New Report Finds Unprecedented Mobilisation of Global Media on AIDS by More Than 130 Companies in 69 Countries With Further Action Needed to Support HIV Prevention

New York, 2 June 2006 – The Global Media AIDS Initiative (GMAI) today released a report that highlights expanded commitments by more than 130 media companies in 69 countries to address the HIV and AIDS epidemic, as well as further action needed to increase momentum and support for HIV prevention. The report was presented to United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan at the UN’s 2006 High-Level Meeting on AIDS by Bill Roedy, Chair of the GMAI’s Leadership Committee and Vice Chairman, MTV Networks.

The GMAI is a product of realisation that media is a critical arsenal in the fight against HIV and AIDS. To underscore the importance of the media in responding to this global crisis, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan convened a special meeting in New York in January 2004 to launch the GMAI, an initiative originally conceived by UNAIDS and the Kaiser Family Foundation (a US-based non-profit, private operating foundation focusing on health issues). Fourteen high-level meetings have been organised for media leaders, creative producers and partners in Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, North America, South Asia and Eurasia resulting in new partnerships among media companies to campaign on HIV and AIDS. Companies have contributed hundreds of millions of dollars of air time and space across a number of media assets to disseminate public service announcements and integrate HIV and AIDS themes across programming and platforms.

Roedy, who is also a UNAIDS Special Representative, commented: “If education is currently the only vaccine available to us, then the global media industry has in its hands the means to deliver that vaccine. If we harness our immense communications power, with all the creativity and innovation at our disposal, the impact will be felt far and wide. I encourage Global Media AIDS Initiative participants to increase their commitments, as well as help mobilise other media companies to actively support HIV and AIDS prevention.”

Major GMAI-related initiatives include:

o        Africa: The African Broadcast Media Leaders Summit on HIV/AIDS, organised in Johannesburg in October 2005 by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Nelson Mandela Foundation, brought together executives representing 27 national broadcasters from some of the continent’s leading radio and television networks. A key outcome was the formation of the African Broadcast Media Partnership Against HIV/AIDS, the first continent-wide partnership among broadcasters to coordinate a response to the epidemic. The Partnership has committed to dedicating five per cent of daytime airtime to HIV and AIDS-related programming and messaging and to work together on a coordinated pan-African public education campaign. More information about the Partnership can be found at www.broadcasthivafrica.org.

o        Asia-Pacific region: The Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), MTV Networks International, the United Nations Development Programme and the Kaiser Family Foundation launched "Think Positive: the Asian Face of HIV/AIDS" at a meeting in Singapore. Fourteen broadcasters from 11 countries created short-form programmes for sharing with ABU members rights-free.

o        Caribbean: At an historic summit of Caribbean broadcasters, held in May 2006 in Barbados and organised by the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), the Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU) and the Kaiser Family Foundation, more than 30 executives from top media companies joined in forming the Caribbean Broadcast Media Partnership on HIV/AIDS. The Partnership creates a structured framework for sharing information and resources among broadcasters that will significantly expand HIV and AIDS-related programming and public education activities around the region. More information can be found at www.broadcasthivcarib.org.

o        Latin America: A Latin American media leaders summit will be held in Rio de Janeiro in August 2006, hosted by TV Globo in partnership with UNICEF and the GMAI.

o        Russia: Immediately following the formation of the GMAI in January 2004, Gazprom-Media began working with Transatlantic Partners Against AIDS (TPAA), a Moscow-based NGO, and the Kaiser Family Foundation, to establish the Russian Media Partnership to Combat HIV/AIDS (RMP) – a coalition that has grown to include more than 50 leading media and consumer goods companies united in response to the country’s surging epidemic. On World AIDS Day 2004, the RMP launch StopSPID (StopAIDS) – a coordinated, multiplatform media campaign that has leveraged over $150 million in contributed airtime across television, radio, print and online platforms. More information can be found at www.tpaa.net.

o        US: The Kaiser Family Foundation continues its decade long work with several media organisations in the US, including with several of the key companies that participated in the launch of the GMAI, to develop multi-faceted campaigns on HIV, AIDS and related issues, including: KNOW HIV/AIDS, a joint venture with CBS Corporation and Viacom Inc; think:hiv with MTV; Rap it Up with BET; and Enterate with Univision.

Looking ahead, three themes will dominate the next phase of the GMAI’s development, including: strengthening the impact and reach of HIV awareness campaigns; deepening the commitment of the media industry; and supporting low-resource companies in high priority regions where the epidemic has a disproportionately large impact.

Later this year, Roedy will consult with key partners on the appointment of a new Chair of the GMAI Leadership Committee. Although the new leader will set his or her own priorities for the 18-month tenure, the vision of the GMAI will remain the same. The world’s media can play a greater role and have a deeper impact on HIV and AIDS awareness. As the GMAI evolves, it will continue to improve the capacity of the world’s media to respond to the worst epidemic in human history. It has laid the foundations from which even greater achievements can be built.

Dr. Peter Piot, Executive Director of UNAIDS, said: “I often say that the media has the power to save more lives than the doctors. I am happy to see that more media companies, through the Global Media AIDS Initiative, are reaching audiences with life saving information as well as helping to break the cycle of stigma and discrimination.”

Drew Altman, Ph.D. President & CEO, Kaiser Family Foundation, commented: “Media campaigns on HIV and AIDS, of course, have existed since the early days of the pandemic. What is remarkable about the Global Media AIDS Initiative is the mobilisation of media organisations that is now occurring on a truly global scale.”

The complete GMAI report can be found from today on the newly launched Web site: www.thegmai.org.

About The Global Media AIDS Initiative

The Global Media AIDS Initiative aims to mobilise the media industry globally in the fight against the HIV and AIDS epidemic. Its strategy is to gain the commitment of media leaders in integrating HIV and AIDS messaging across programming (including: soap operas, talk shows, news, phone-ins and public service announcements), to give air time and page space to the issue, to put in place policies and training for staff on HIV and AIDS and to establish a formal corporate position on these commitments. Over 130 companies from 69 countries have become involved. The Kaiser Family Foundation, UNAIDS and MTV amongst many others have been key players in supporting and mobilising the media industry to increase their efforts on the issue of HIV and AIDS. For more information, please visit: www.thegmai.org

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