Friday, August 1, 2008

August 01, 2008

BET

Whites Need Not Apply

Black Entertainment Television plans to carry Barack's speech to the Democratic convention live, but has no plans to carry McCain's. Barack's speech "is an historic occasion," says BET Chairman Debra L. Lee, "so that demands some special treatment from us."

MTV

MTV UK partners with police on youth violence

MTV has commissioned a special edition of Pimp My Ride UK to feature the transformation of a former police riot vehicle into a "mobile youth resource" designed to tackle violent crime. A half-hour programme presented by Tim Westwood will chart the transformation of the van - which was "pimped" in partnership with EMI Music and the Metropolitan Police - and look at the issue of violent crime among Britain's young population.

Musicians take out your guitarra: MTV Tr3s is calling

MTV Tr3s is looking for the best local bands Chicago has to offer. The winner of the local band search will open for the mega successful Mexican urban/cumbia band, Cruz Martínez y Los Súper Reyes at the Viva Chicago Latin Music Festival in Grant Park on August 24th. The winning band will also be featured on MTV Tr3s On Demand in Chicago.

VIACOM

LOGO (FROM MTV NETWORKS) WORLD PREMIERE OF NEW GAY BASKETBALL

This year’s festival selections include: Logo's (from MTV Networks) World Premiere of its ground-breaking new reality show "Shirts & Skins," which is scheduled to premiere on LOGO in mid September. Directed by talented African-American director Leola Westbrook, the show follows the true-life story of the San Francisco Rockdogs, a young all-star gay basketball team who must reunite to uphold their city's three-generation legacy of international gay games gold medal, and national tournament wins.

AFRICA

Circumcision Clinic Has African Men Lining Up to Prevent AIDS

Since a study by Bailey in 2006 found the operation drops the HIV infection rate in men by 60 percent, the procedure most often performed at birth has become a popular elective surgery among grown men in southern Africa. The push has been fueled by $16 million from the U.S. for clinics, personnel and procedures, funding expected to double this year, and $10.8 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

CARIBBEAN & LATIN AMERICA

Belize continues to rank number one in HIV/AIDS

The dreaded HIV/AIDS epidemic, which is responsible for the death of millions of people around the world, continues to make itself felt in Belize - the country with the highest HIV infection rate in Central America. Belize, according to a recent study conducted by Hand in Hand Ministries and UNICEF, not only is the country with the highest rate of HIV infection in Central America, but ranks third in the Caribbean.

JA among countries to sign declaration allowing sex education

Vivian Lopez, regional advisor on HIV/AIDS at UNICEF Latin America and the Caribbean, said the declaration is aimed at getting comprehensive sexual education for HIV prevention in the schools as well as management of the disease. "It will be about ensuring that schools are places that are accepting and tolerant of HIV and will ensure the rights of young people already living with HIV to education, " she told the Observer yesterday.

UN Calls for More Sex Education in Caribbean Schools

"Evidence consistently shows that school-based education about sex, relationships and HIV works," said Mark Richmond, UNESCO's Global Coordinator for HIV and AIDS. But comprehensive programmes currently reach relatively few. A global study revealed that only 20 per cent of young women and 33 per cent of young men aged 15-24 could correctly identify ways of preventing HIV transmission[1].

Why are we still failing our young people?

Young people are at the centre of the global AIDS crisis and are disproportionately affected by the epidemic. Globally, there are about 5.4 million young people living with HIV and forty percent of all new infections last year were amongst young people aged 15 to 24 years old. However, numerous studies show that with the right information and skills, young people can change their behaviour to reduce the risk of acquiring HIV infection or passing it on to others.

HIV/AIDS AND SEXUAL HEALTH NEWS

Education is the best way to stop unwanted pregnancies

One way to reduce unintended pregnancy and the need for abortion is to support comprehensive sexuality education for young people. This is done by empowering parents as the primary sexuality educator of their children, and ensuring medically accurate sex education and access to reproductive health care services is available for young people. Additionally, we should provide youth development opportunities that will engage young people in their community.

Many with HIV hide attendance at AIDS conference

Many of the thousands of HIV-positive participants gathering in Mexico City for the 17th International AIDS conference starting this weekend are afraid to say they are attending it. "Many of those who are coming have told their work or families that they are going on vacation," Manuel da Quinta, who works for UNAIDS in Geneva and has been HIV-positive for 13 years, told AFP. They're afraid of saying they're taking part in an AIDS conference."

Now, a license that verifies partner's sexual health status

A new license is revolutionizing people's sex lives these days - it's called STFree card. Manhattan-based company STFree Certifications provides its health-conscious customers a sexual history "license" with a phone number on the back that enables them to prove their testing backgrounds to potential partners.

Ob/Gyn Group Urges Routine HIV Tests for All Women

Minority women are at higher risk for HIV/AIDS, and doctors need to make a special effort to encourage them to be tested for HIV. That's the new recommendation released Thursday by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). "Physicians can explain to their patients that HIV screening is recommended for all adults now and that there are numerous benefits to being tested. We need to continue to destigmatize HIV screening and make it a part of routine care," Watts said.

Women and AIDS

Prevention for girls and women, no matter where they live, requires protection from sexual coercion and violence, access to reproductive health services and comprehensive sexuality education for all young people. American policies at home and abroad must be modified to address these needs.

MOBILE NEWS

Location-Based Mobile Social Networking: A $3.3 Billion Market?

Research firm ABI Research predicts the nascent industry will turn into a $3.3 billion market worldwide by 2013. Where will that money come from? Location-based mobile advertising "holds a lot of promise," notes ABI analyst Dominique Bonte, in a statement. But "the current reality" suggests licensing and subscription revenue-sharing -- like Loopt's recent deal with Verizon Wireless -- the most likely near-term revenue streams.

PHILANTHROPY

2008 Brief Explores the Market for Philanthropy

Philanthropy is growing worldwide. This brief presents the extent and characteristics of giving based on several important external studies, and proposes that wealth managers offering strong philanthropy services can retain their existing client base, and the children of those clients.

Petition asking Bono to retire launches

An online petition asking for U2 frontman Bono to "retire from public life" has so far raised $390. The petition is published on Thepoint.com. It's stated aim is: "To get Bono to retire from public life (so he'll stop leading misguided counter-productive philanthropy efforts)."