CONTACT: Thomas Dima 212.459.1605 thomas@cablepositive.org

MORE THAN 100 CABLE OUTLETS SUPPORT CABLE POSITIVE'S NATIONAL HIV TESTING DAY EFFORTS

NEW YORK, NY - June 27, 2005
Cable Positive, the cable and telecommunications industry’s national non-profit AIDS action organization, announced today that more than 100 cable networks and systems are supporting National HIV Testing Day, June 27, efforts to raise AIDS awareness, promote HIV testing and reduce stigma and fear surrounding the disease by airing public service announcements (PSAs).  Cable Positive has distributed their PROMAX 2005 award-winning JOIN THE FIGHT PSAs to more than 100 cable systems participating in the 2005 National HIV Testing Day campaign.  The JOIN THE FIGHT PSAs were strengthened by two new PSAs produced by the Hallmark Channel and featured noted author Dr. Maya Angelou.  Cable Positive’s 2005 National HIV Testing Day campaign is an initiative to promote HIV testing among Americans.

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’s goal is to increase the number of Americans getting tested for HIV, lower the rate of HIV transmission, and save lives. 

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. 

For this year’s campaign, Cable Positive produced and distributed a PSA reel of our JOIN THE FIGHT campaign spots.  Produced in collaboration with Kismet Films, the first installment of spots were directed by Hollywood director Joel Schumacher (The Phantom of the Opera, St. Elmo’s Fire), and feature Jamie-Lynn DiScala (The Sopranos), Jennifer Esposito (Crash), Nathan Lane (The Producers), Chris Meloni (Law & Order: SVU) and Jeffrey Wright (Angels in America).  Hallmark Channel partnered with Cable Positive to produce two powerful PSAs featuring Dr. Maya Angelou.  Every PSA concludes with the url for Cable Positive’s JOIN THE FIGHT area of the website, cablepositive.org/jointhefight, where users can find more information on testing, prevention and can be linked to the CDC’s website, as well as hivtest.org to receive more information about HIV/AIDS and to learn about resources in their community.  Since the campaign began in December 2004, in support of World AIDS Day, December 1, Cable Positive’s website has received more than 1.7 million hits.

ABOUT CABLE POSITIVE
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 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 $10 million in the fight against AIDS. For more information about Cable Positive, call 212-459-1502 or log on to www.cablepositive.org.