Cable Positive Unites Cablevision Systems Corporation, Time
Warner New York and BCAT In The Fight Against HIV/AIDS
NEW YORK, NY - June 20, 2001
Cable Positive, the national non-profit organization that galvanizes
the cable industry’s resources, access and influence in the fight
against HIV/AIDS, has united the efforts of the cable systems Cablevision
Systems Corporation and Time Warner New York as well as cable public
access station BCAT (Brooklyn Cable Access Television) through a
targeted public service campaign featuring basketball legend Magic
Johnson, Philadelphia 76er Dikembe Mutombo, supermodel Veronica
Webb, MTV Real Worlder and cartoonist Judd Winick, actor/director
Billy Bob Thornton, poet/author Maya Angelou and recording artists
The Baha Men and Pru. The campaign is part of Cable Positive’s 2001
National HIV Testing Day national efforts to reduce the rate of
HIV transmission, the virus that causes AIDS, amongst the communities
most at-risk across the United States and to increase the number
of people being tested for HIV to prevent further HIV transmission.
"Cable Positive estimates cable networks and systems commitment
to airing PSAs will reach close to 200 hours worth of time dedicated
to HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness - a record for the industry,"
said Steve Villano, Cable Positive Executive Director.
For the 2001 National HIV Testing Day campaign, Cable Positive
produced a reel of more than 20 public service announcements targeting
specific audiences with important information on HIV/AIDS including
some in Spanish. Every public service announcement concludes with
the toll-free telephone number for the National AIDS Hotline 1.800.342.AIDS(2437)
so viewers can obtain more information about HIV testing and education
in their community.
Cable Positive’s cable network partners for the 2001 National
HIV Testing Day campaign include: BET, Lifetime Television, MTV,
VH1, USA Networks, CNN, CNBC, FOX Sports Net, Bravo, AMC, Court
TV, Discovery, Food Network, FX Networks, MSNBC, MusicChoice, The
Weather Channel, TLC: The Learning Channel, WE: Women’s Entertainment
as well as Spanish Language networks Galavision and Univision who
will telecast Cable Positive’s Spanish PSAs.
The "Roadblock"
Cable Positive’s efforts on behalf of National HIV Testing Day culminate
with an industry-wide "roadblock" on Wednesday, June 27 (National
HIV Testing Day) at 8 p.m. (EST), where participating cable networks
and systems join together to air an HIV/AIDS PSAs to reach the more
than 70 million cable television households across the country.
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 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. For more information about Cable Positive call 212.459.1502
or log on to www.cablepositive.org.
