VILLANO TO ATTEND XVI INTERNATIONAL AIDS CONFERENCE IN TORONTO

NEW YORK, NY - August 10, 2006

Steve Villano, President & CEO of Cable Positive, the cable and telecommunications industry’s AIDS action organization, will join former President Bill Clinton, Bill & Melinda Gates, Richard Gear and a world-wide roster of scientists, health care providers, political, community and business leaders, journalists, government, non-governmental and intergovernmental representatives and people living with HIV/AIDS at the XVI International AIDS Conference at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, Canada, August 13-18th.

This year’s theme - A Time to Deliver - underscores the continued urgency in bringing effective HIV prevention and treatment strategies to communities the world over.  The theme recognizes that the scientific knowledge and tools to prevent new infections and prolong life among those living with HIV/AIDS already exist, even in the poorest settings. The challenge at hand is to garner the resources and the collective will to translate that knowledge and experience into broadly available HIV treatment and prevention programs.

“The theme for the 2006 International AIDS Conference is “Time to Deliver”, and after 25 years of the battling this plague—and more than 25 million deaths from AIDS-related illnesses—it’s long past time,” said Steve Villano, President & CEO of Cable Positive.  “Governments, corporations, non-profit organizations, medical institutions and advocacy groups need to work more closely together to deliver anti-retroviral drugs to all who need them and to deliver powerful, factual messages of HIV/AIDS awareness, education and prevention.  I am proud to be representing Cable Positive at this largest of all of the past 15 International AIDS Conferences.”

More than 20,000 delegates are scheduled to attend the week-long conference.

Villano will also be sharing more of his thoughts and views live from the conference via his blog which will be available on www.cablepositive.org starting on Sunday, August 13.  In addition, a direct link for special coverage from the conference will be available on Cable Positive’s website, courtesy of Kaiser Network, the official webcaster of the XVI International AIDS Conference.

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 $14.9 million in the fight against AIDS. For more information about Cable Positive, call 212-459-1502 or log on to www.cablepositive.org

About the International AIDS Conference

The world’s largest HIV/AIDS conference provides an international, open and independent forum for the exchange of ideas, knowledge and research which will inform HIV/AIDS programs and strengthen prevention, treatment and care efforts worldwide.  The Program includes abstract-driven oral and poster sessions, controversies and common ground sessions, bridging sessions, symposia and skills building workshops, along with innovative mechanisms to broaden the reach and impact of this event, particularly in the developing world where the epidemic is most entrenched. Additional activities include a Cultural Program, Global Village, Youth Program, Outreach Program and the Opening and Closing Plenaries.