July 30, 2008

BET

Comic-Blog ’08: New BET Animation

Reggie Hudlin, president of BET (Black Entertainment Television), unveiled footage from the upcoming BET Animation series including the The Black Panther and Hannibal The Conqueror at Comic-Con in San Diego over the weekend. Both series look very promising, stylishly bringing to the screen adult-oriented action animation with strong African-American appeal.

FOX

Cricket and Fox Interactive Media Ink Mobile Content Distribution Agreement

Doug Hutcheson, president and CEO of Leap, called this agreement “significant milestone” in his company’s efforts to form strategic relationships with industry leaders who can provide rich content and exciting applications to the customers.

He pointed out that research shows that Cricket’s young and diverse customers are already heavy users of mobile content and applications, adding that by providing them with a vehicle for expressing themselves in a mobile environment, their wireless handsets become much more than a simple phone.

MTV

Win A Trip To The VMAs With Think.MTV.Com!

Think.MTV.com is offering one lucky activist the chance to attend this year’s Video Music Awards on September 7 in Los Angeles. Any Think.MTV.com member who joins the group “Do Good. Go to the VMAs” between Thursday and August 22 will be registered to win two tickets to the VMAs, as well as hotel and travel accommodations.

VIACOM

How American Youth Will Screw Viacom

"The primary question we have received in recent weeks is, 'What happened in the ad market?'," said Dauman during yesterday's conference call. "Advertisers in a few categories . . . pulled back their on-air spending as they adjusted their own operating plans and product launches. Low ratings at a few of our networks also contributed to the softness."

Nick at Nite Plans More Grown-Up Shows
Nickelodeon, the 29-year-old cable channel for children, is trying to produce programs that the first generation of "Nickelodeon parents" can watch with their youngsters. This week the Viacom unit is announcing the acquisition of an original program from Michael Eisner's production company, one of several new shows being developed by the network.

AFRICA

Study to establish HIV impact on universities

A study aimed at establishing the HIV/Aids status on university communities in East Africa is set to start this October.The project will target 18 universities, six from Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya each, according to the officials of the Inter-University Council of East Africa (IUCEA).

ASIA

Camp to educate streetchildren about HIV/AIDS

To create awareness about HIV/AIDS, the YMCA Bangalore Children in Crisis programme identified 40 such streetchildren for a five-day awareness camp from Tuesday at its Kumbalgud site.

CARIBBEAN & LATIN AMERICA

AIDS is the leading cause of death in the Caribbean

HIV continues to be spread in the Caribbean largely by heterosexuals having sex with prostitutes. And AIDS is the leading cause of death in the Caribbean, in the 25-44 age group. That’s according to the latest UN AIDS report. The report, which comes ahead of next month`s AIDS conference in Mexico, states that the main mode of HIV transmission in the Caribbean remains paid unprotected heterosexual intercourse.

AIDS Threat Still Looming

The Latin America section of the UNAIDS study says unprotected sex is common among men who have sex with other men in Mexico, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. It also warns that in countries like Bolivia and Peru, the spread of HIV is linked to the practice of unprotected sex and intravenous drug use without precautions. In addition, the report points to a feminisation of the epidemic. "We have seen that the number of infected women has gone up in recent years, and we will see this to an even greater extent in the future," said Núñez.

Brazil's success in AIDS fight depends on cheap drugs

Brazil, long considered a model country in the fight against AIDS, depends on cheap retroviral treatments secured from the big drug companies after fierce struggle. That fight goes on today, with Brazil also manufacturing its own generic anti-AIDS medicine. The strategy has created friction with the pharmaceutical groups investing billions in new anti-virals -- but it has also proved successful in this vast country, population 190 million, which has a third of Latin America's HIV-positive patients.

Condom Use Is Said To Be Falling.

Speaking on behalf of CARICOM’s Secretary General, Edwin Carrington, Caribbean Regional Network of People Living with HIV representative, Christopher Dorsett, said the downward turn in infections is no reason to relax combating the spread of the disease. It was also reported that one in every five men who have sex with men in Trinidad and Tobago are HIV positive.

Guyana’s efforts to tackle HIV/AIDS praised

St Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas has lauded Guyana’s efforts to ensure that other Caribbean countries also benefit and expressed hope that other Heads of Government would support plans to raise funds to tackle HIV/AIDS in the region.

Male to male sex hurting Caribbean - Report shows

According to UNAIDS, while unprotected sex between men and women is the region's main driver of HIV transmission, unprotected sex between men is also a significant factor. Unprotected sex between men reportedly represents the main driver of the HIV epidemic in Cuba, and studies in Trinidad and Tobago have found 20 per cent HIV prevalence among that group there.

More females becoming infected

Although there is knowledge and understanding of how HIV is transmitted, the sexually active population in TT is still engaging in risky behaviour and not using condoms. HIV/AIDS is also crossing the generations as more younger women get involved with older men. These facts were disclosed by Andy Fearon, Ag Technical Director of the National AIDS Coordinating Committee (NACC) while speaking yesterday at the Caribbean Regional Support Team Launch of the UNAIDS Global Report 2008 at Bretton Hall.

ADVERTISING NEWS

How TV and Net Ads Work Together
The Internet as a marketing medium has enhanced -- not diminished -- the value of TV advertising for marketers, according to David Poltrack, president of CBS' new research unit. His logic: The Internet has been show to be an efficient mechanism for turning interested, aware consumers into purchasers, but first those prospects must become aware, which is exactly what television advertising can do well.

NBCU Brags 96% of Olympics Ads Are Sold
NBC Universal said Tuesday that it has sold almost all its Summer Olympics advertising inventory, with the first telecast 19 days away. The company has set an ad revenue target of more than $1 billion for the Games.

HIV/AIDS AND SEXUAL HEALTH NEWS

Activist teenager’s mission: keep her peers safe through sexual health education

Abbie McMillan (AM), age 16, has been a public speaker and an advocate for comprehensive sexuality education. She has traveled to Washington, D.C., twice for advocacy training and networking on a national scale.

Antigone Barton granted AIDS conference fellowship

The National Press Foundation recently awarded the Palm Beach Post's Antigone Barton a fellowship to attend the International AIDS Conference in Mexico City from August 3 to August 8. Barton, who reported on Heroes of HIV: HIV in the Caribbean for the Pulitzer Center, will be among 60 NPF fellows attending the conference and its Journalist to Journalist HIV/AIDS Training session, which will train reporters on the ethical implications and requirements of HIV/AIDS reporting.

Commentary: Obama, McCain should help fight black AIDS

While Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain go back and forth over who didn't visit troops in Germany; the impact of Obama's overseas tour; and who is best positioned to deal with the crumbling economy, critical domestic issues like AIDS goes unnoticed.

Condom-free sex: the new engagement ring

A new trend in young America: "Sex without a condom is the new engagement ring," a youthful NPR sage advises. "It shows trust, commitment and the prospect of a shared future," Pendarvis Harshaw says. Coos a modern damsel in this radio report: "To have sex without a condom is to say that I trust you and I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

iReporters: Improve awareness to fight AIDS among blacks

iReporter Travers Johnson, a recent graduate of Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, found a lot of myths on campus regarding the HIV test. "It seems that people do know information about HIV and how you contract it, but they're still misinformed about testing procedures," he said by phone. iReport.com: Shattering uncomfortable testing myths. Johnson taped his own HIV test, which took about 20 minutes and involved no needles or blood -- just a swab that collects a small amount of saliva.

Fact Sheet: A Historic and Lifesaving Commitment to Fight HIV/AIDS

This legislation responds to the President's call last year to expand our commitment to this successful program for five additional years. In 2003, President Bush launched the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) to combat global HIV/AIDS - the largest commitment by any nation to combat a single disease in human history. Today's legislation will dramatically increase the financial commitment to this fight - authorizing up to $48 billion to combat global HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria.

Planned Parenthood Starts 'Prevention Now' Campaign

With Gonorrhea infections nearly doubling in Utah since 2000, and with teenage pregnancy rates increasing for the first time in more than a decade, the Planned Parenthood Action Council says it's time to change the state's abstinence-only sex education curriculum.

United Nations Study Shows Abstinence Education Lowering HIV/AIDS Rate

A new study by the United Nations makes it clear that the abstinence education message is making a clear impact in the African HIV/AIDS rates. The study shows people are engaging in casual sex less often, waiting longer to start having sex, and infection rates are dropping.

MULTI CULTURAL NEWS

'Firm Go' for Seventh Season of American Latino TV & LatiNation

American Latino TV (ALTV) and LatiNation, the award-winning, nationally syndicated TV programs, announced today that both shows have garnered key affiliate renewals and will continue into their historic seventh and fifth seasons respectively, beginning the week of September 29, 2008.

Nissan North America Announces $50000 Grant to Y-Hispanic Achievers

"Nissan is proud to support the Hispanic Achievers Program in its efforts to help the Hispanic community reach educational success," said Stephanie Valdez Streaty, senior manager, Philanthropy and Diversity Communications, Nissan North America, Inc. "It provides us an opportunity do our part to help ensure the success of the next generation of Latino leaders who will positively impact and improve our communities."

Program lets illegal immigrants volunteer to leave

The Bush administration is inviting people who have ignored orders to leave the country to surrender at immigration offices and leave voluntarily, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement official said Wednesday. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, part of the Department of Homeland Security, is launching "Operation Scheduled Departure" on Aug. 5 in the cities of Santa Ana, Calif.; San Diego; Phoenix; Chicago and Charlotte, N.C., said spokeswoman Cori Bassett. The program will end Aug. 22.