spokesperson spots, situational vignettes, and some animated spots. HIV positive Playboy Playmate Rebekka Armstrong and famed fashion designer and host of Oxygen's The Isaac Mizrahi Show, Isaac Mizrahi have been tapped for PSAs. Every PSA concludes with the CDC's toll free National AIDS Hotline, 1.800.342.AIDS (2437), and most also include the CDC's website, www.hivtest.org, for viewers to receive more information about HIV/AIDS and to learn about resources in their community.

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. Since 1992, Cable Positive has raised more than $9 million in the fight against AIDS. For more information about Cable Positive call 212.459.1502 or log on to www.cablepositive.org.

(Source: Top 100 Cable Systems 2002: A Special Supplement to Broadcasting & Cable and Multichannel News)