MEDIA NEWS REPORTS

December 18, 2008

2008-12-18T16:46:00.001-08:00

BET

BET expands its offerings in 29 African countries through multiple platforms

BET Networks has announced that it is now offering BET in 29 countries in sub-Saharan Africa on multiple platforms, expanding the channel's international reach that already includes the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and the United Kingdom. Through the GTV agreement, BET will be seen in 21 countries, and with the agreement with MultiChoice, BET will initially launch on DStv in 11 countries.

BET Mobile partners with PlayPhone for distribution of digital content

BET Networks has announced that it has partnered with PlayPhone, Inc., operator of the largest network of global mobile entertainment destinations, to build and manage its mobile entertainment and personalization business.

BET, TV One planning major coverage of Obama Presidential Inauguration

African-American targeted networks BET and TV One for the first time will join mainstream cable-news networks in offering full coverage of next month's presidential inauguration.

FOX

Fox TV Producers Asked to Trim Budgets
News Corp.'s 20th Century Fox Television studio has asked producers of shows such as Fox's "24" and "My Name is Earl," produced for NBC, to trim their budgets by 2%. The move is part of a cost-cutting initiative at News Corp.'s Fox properties as advertising revenue drops.

MTV

MTV Announces CollegeHumor Site Series
MTV has made the long-awaited news official: CollegeHumor will get its own series on the network in 2009. "The CollegeHumor Show" will offer a behind-the-scenes look at the "offbeat" twentysomething-run Web site. CollegeHumor is part of Barry Diller's IAC.

MTV Launches 'Run's House' Spin-Off, Plus Other New Series

As part of MTV's new ambitious programming schedule, the network has green lit Daddy's Girls, a spin-off of the family-themed reality series Run's House. After five seasons, fans have witnessed Vanessa and Angela Simmons grow up before their eyes under Rev. Run's roof. Soon, viewers will watch the sisters as they make a permanent move to Los Angeles while they take a step toward independence.

UNIVISION

Univision agrees to run condom ads!

The National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health and Catholics for Choice are happy to share the wonderful news that Univision has decided to run their Condoms4Life radio ads.

VIACOM

New EVP of Strategy & Operations for MTV, VH1

Richard Gay will take on the newly created role of executive VP of strategy and operations for MTV and VH1, working to manage business functions, drive planning and strategic initiatives and execute a broad range of operational activities.

Sumner Redstone Gets Time to Sell Assets
Banks appear to be indefinitely extending Viacom/CBS boss Sumner Redstone's Dec. 19 debt repayment deadline to afford the media mogul time to sell off assets. Despite his protests to the contrary, Redstone may be forced to sell some of his shares of Viacom and CBS.

ASIA

Thailand’s “Mr. Condom” battles AIDS

Now, Thailand’s efforts to combat AIDS — including its “100 Percent Condom Use” program and its creation of low-cost antiretroviral drugs — have helped reduce the prevalence of the disease from 140,000 new cases a year to fewer than 20,000.

ADVERTISING NEWS

Civil rights lawyer, Cyrus Mehri, prepares to challenge ad industry discrimination

"I've yet to see an industry that has such a consistent record of indifference to minority involvement," said Mehri, a member of the Washington law firm Mehri & Skalet. "It has a history of purposeful discrimination. They've been on notice a long time, but they just go through the motions and allow a discriminatory climate to continue. They're real laggards, and it's hard to understand why."

MULTI CULTURAL NEWS

Bob Johnson explains business model for Urban Television venture

Robert L. Johnson, founder and chairman of The RLJ Companies today outlined additional details of his proposed programming model for Urban Television, LLC, pending the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) approval of recently filed applications seeking share-time licenses that will enable Urban to broadcast programming on a digital channel of ION stations in 42 markets.

Ebony, Jet partner with Google to digitize six decades of publishing history

Many ethnic media outlets see a Web presence as crucial because it can draw readers from outside the community and help followers dig deeper into the issues they care about most. Moreover, ethnic and mainstream publications are seeking younger, tech-savvy readers to grow their readership bases.

ICABA launches a multimedia network for black professionals and entrepreneurs

Prominent business leaders, Black professionals and entrepreneurs convened in South Florida last month for the launch of ICABA, a new multimedia brand that seeks to identify, connect and activate accomplished Blacks around the world. During the launch reception, ICABA unveiled an integrated marketing platform that includes a multifaceted Website with a social networking component, print directories and signature events.

Litton Entertainment to launch weekly 'The Brian McKnight Show' next fall

Litton Entertainment has announced that it will launch "The Brian McKnight Show," a new one-hour weekly variety series set to debut Fall 2009. McKnight, a multi-platinum award-winning singer, musician, producer and arranger, is known for his silky style, breezy charm and smooth vocals.

NABJ: Don't let newsroom layoffs push diversity efforts out the door

The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) is calling on the industry to keep diversity in the forefront of cost-cutting decisions made this week at Gannett Co., one of the country's largest media operations. Diversity is an essential component of success that companies and communities can't afford to lose.

Race and the Web: Going after niche markets or practicing digital segmentation?

The release of Blackbird, an African American focused web browser sparked quite a bit of controversy this past week. The TechCrunch post about it elicited reactions from both sides of the aisle [It has 275 comments and counting].

The Urban Radio Summit to be presented in April by Target Market News

This newly formed annual event will bring together leading marketers, advertising agencies, research companies, syndication firms and Urban Radio broadcasters in a day-long conference exploring opportunities for tapping the $800 billion African-American consumer market.

UPTOWN Magazine announces increases in distribution, circulation and frequency

UPTOWN Magazine, the luxury lifestyle publication for affluent African Americans, announced its expansion into the Charlotte market, effective with the February 2009 issue. As part of the expansion, UPTOWN Magazine will increase its frequency to six times a year. The circulation and rate base will increase to 200,000, with a pass-along rate of 800,000.

OTHER NEWS

Deloitte: Young People Watching Less TV
`Young Americans just aren't watching television like they used to. Put another way, the older you get, the more you watch, according to a report due out from Deloitte indicating that "millennials," the generation of ages 14 to 25, watch just 10.5 hours of TV a week.

Nielsen: Web Video Users Are Day Clickers
Daytime is the Internet's prime time, at least when it comes to video, according to a report by Nielsen Online. During the traditional work week -- Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. -- 65% of online video viewers streamed at least one piece of content in October.

Time Warner: No Media Buys Despite Cash
Time Warner will soon spin off its cable division in return for a cash windfall of over $9 billion. But with its stock at six-year lows and its disastrous AOL marriage a not-too-distant memory, the media giant said it will forego big acquisitions to focus on shareholder returns.

November 20, 2008

2008-11-20T16:58:00.000-08:00

FOX

Murdoch Eyes Subscription-Based Acquisitions
Rupert Murdoch believes the global financial crisis will wipe out at least half of the world's hedge funds. "I would welcome their disappearance," he said. He added that his News Corp. will continue to look for acquisitions "that are not so dependent on advertising and are more based on subscription."

MySpace to Offer McCartney, Guns N' Roses
Ex-Beatle Paul McCartney and Guns N' Roses released their biggest hits on vinyl records and compact discs, but on Thursday, their new albums will debut online on MySpace. Members of News Corp.'s social network will be able to play the songs, but will not be able to download them.

News Corp Shelves Media Campus in London
News Corp. is delaying indefinitely the planned redevelopment of its east London offices due to the economic downturn. The home of the company's London newspapers was set to become the new British base for other assets, including Dow Jones, MySpace and 20th Century Fox.

MTV

Kelly Rowland Visiting South Africa

“Kelly will stop in South Africa when she returns from performing at the MTV Base African Music Awards in Nigeria this weekend to tell the girls about the documentary and her commitment to Aids awareness.

MTV Digital Exec Does Interview via Twitter
Tallahassee Democrat reporter Amanda Nalley interviewed MTV digital account exec Jeremy Winter Delaplane via Twitter prior to his appearance in Tallahassee to speak about digital media. MTV's young audience, Delaplane said, is "constantly connected" and is not "hindered by tradition."

Visibility Matters: MTV sells out gays and lesbians for ratings

As I wrote about earlier this month, lesbian visibility in TV and film is neglible, and bisexual women, while finally getting some exposure on widely watched television shows, are still usually portrayed as promiscuous, psychotic, untrustworthy, or homicidal (or all of the above). And since straight people don't usually differentiate between lesbians and bisexual women — as Shonda Rhimes so brilliantly illustrated in her statement about Brooke Smith's firing on Grey's Anatomy — that means lesbians and bisexual women are universally portrayed as crazy, lying, murdering sluts. And now, thanks to MTV, we sleep with our sisters, too.

AFRICA

Risky sexual practices among youth attending a sexually transmitted infection clinic in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Youth have been reported to be at a higher risk of acquiring STIs with significant adverse health and social consequences. Knowledge on the prevailing risky practices is an essential tool to guide preventive strategies.

South Africa: Country Called to Participate in HIV, Aids Awareness Activities

Government, in partnership with the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC), has called on South Africans to participate in activities aimed at raising awareness about HIV and AIDS. Briefing media following Cabinet's regular meeting, Government Spokesperson Themba Maseko said HIV, AIDS and Tuberculosis remained national priorities requiring urgent action by all sectors of society.

ASIA

Clinton and Yao Ming to receive honorary degree for HIV/AIDS work

Former US president Bill Clinton will next month receive an honorary degree for his work in the HIV/AIDS field from the University of Hong Kong. Basketball star Yao Ming will be given an honorary Doctor of Social Sciences sometime next year for helping fight the social stigma associated with HIV/AIDS, particularly in China, said the university.

Dressing up for HIV/AIDS: Condom art

That condoms have one definite function is sure. But that they could be used in art and by a condom designer is hardly believable. We have all heard of art being created from drink cans and packaging, but imagine a studio with condoms lying around everywhere.

CARIBBEAN & LATIN AMERICA

Chile May Use Police to Find HIV Patients After 512 Not Told

Chilean health authorities may use police databases to track down people infected with the AIDS virus after the government failed to notify 512 patients that they had the illness, denying them access to treatment.

HIV/AIDS AND SEXUAL HEALTH NEWS

Despite national guidelines, private insurers, ER, federal and state agencies fail to routinely test for HIV

While the U.S. AIDS epidemic simmers largely unnoticed by most Americans, a failure to widely implement routine HIV testing continues to fuel its spread, HIV researchers and experts said today. Almost 60,000 Americans were infected with HIV last year, and, nationwide, 50-to-70 percent of new sexually transmitted infections are spread by people who do not know they are infected. Guidelines issued two years ago by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that all Americans ages 13-64 be routinely tested in all healthcare settings. Now, data show that although such testing could save years of healthy life and limit the spread of HIV, they are largely not being implemented.

More at-risk teens engaging in anal sex

The incidence of heterosexual anal sex is increasing among teens and young adults -- a sexually transmitted disease and HIV risk factor, U.S. researchers say. Researchers at the Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center in Providence said these findings mirror recent data that show anal sex rates among adults doubled from 1995 to 2004.

MULTI CULTURAL NEWS

ICABA Launches a Multimedia Network for Black Professionals

Prominent business leaders, Black professionals and entrepreneurs convened in South Florida on Tuesday to witness the launch of ICABA, a new multimedia brand that seeks to identify, connect and activate accomplished Blacks around the world. During the launch reception, ICABA unveiled an integrated marketing platform that includes a multifaceted Website with a social networking component, print directories and signature events.

NBC developing sit-com from 'Making Friends With Black People' book

NBC is developing a comedy based on the book "Making Friends With Black People," a buddy comedy that will focus on the state of race relations in the U.S. Show isn't specifically about Obama's rise as the nation's first African-American president -- but "Making Friends" hopes to capitalize on how Obama's success has changed the nation's dialogue on race.

Race relations

Keith Boykin has been double marginalized. The black New York Times best-selling author, host of Black Entertainment Television’s “My Two Cents” and editor of The Daily Voice, has reported on cases of racism in the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. “There is something wrong when we as an oppressed people in the LGBT community are oppressing our own who are also fighting in the struggle of equality and freedom,” Boykin wrote in 2005, responding to incidents of discrimination in San Francisco’s Castro district.

PHILANTHROPY

Awards for Bay Area philanthropy

The Distinguished Achievement Award went to the California Academy of Sciences and Contemporary Jewish Museum. The Hank Russo Outstanding Fundraising Professional is Cheri Bryant. She has served as director of development for the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California since 1990. Sheryl Wong was named Outstanding Fundraising Volunteer, as chair of the Oakland Museum of California Foundation. The award for Outstanding Foundation Professional went to Dianne Yamashiro-Omi. She joined the California Endowment in 2000 and is the senior program officer for Culturally Competent Health Systems. Youth United for Community Action was given this year's award for Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy. YUCA is a grassroots organization created, led and run by young people of color. The California Wellness Foundation was recognized as Outstanding Foundation or Community Grantmaker. Larry and Joyce Stupski were named Outstanding Philanthropists. In 1996, they formed the Stupski Foundation, with the mission of improving life options for children of color in poverty by helping public education leaders accelerate academic achievement. The Lifetime Achievement in Philanthropy award went to Janice Gow Pettey. She is a recognized fundraiser, author, consultant, professor and volunteer. The San Francisco Chronicle was named Outstanding Corporate Grantmaker.

Gucci to Shoppers: Philanthropy is Trendy

Gucci hopes charity will give shoppers a reason to spend — it’s pledging to give 25% of the sales of a new handbag and shoe collection called Tattoo Heart to UNICEF.

SOCIAL MEDIA NEWS

Study Finds Teenagers’ Internet Socializing Isn’t Such a Bad Thing

Good news for worried parents: All those hours their teenagers spend socializing on the Internet are not a bad thing, according to a new study by the MacArthur Foundation. “It may look as though kids are wasting a lot of time hanging out with new media, whether it’s on MySpace or sending instant messages,” said Mizuko Ito, lead researcher on the study, “Living and Learning With New Media.” “But their participation is giving them the technological skills and literacy they need to succeed in the contemporary world. They’re learning how to get along with others, how to manage a public identity, how to create a home page.”

OTHER NEWS

2008 Most Powerful Women in Cable: The Top 50 (1-14)

Anne Sweeney, Co-Chair, Disney Media Networks, & President, Disney-ABC Television Group - The co-winner of this year’s Distinguished Vanguard Award for Leadership (with Showtime’s Matt Blank, and presented by NCTA at The Cable Show), Sweeney is, practically speaking, a cultural leader.

Amy Poehler and Friends Launch New Digital TV Series Aimed at Young Girls and Their Parents

ON Networks(R) (ON) today announced the release of the first episode of Smart Girls at the Party - the original digital TV series that aims to help young girls find confidence in their own aspirations and talents. The series was created by and stars actor/writer Amy Poehler and friend Meredith Walker, former senior producer for Nickelodeon's Nick News, and former head of talent for Saturday Night Live. Amy Miles, recording artist and performer and host of PBS children's show LOMAX: Hound of Music, stars as the series' regular musical act.

Big Media Targeted by Writers Over Digital Pay
The Writers Guild of America, West has claimed that media conglomerates have failed to comply with the contract negotiated to end the 100-day strike by not paying residuals for writers' work that is reused in new media. The WGA has filed for arbitration over alleged nonpayment.

comScore Media Metrix Ranks Top 50 US Web Properties for October 2008

The U.S. presidential election, Halloween and the approaching holiday season were significant drivers of Internet traffic for the month. October saw a significant surge in traffic to the politics category, as Americans tuned in closely to the presidential and local congressional races. The category grew 40 percent to 28 million visitors in October, making it the fastest growing category for the month.

LONDON MEDIA SUMMIT 24TH NOVEMBER

Co-Chaired by Channel 4's Jon Snow and CNN's Becky Anderson, this year's London Media Summit asks "How can 'old' media survive?" and features the Director-General of the BBC, Chairman and Chief Executive of MTV Networks International, Editor of the Guardian, Chairman of the UK Film Council, and many more.

Media Stocks Hit New Lows in Market Meltdown
Wednesday's Dow slide pushed the shares of News Corp., Viacom, CBS and Sony to 52-week lows, and Disney and Time Warner closed near their lows for the year. With just over a month of trading to go in 2008, media biggies have lost tens of billions of dollars in market value.

Nielsen Cancels National Client Meeting, Cites Economy
A little more than a week after canceling a promising new out-of-home television audience measurement service due to concerns about the "current economic environment," Nielsen has canceled plans for its annual client meeting in 2009.

Working in health care can be risky, study hints

A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that health care workers are more likely to die from bloodborne infections and related illnesses than people working in other occupations.

Yahoo Said to Continue Talks With Time Warner
Yahoo, facing dimming prospects for a takeover by Microsoft, is continuing discussions to buy Time Warner's AOL business, people familiar with the matter said. Yahoo and Time Warner execs have met in the past few weeks and continue to negotiate over terms.

November 18, 2008

2008-11-18T16:52:00.001-08:00

BET

BET names Loretha Jones and Stephen Hill co-presidents of programming

BET Networks has announced two new leadership appointments to its Programming team, with Loretha Jones and Stephen Hill both named President of Programming. Both Jones and Hill will report directly to Debra L. Lee, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, BET Networks. Hill will continue to be based in New York, while Jones will be based in Los Angeles, and both appointments will take effect immediately.

BET scores big with third season debut of original series, 'Keyshia Cole'

A total of 1.4 million households and 1.94 million viewers tuned in on Tuesday night, giving the show's season debut a 1.54 coverage rating, according to Nielsen Media Research. The third season premiere of KEYSHIA COLE posted a 10% increase in viewing among households versus last year's premiere, maintaining the series' consistent year-to-year household growth with each season premiere (1.18 million and 1.24 million households for season one and two, respectively).

CBS

CBS Rolls Out Play.it Streaming Radio
CBS's radio division is quietly rolling out its Play.it music streaming service, which allows listeners to create customized stations, play artist-themed stations or listen to over 340 traditional channels from CBS Radio and AOL Radio. Play.it runs off of a catalog of about 1.3 million songs.

Redstone's CBS, Viacom See Value Drop
Wunderlich Securities has downgraded shares of CBS and Viacom to neutral from buy, citing a "rapidly weakening" advertising market. CBS shares have fallen more than 60% since the beginning of September, while Viacom's value has been nearly cut in half.

MTV

MTV Networks Ramps Up Live Streaming with Inlet’s Spinnaker

Inlet Technologies, a leading provider of advanced encoding solutions for new media, announced today that MTV Networks (MTVN), a division of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B) will use the Spinnaker™ 7000 live streaming appliance to stream online events, such as episodic “After Shows,” bonus footage and tent poles. In the past, MTVN has utilized Spinnaker for the Flash live stream of “The Hills After Show.”

AFRICA

Cholera Epidemic Reaches Dangerous Levels in Zimbabwe

According to doctors in Zimbabwe, the cholera epidemic in Harare is claiming many lives and the government is massively under reporting the death statistics from this easily preventable disease. Peta Thornycroft reports that broken water pipes and sewage systems are responsible for most of the cases in Harare at a time when almost all government health services have collapsed.

GBC to implement HIV/AID work policy

Resource persons at the forum emphasized the need for Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) as a state media organization whose mandate is to educate and inform the public to have such a policy, so they can educate other organizations to follow suit.

Media praised for educating public on HIV/Aids

The Tanzania Commission for Aids (Tacaids) executive chairperson, Fatma Mrisho has praised the media for actively fighting against HIV/Aids by effectively informing and educating the public about the infection.

ASIA

Police seize fake medicines in Asia

Interpol says police in China and five countries in Southeast Asia have seized $6.6 million worth of counterfeit antibiotics, anti-HIV drugs and other medicines.

Study finds: Misconceptions "still cause AIDS stigma" in China

This situation means that many people are unwilling to live in the same household, have meals or work with an HIV-positive person, which should be a cause of concern, said Bernhard Schwartlander, UNAIDS China Country Coordinator.

HIV/AIDS AND SEXUAL HEALTH NEWS

Nursing-Home Sex Becoming More Acceptable

Nursing-home residents have sexual needs too. And now researchers are finding ways to educate staff on the taboo topic and provide accommodations for the elderly to shack up under some privacy.

MULTI CULTURAL NEWS

ANA study: Advantages of multicultural marketing still largely untapped

For the third time in eight years, the Association of National Advertisers has surveyed its membership about their multicultural marketing initiatives, and the results suggest that little has changed since the first survey was fielded.

Joint Center Media and Technology Institute will study blacks and media usage

With the goal of strengthening knowledge and generating policy development activities in a critical area, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies today launched a new institute to study how the media industry and emerging communications technologies affect African Americans and other people of color.

NO/AIDS Task Force Awarded Internship in Leadership Development

The internship prepares future leaders for lasting leadership roles within organizations that support the LGBT movement. NO/AIDS Task Force is one of the oldest and largest AIDS service organizations in the Gulf South, providing critical and compassionate services to men, women and families affected by HIV and AIDS for over 25 years. NO/AIDS has selected Eric Knudsen to be the ultimate beneficiary of the internship program.

PR Newswire doubles African American reach with Black PR Wire partnership

PR Newswire has partnered with Black PR Wire to offer the issuers of press releases the most robust distribution available to reach the African American and U.S. Caribbean media, and influential political and religious leaders, it was announced today.

SOCIAL MEDIA NEWS

Obama, the first social media president

How about social networks as a means of encouraging civic engagement, online video as a means of informing the citizenry and a Google search-minded approach to the sharing of government documents?

OTHER NEWS

Media Shares Fall As Ad Concerns Grow
Viacom, Disney, News Corp. and other media companies traded lower Monday as concerns increase about a rapidly deteriorating advertising market. Also: While media stocks may look cheap, investors should be cautious since 2009 is "still unclear," according to analysts.

Milwaukee's Teen Birth Rate Lowest In Almost 30 Years

"This news is extremely encouraging," said Commissioner of Health Bevan K. Baker. "Teen pregnancy is a public health crisis in our community and this is one step in the right direction for bringing about change."

Nielsen announces plans to return to radio ratings service

The new service, which will generate a once-a-year report based on a Spring survey of radio listeners in 50 markets, will release its first ratings estimates next August

November 17, 2008

2008-11-17T16:59:00.001-08:00

CBS

CBS, Viacom downgraded on 'weakening' advertising market - MarketWatch

A meltdown of global financial markets since September, fueled by the subprime mortgage crisis, has dealt a crushing blow to media companies, as consumer confidence has spiraled, leading to lower revenues and cuts in spending by major advertisers. CBS shares have fallen more than 60% since the beginning of September, while Viacom's value has been nearly cut in half.

FOX

Facebook, MySpace to Battle in Bookstores
Two "tell-all" books about the world's biggest social networks are due to be published in 2009. Wall Street Journal editor Julia Angwin's "Stealing MySpace" is coming in March; Fortune senior editor David Kirkpatrick is taking a leave from the magazine to work on "The Facebook Effect."

Media Must Adapt or Perish, Murdoch Warns

With newspapers cutting back and predictions of even worse times ahead, Rupert Murdoch said the profession may still have a bright future if it can shake free of reporters and editors who he said have forfeited the trust and loyalty of their readers.

MySpace Japan Eyes International Growth
Banking on the global appeal of Japanese pop and video games, MySpace said it would more than double the number of artists on its Japanese pages to get more clicks internationally. "We are uniquely positioned to clear barriers posed by language," said MySpace Japan CEO Atsushi Taira.

MTV

Makers of Smirnoff Vodka launch 'Diageo MTV Guardian Angel'

"No one should drink and drive. I hope our 'Guardian Angels' will grab everyone's attention and will help to deliver the message in an appealing and inspirational way. We are very excited that MTV has agreed to join us in promoting this cause," said Diageo's Managing Director Asif Adil.

MTV and Beatles Come Together for New Game

MTV has a ticket to ride. The Beatles catalog, that is, in an exclusive partnership to make a "Rock Band"-like game out of the Fab Four's music. The partnership, between Apple Corps, keepers of the Beatles archive, Harmonix, creators of "Rock Band" and MTV Games, is the first time that the band’s music has been presented in an interactive format.

UNIVISION

Univision holds audiences as revs fall

Univision Communications' net revenue fell 2.4% to $511.3 million for the third quarter ended Sept. 30, continuing a downward trend that began in the second quarter. The good news is that the U.S. Hispanic media giant maintained its Nielsen ranking as the No. 3 broadcast network in the country among adults 18-34, a mantle it first claimed in the second quarter.

AFRICA

18 media houses launch HIV/Aids policies

A LANDMARK step in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Tanzania's media industry is to be marked today when 18 media houses launch their workplace policies on HIV/AIDS. By formulating the policies, the media are definitely responding to a threat which emanates from the recently released fact by the Tanzania Health Index Survey 2007/8 that, "by 2020 Tanzania is projected to lose 9% of its (in economic terms) most productive population due to HIV/AIDS".

ASIA

Media and business gearing up for AIDS awareness

On the occasion of World AIDS Day on December 1, China.org.cn, together with six domestic media, will take the lead in a media program to create public awareness on HIV and AIDS in China, a country with a population of 1.3 billion and a growing number of HIV/AIDS infections.

Media skeptical, unsure of HIV/AIDS reporting guidelines

A day after the Press Council of India formally released its guidelines for reporting on HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) cases, many of the country’s leading media organizations said they weren’t consulted. Several said they were unaware of the guidelines, which were first reported by Mint on 17 November.

HIV/AIDS AND SEXUAL HEALTH NEWS

7 Facts You Need to Know About HPV and Gardasil

As women—and soon men—gain access to the new Merck vaccine Gardasil, which targets the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stepped up efforts to identify the 25,000 or more cancers primarily associated with HPV that increase the burden of cancer in the United States each year.

Counseling on alcohol key to teens' sexual health

When health care providers are talking with adolescents about sexual health, alcohol must be a part of the conversation, conclude two researchers from the UK based on a survey of boys' and girls' attitudes about sexual relationships.

Older people more likely to have unprotected sex

People in their 30s and 40s are much less likely than teens to use condoms when having sex with someone for the first time, new research from the UK shows.

Record Number of Youth Dancing Worldwide to Take a Stand Against HIV and AIDS

More than 50.000 young people will take a stand on the 29th of November during Dance4Life events in 19 countries. The worldwide Dance4Life movement is growing rapidly. This year 150,000 extra youth were reached with Dance4Life Schools Projects and the number of participating countries has almost doubled since 2006. In 2014, Dance4Life wants to have involved at least 1 million youth (Agents of Change) in actively pushing back the spread of HIV and AIDS.

MULTI CULTURAL NEWS

Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program to Improve Health of African American Men in New York City

Today, the Diabetic Amputation Prevention (DAP) Foundation launched the Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program in New York City. The program offers free diabetes and high-blood pressure screenings to African American men at more than 50 black-owned barbershops throughout the New York metropolitan area. The Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program, sponsored through a grant from the Abbott Fund, is a unique and innovative grassroots approach to health education and testing.

OTHER NEWS

A Los Angeles Mother Is the Basis of "Law & Order" HIV

Episode

The episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit that aired Tuesday, Oct. 28 on NBC attempted to take on "AIDS denialism." The story centers on a character obviously based on Rethinking AIDS board member and Alive & Well founder Christine Maggiore. Maggiore's young daughter died in May 2005 of an amoxicillin reaction wrongly declared to be "AIDS."

AOL to Shut Down Its YouTube Competitor
Time Warner's AOL is shutting down its user-generated AOL Video Uploads service this week. Users must move their videos prior to Dec. 18, when the service closes for good. AOL is shuttering a number of services, including XDrive, AOL Pictures, MyMobile and Bluestring.

Actress Charlize Theron Named UN Messenger of Peace

Academy-award-winning actress and activist Charlize Theron has been named a U.N. Messenger of Peace. Her special focus will be on ending violence against women. From U.N. headquarters in New York, VOA's Margaret Besheer has more. The South African actress has worked to improve the lives of impoverished women and children, especially those with HIV/AIDS, in her homeland through her foundation, the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project. She has also spoken out against sexual violence against women.

Media 'Out of Touch' With American Morals

A majority of Americans say Hollywood doesn't share their moral values, according to a poll commissioned by the Anti-Defamation League. Sicty-one% of those surveyed said that religious values in America are "under attack," and 59% agreed that "the people who run the TV networks and the major movie studios do not share the religious and moral values of most Americans."

New SNL Kagan Study Identifies New Media as a Bright Spot in a Grim Economy

Media Trends 2008, a new study from SNL Kagan, shows how the Internet and emerging technologies such as Blu-ray, on-demand video and wireless data services are reshaping the media landscape.

New Media Presidency

In addition to regularly videotaping the radio address, officials at the transition office say the Obama White House will also conduct online Q&As and video interviews. The goal, officials say, is to put a face on government. In the following weeks, for example, senior members of the transition team, various policy experts and choices for the Cabinet, among others, will record videos for Change.gov. Online political observers say President-elect Obama's innovative, online-fueled campaign will likely evolve into a new level of online communication between the public and the White House

Online Video Chips Away at TV, Study Says

More evidence that online video is cannibalizing television consumption is due Monday, courtesy of an IBM study. Plus, online viewers don't mind the commercials too much. After polling 2,800 people in six countries, IBM says 76% have viewed video online and 45% do so regularly. Of those who have watched online video, 15% say that as a result they watch "slightly less" TV, while 36% said they watch "significantly less" TV.

TiVo to Offer Domino's Pizza Delivery Service
TiVo, the pioneer of digital video recorders, will launch a service to let subscribers order and track deliveries from Domino's Pizza through their televisions. TiVo has added shopping and video-on-demand features as cable and satellite companies roll out their own DVRs.

UPCOMING EVENTS

LONDON MEDIA SUMMIT 24TH NOVEMBER

November 5, 2008

2008-11-05T16:39:00.001-08:00

MTV

50 Cent has business-centered reality show on MTV

50 Cent has a new show on MTV, where business-savvy contestants compete for a shot at fame and a huge cash prize. But the rapper says he's not following the path of that other famous reality show hosted by Donald Trump.

MTV Taps Quantcast For Audience Tracking

With the move, MTV will now also become part of Quantcast's Qualified Publisher Progam, giving marketers and media buyers access to audience profiles for the network's properties including MTV.com, ComedyCentral.com and VH1.com.

VIACOM

Viacom Gets Nailed; American Youth Is Bored With Its MTV

Viacom faces a number of challenges, chief among them is the fact that its cash cow networks, MTV, VH1 and BET, are having ratings problems.

AFRICA

GAMBIA: President’s herbal HIV/AIDS 'cure' boosts ARV use

President Yahya Jammeh’s traditional herbal treatment for HIV has had an unanticipated side-effect, say HIV experts in the country – rather than pulling people towards a herbal cure, it has raised the profile of conventional antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) to treat HIV.

ASIA

Women’s groups launch new drive against AIDS

The project is done in co-ordination with Vijaya Mahila Sangha and Jyothi Mahila Sangha, two other organisations working for the empowerment of sex workers. The programme aims to fight against the stigma attached to these women and the discrimination they face. The project is supported by the World Bank which has granted Rs16 lakhs for technical support for 18 months.

CARIBBEAN & LATIN AMERICA

Communique Issued at the 8th AGM of Pan Caribbean Partnership

Under the theme, Leadership: Uniting Vision and Purpose, the Eighth Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP) was held on 29 -31 October 2008, in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Continued health cooperation discussed in Barbados

Regional partners are meeting in Barbados over three days, to discuss a framework for Caribbean Cooperation in Health Phase III.

Voodoo priests enlisted in Haiti AIDS fight

It is no surprise that Bouvais easily reconciles his mystical explanation of AIDS with the concept that it is caused by a virus. Voodoo is a melding of the beliefs and practices of West African slaves brought to the Caribbean island in the 1500s with the Roman Catholicism of their owners, and has co-existed with organised religion in Haiti for centuries.

EUROPE

Many Africans with HIV in the UK are diagnosed late

According to the report, Sexually transmitted infections in black African and black Caribbean communities in the UK 2008, there were 2,691 black African's diagnosed with HIV in 2007.

HIV/AIDS AND SEXUAL HEALTH NEWS

New HIV-reduction initiative takes to the fields

Education has found its way onto the soccer fields of North Carolina – in the form of a social experiment that may have all the right ingredients to change the direction of Latino health in the United States.

Study: Pregnancy Rates Linked to Sex on TV

Teens who watch a lot of TV programs that show flirting, touching, sex scenes or discussion of sex are far more likely to get pregnant or get someone else pregnant, a new study shows. The study found that over the next three years those who watch the most sexual content on TV are about twice as likely to be involved in a pregnancy as those who watch the least.

MULTI CULTURAL NEWS

AOL's BlackVoices debuts new advice blog targeting black men

BlackVoices, (www.blackvoices.com), announced the launch of BV Power List, a new blog that provides men with tips on how to succeed at work, home and play in order to make their own power moves in their daily life. A key feature of the new blog, www.blackvoices.com/blogs/category/power-list, is the editors' weekly pick of the top five industry leading African-American influencers

SOCIAL MEDIA NEWS

Social networks, mobile marketing are keys to reaching Gen X

Marketers trying to reach the elusive 25- to 44-year-old Generation X segment, which is at the peak of its buying power, face several key obstacles, including splintered media consumption, a greater diversity in "lifestyles," more penny-pinching habits than baby boomers have and an aversion to traditional ads, eMarketer has found.

OTHER NEWS

Election coverage draws 71.5 million

Some 71.5 million total viewers tuned in across 14 broadcast and cable networks from 8 to 11 p.m., according to Nielsen data issued last night, up 30 percent from the 55.1 million who tuned in to the seven major broadcast and cable news networks four years ago on election night.

Media Stocks Soar On Election Day

Election day was a bonanza for many media stocks. The biggest gainers included Viacom, which rebounded from some poor third-quarter earning results the day before, to gain 9% to $21.86. Time Warner also took off, up 8.3% to $10.83.

Nielsen: More Americans Plug Into Digital TV Change

Nielsen data released Tuesday shows that the number of homes that are still unprepared for the coming digital TV transition has declined over the past month. It now stands at 7.7% of all U.S. homes--down from 8.4% in September and nearly 10% in May.

October 28, 2008

2008-10-28T17:02:00.000-07:00

BET

Advertisers offer custom-tailored executions during BET Hip Hop Awards show

Nike partnered with BET Networks on a first-of-its-kind, limited edition Nike and BET Air Force 1 sneaker. As the official "kicks" of the BET Hip Hop Awards, this exclusive product will be aligned with the world's hottest hip-hop artists, whose careers have been built and nurtured by the BET brand. The sneaker will be a new type of crushed patent leather never done before by the company -- with only 250 pairs being made and not for sale in stores.

BET'S DEBRA LEE HONORED BY CENTER FOR COMMUNICATION

Richard Parsons (Chairman of the Board, Time Warner), Judy McGrath (Chairman and CEO, MTV Networks), and Philippe Dauman (President and CEO, Viacom) will celebrate Debra Lee, Chairman and CEO of BET, at Center for Communication's Annual Award Luncheon on October 28, at The Pierre Hotel in NYC.

BET founder new Barbados consul

BUSINESS TYCOON ROBERT 'Bob' Johnson will be Barbados' honorary consul to the Carolinas, United States.

CBS

Tradition Serves CBS, Says Moonves
CBS CEO Leslie Moonves says that sticking with the tried-and-true has propelled his network to the strongest season it has had since 2004. One month into the fall television season, CBS is TV's top-rated network in adult viewers 25 to 54 and 18 to 49. "Everybody was saying that the world is different, the world has changed. But ultimately, it turns out people still want to see their favorite shows," says Moonves.

MTV

MTV Launches Hulu-like Music Video Site
Viacom's MTV Networks is launching MTVMusic.com, a music-video site described as a "dead ringer" for Hulu, the joint venture of NBC Universal and News Corp. Like Hulu, the site will be free, ad-supported and provides the ability to embed clips on blogs and personal Web pages.

MTV ties with Intel for climate change drive

SOUTHEAST ASIA - MTV Networks Asia has joined forces with Intel Asia to promote 'Switch', the TV station’s long-standing commitment to combat global climate change.

UNIVISION

Univision, Zune Team for Music Downloads

Spanish-language network Univision and Zune, the Microsoft music and entertainment service, today said they were launching a music download service via Univision.com.
The new service will be branded Baja Zune Musica en Univision.com (Download Zune Music on Univision.com).

VIACOM

Viacom study redefines youth

Marketers need to take another look at who they're defining as their youth market, according to Viacom Brand Solutions International (VBSI), as people strive to stay younger for longer by continuing the pursuits of their younger years.

AFRICA

Beauty speaks up for Africa's health

Pageant winner aims to raise HIV awareness. A 20-YEAR-OLD Zimbabwean who wants to be a ‘voice’ for her compatriots in the UK, has won a beauty pageant aimed at raising money for charity and increasing HIV awareness.

Business coalition against HIV/AIDS launched today

President Ernest Bai Koroma would today launch the Business Coalition against HIV/AIDS at the Bank Complex, Kingtom. In a press briefing at the National HIV/AIDS Secretariat (NAS) in Freetown, the Information/Education and Communications Officer, Mohamed Kai Sandi noted that President Koroma as Chairman of the National HIV/AIDS Secretariat has underscored his government’s commitment in the fight against the disease.

Mobile tech targets AIDS

Non-government groups in South Africa, considered to be the epicentre of the global HIV epidemic, are launching a mobile phone text campaign, riding on the back of the medium's popularity in the country, where around 350,000 people are estimated to die of AIDS every year.

New Guidance On AIDS Drugs Poses Dilemma For Zimbabwean Authorities

Conclusions of a U.S. study recommending that the HIV-positive people begin taking antiretroviral drugs sooner than has been practiced to date has been well received by AIDS activists in Zimbabwe, where something like one in five adults are estimated to have been infected, but the government is not ready to act on the findings.

WHO: Nine out of ten children succumb to malaria, Aids in Africa

The World Health Organisation (WHO) yesterday released its State of the World`s Health report, which shows that Africa accounts for 9 out of every 10 child deaths due to malaria. The 148-page report, which was launched in Almaty, Kazakhstan also said Africa accounts for 9 out of every 10 child deaths due to HIV/Aids and for half of the world\'s child deaths due to diarrhoea and pneumonia.

ASIA

Chinese scientists win Gates grants

Two Chinese scientists have received 100,000 U.S. dollars each from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for their novel ideas on fighting tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/AIDS. The grants for Gao Qian from Fudan University and Chen Zhiwei from University of Hong Kong are among 106 offered to explore bold and largely unproven ways to improve global health, the foundation's China office said Monday.

CARIBBEAN & LATIN AMERICA

Caribbean Needs To Increase Efforts Against HIV/AIDS, UN Official Says

An increase in HIV/AIDS cases also is being recorded among drug users, Sealy said, adding that "perhaps the category that we have not identified is that of prisoners." In addition, she said, "We know that the spread of HIV in the Caribbean is in fact being fueled by serious gaps in gender equality," adding, "All the countries of the Americas which have homosexuality as a crime are now located in the Caribbean region."

Fifty-five new AIDS infections every day in the Caribbean

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad: The Director of the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean made some startling disclosures when she addressed the 7th Annual US Chiefs of Mission Conference on HIV/AIDS in Port of Spain on Wednesday.

New HIV/AIDS alliance focusses on attitude change

Programme Officer for the Caribbean HIV/AIDS Alliance(CHAA) in Antigua, Louise Tillotson stated that focus is now being placed on promoting positive behaviour changes in the community and supporting peer outreach programmes.

The gay uprising in the Caribbean

While the plethora of homophobic reggae songs might have contributed to a subgenre of its own, it seems to underline the region's strong resentment to the gay lifestyle. But Grenadian sociologist Claude Douglas argues that the Caribbean's attitude to homosexuality is changing. Douglas, a lecturer at St George's University, says tolerance has increased significantly in recent years and partly blames the United States' cultural invasion of the Caribbean.

ADVERTISING NEWS

Nielsen: Kids Encounter Ads Less Than Adults

NEW YORK Kids and teens encounter far less advertising than do adults as they surf the Web, according to a new report issued by Nielsen Online.The data appears to buck conventional wisdom that the younger, social networking and instant messaging-loving generation is constantly bombarded by banner ads.

HIV/AIDS AND SEXUAL HEALTH NEWS

"E-cards" may aid in STD notification

In 2004, a San Francisco-area non-profit called Internet Sexuality Information Services (ISIS) developed an Internet-based program to aid in partner notification. Called inSPOT, the service uses "e-cards" to help STD patients reach their partners. Web site users choose one of six e-cards, type in recipients' email addresses and either send the postcard anonymously or include their own email addresses. The e-cards alert recipients that they might have been exposed to an STD, and also provide them with links to STD information and a map of clinics where they can be tested.

HIV alert at school gets mixed reviews

When St. Louis County health officials told the parents of 1,300 Normandy High School students Wednesday that their children may have been exposed to HIV, it was an unprecedented warning. Now, that aggressive response has earned praise from health experts who say it could stop the spread of the disease and concern from those who think it could have been handled on a smaller, less public scale.

MULTI CULTURAL NEWS

Black Heath magazine to be distributed on newsstands starting in November

Black Health Magazine, a bimonthly healthy living publication, strives to empower African Americans with the information they need to make holistic, healthy lifestyle choices. While medical healthcare is one of the primary concerns of Black Health Magazine, the publication also addresses the physical, nutritional, beauty, financial, emotional and mental care of its readers.

EbonyJet Radio starts streaming live in October with "Global Soul" format

EbonyJet.com has announced it is launching EbonyJet Radio, a new 24-hour online streaming radio station. Scheduled to go live Oct. 1, the station will offer users the latest in rare grooves and independent music rarely heard on terrestrial and satellite radio.

Forbes and UnityFirst.com partner to distribute diversity-focused business news

Forbes magazine has partnered with UnityFirst.com to distribute the diversity-focused special advertising sections produced by Forbes Custom Solutions as well as to share other diversity and business news generated by UnityFirst.com.

Heart & Soul, Meharry Medical College present black women's health conference
Heart & Soul Magazine, the nation's health and fitness information for African-American women, has partnered with Meharry Medical College to present a four-day conference to address the significant health disparities among women of color and to empower them to make healthy choices and lifestyle changes.

Honey Magazine debuts website providing content for diverse female audience

Sahara Media, Inc. has announced the launch of Honey Magazine's new social networking website for multi-cultural females, honeymag.com. The website is anchored by Honey's wide range of stories covering fashion, beauty and lifestyle, videos and a Career Center. Honeymag.com also provides the opportunity to follow the lives of more than 35 Bloggers in eight countries.

Interactive One launches Elev8 site devoted to well-being and empowerment

Interactive One, LLC, the leading African American online network, announced today the launch of Elev8, the latest in its suite of content sites powered by the BlackPlanet Universe. Elev8 is a personal empowerment website dedicated to uplifting and enriching the lives of African Americans by offering services, tools, information and community.

InteractiveOne makes BlackPlanet.com centerpiece of its digital network

InteractiveOne, LLC today announced that BlackPlanet, the African American social network will now serve as the social network connecting all of InteractiveOne's content sites and enabling a combined audience of more than 9 million unique visitors to gather, share and engage.

Tavis Smiley's State of the Black Union Returns to Los Angeles

Tavis Smiley’s State of the Black Union (SOBU), one of the most anticipated annual events for millions of African Americans during the last decade, will return to Los Angeles—the site of the first symposium—in celebration of its 10th anniversary on February 28, 2009, at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Turner Patterson to represent Codeblack Interactive in brand, sponsorship deals

Turner Patterson has been named Agency of Record to represent Codeblack Interactive. Turner Patterson will work with Codeblack Interactive to pursue and secure strategic business partnerships to include product placement, brand integration and content sponsorships. Codeblack Interactive, the new digital branch of the first vertically integrated African American-owned film studio, and YouTube have partnered to distribute original, made-for-the-internet urban programming.

OTHER NEWS

A Bright Spot: Clear Channel's Online Division Takes Off

It's true that radio groups have failed--for the most part--to build substantial revenues from online operations, but there are some major exceptions to that sweeping statement: foremost, Clear Channel Radio's online division is making strides in increasing its audience and the time spent interacting with its Web sites.

Newspapers Pursue 'Consortium' To Replace AP
Top executives and editors from several major dailies in the Northeast met in mid-Oct. to hammer out a content-sharing agreement that could replace their agreements with The Associated Press.

Nielsen Delays Controversial Internet Measurement Test, Discloses Faulty Cable Universe Info

On the eve of meetings this week with its national clients in New York and Los Angeles, Nielsen made two important announcements, including a decision to delay a controversial plan to begin measuring online media usage in some households that are part of its television "currency" panel. The second announcement was a disclosure that Nielsen has been grossly misestimating the household coverage for many smaller cable networks for years because it has not been able to identify when new, "digital tier" channels are added, or removed by satellite TV households.

September 29, 2008

2008-09-29T17:10:00.001-07:00

CBS

CBS Picks Up First Web Series for TV.com
"Easy To Assemble," a Web comedy series created by and starring Illeana Douglas, is being picked up by the CBS Web site TV.com after attracting 300,000 views on YouTube in its first five days. The IKEA-sponsored series is TV.com's first foray into original entertainment content.

FOX

News Corp Decline Hits Murdoch In Wallet
News Corp. chief Rupert Murdoch lost $2 billion of his personal fortune over the past year due to a 34% decline in his company's stock price, according to a calculation by Forbes. Murdoch lost $1,000 every 15.78 seconds, or $63.38 per second -- about $1.5 million an hour.

MTV

MTV Networks Adopts Visible Measures for Internet Video Measurement

Visible Measures, the independent third-party measurement firm for Internet video publishers and advertisers, today announced that MTV Networks (MTVN), a division of Viacom (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B), will deploy the company’s market-leading Internet video metrics platform across all of MTVN’s more than 340 destination Internet video sites. As part of a multi-year agreement, MTVN Global Digital Media and MTVN Digital Media Research will use Visible Measures to build detailed, end-to-end online video performance metrics

UNIVISION

MEDIA STOCKS Media stocks dive after rejection of bailout package

News Corp. and Viacom hit their lowest levels in more than four years, while CBS and Time Warner fell to one-year lows. Media companies depend on both advertising and consumer spending, both of which are severely curtailed in an economic meltdown. Entertainment analysts have little hope for an advertising recovery until perhaps the second half of 2009, compared with the dismal results of the last six months of 2008.

VIACOM

Viacom's Paramount in Marvel distribution deal

Pictures will globally distribute the next five movies made by Marvel Entertainment Inc., including "Iron Man 2" and "Thor" in 2010, the companies said Monday.

AFRICA

Estelle To Visit Africa To Raise AIDS Awareness

Estelle is using her new star power to do some good. She's heading to South Africa to try and raise awareness of AIDS and HIV among children. She'll visit the nation as an ambassador of the Virgin Unite initiative, which equips young people to help stop the spread of HIV and AIDS.What makes Estelle's trip even more special is that she'll be documenting her trip with a video diary in collaboration with Sky News.

Freebie approach looks to entice Kenyans into HIV tests

In the small rural village of Eshisiru in Western Kenya, hundreds of women in colourful dresses, many of them surrounded by a gaggle of children, queue patiently in the midday sun, dpa reported. These women are not waiting to draw water from a borehole or to buy food. Instead, they are waiting to be tested for HIV - something that campaigners say is virtually unheard of in Africa. The concept behind the programme that has brought people out in such numbers is very simple: Giving away a long-lasting insecticide- treated mosquito net, a water filter and condoms in exchange for taking the test.

Increased political participation among African women

“Where Africa is doing well is in increased women’s participation. The share of parliamentary seats held by women increased from 7% in 1990 to 17% in 2007,” stated Ravololonarisoa. Africa’s share of parliamentary seats held by women is now in line with the global average.

ASIA

HIV/AID survey reveals stigma, risky behavior

A report on AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes, behavior and practices in 6 Chinese cities has revealed worrying levels of ignorance, prejudice and high-risk behavior. The report, published by the Chinese HIV/AIDS Media Partnership (CHAMP) on September 26, detailed results of a survey carried out by the Renmin University of China with support from UNAIDS, the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria (GBC), and public relations firm Ogilvy. More than 6,000 white-collar workers, blue-collar workers, migrant-workers and youth were interviewed in six cities.

Women trafficking and HIV/AIDS

I wrote this diary about my friend, who used to work in a brothel. My first meeting with her began a strange day for me. In a way, everyday I have been meeting one person or another and, whatever it may be, among those I’m meeting, she is a bit different from the rest. In fact, this is an important part of our friendship. For what it’s worth, in such a dismal situation, I am delighted to have made this new friend.

Yahoo! To Launch Social Network “SpotM” In India

Internet giant Yahoo! India announced plans to launch yet another social network for the 16-24 age groups in an attempt to capture the growing market in India. Dubbed SpotM, the new social networking site, Yahoo claims it to be an equivalent to Google’s Orkut is being under testing at its US headquarters.

CARIBBEAN & LATIN AMERICA

$200M for hospital construction

Government will continue its assault on HIV/AIDS in the next fiscal year through a $38.7 million investment to acquire resources and implement programmes to work towards the eradication of the threat of HIV/AIDS in the country.

Bermuda’s Premier attends Congressional Black Caucus Foundation African Globalism Committee workshop

Bermuda's Premier Dr. Ewart F. Brown sat on the panel of a Washington, D.C. workshop this weekend called “Bridging the Gap: Africa, America and the Caribbean”. The event was put on by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation African Globalism Committee (CBCF-AGC), a body chaired by Rep. Barbara Lee of California.

New media group in Trinidad slams broadcast code

The Trinidad and Tobago Publishers and Broadcasters Association (TTPBA) is warning that the provisions of the proposed Broadcast Code now being debated in the country should be substantially amended. "The proposed Code must itself reflect a proper respect for the rights and freedoms of our society," said the TTPBA as it continues to call for changes to the code.

Realities of HIV/AIDS - Diary of an HIV-positive, pregnant girl

As Gabrielle's* pregnancy progresses, she is plagued by the thought that her unborn baby could be born HIV positive. She said the biggest challenge is that all the odds are stacked against the baby. But she is hoping for the best and she takes the necessary precautions. She told Flair that she envies mothers who have children who are HIV negative.

EUROPE

Portsmouth PCT: sexual health awareness campaign

The campaign, called ‘Something for the weekend’ is aiming to encourage condom use and measure awareness of the PCT’s contraception and screening services. The PCT will be asking men and women to reveal their bedroom behaviour to find out what risks are taken and why people don’t always choose safe sex. The PCT has commissioned events company Avantii to run the activities.

HIV/AIDS AND SEXUAL HEALTH NEWS

A Diva Speaks for HIV's Silent Victims

Soberly glamorous in a belted black pantsuit, diva Sheryl Lee Ralph glided onto a stage in Columbia Heights Saturday night with a thick strip of duct tape over her mouth. For a long unsettling moment she stood, gazing at the audience, before tearing the tape off with a grimace. The sequence, which launches Ralph's one-woman show "Sometimes I Cry," is determinedly unsubtle: The "Dreamgirls" alum has no use for understatement in this theatrical rallying cry, which exhorts the public to acknowledge the problem of HIV/AIDS.

'I thought I was pregnant at 13'

Kelly - an ambassador for World Contraception Day - also revealed she gets tested for sexually transmitted infections every three months. The 23-year-old admitted having unprotected sex in the past and has the tests for her own peace of mind Kelly, who is currently dating model LUKE WORRALL, said: “I am not the kind of person who talks about my sex life, but I am not afraid to talk about contraception.

Ivy League Takes Top Honors in Third Annual Sexual Health Report Card

Trojan Condoms released their third annual Sexual Health Report Card today, and the Ivy League took two of the top five spots and placed favorably overall. For the uninitiated, the Sexual Health Report Card ranks 130 colleges and universities based on the quality and availability of sexual health services and resources on campus.

USAID | DELIVER PROJECT Expands Female Condom Order to 10 Million

The Female Health Company (Amex: FHC) announced that it has received an order from John Snow, Inc., which implements the USAID | DELIVER PROJECT, for the delivery of up to 10 million female condoms (FC) for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) supported programs.

MULTI CULTURAL NEWS

Race Matters: Is Hollywood Truly Color Blind When It Comes To On-Screen Romance?

The stigma of interracial relationships in cinema can be traced back to the 1934 Motion Picture Production Code (or Hays Code), which forbade portrayals of "miscegenation" (sexual relationships between whites and blacks) on screen. It would be disingenuous to claim that no progress has been made since that time; actors of color and relationships of all varieties are being shown on film in ways that weren't possible half a century ago. Still, in a town that prides itself for its liberalism and tolerance; in an industry that claims the only color it sees is green; when it comes to interracial relationships - especially those where the male actor is black - has Hollywood come far enough?

OTHER NEWS

Google Moves Up on Media Company List
Time Warner is poised to cede its No. 1 position on Ad Age's list of the 100 Leading Media Companies to Comcast with the pending spinoff of Time Warner Cable. Google is cutting past former giants "like a hot knife through butter" to land at No. 12. "This is a changing of the guard."

More Americans Watching Video Online
The number of Americans watching video online is soaring, from 32% a year ago to 63% today, says a study by ABI Research. Consumers "are changing their online habits quickly." However: Most online video sites are struggling to find a business model. Advertisers are "still shy."

Power to the People AND the Government: The Value of New Media in Public Service

There are currently 71,000,000 active blogs and 112,000,000 blogs total. There are 18 million people in the U.S. alone listening to 266 million podcast episodes on their PCs or their MP3 players. There are 59 million members of Facebook and 109 million members of MySpace and hundreds of millions more that are participating in other social networks within specific communities of interest. This has had countless impacts, but one consequence must be examined — how these empowered constituents affect public service and how public service can use social-media tools to engage their constituents.

Study Finds Voters More Involved With Campaign Media, Dispels Myth That Online Will Swing Election

Americans appear to be much more involved with campaign-related media than in past presidential elections. But despite the increasing use of Web sites, blogs and social media platforms, they generally remain more skeptical about the Internet as a source of information about the candidates than they do from traditional media outlets. And there No. 1 source of media influence is the most traditional form of all: Word-of-mouth. These are the top line conclusions of a new consumer survey conducted by Publicis' MediaVest unit in the post-primaries period leading up to the general election.

TiVo to Transform PC Into TV Recorder
TiVo and German tech company Nero are set to announce the launch of a package that will turn a personal computer into a television recorder, just like a TiVo set-top box. The kit will cost $199 when it goes on sale Oct. 15, and includes a remote and a TV tuner.

September 25, 2008

2008-09-25T16:59:00.000-07:00

CBS

CBS Partners Biz Site with SeekingAlpha
CBS Interactive is entering a deal between its BNET.com business resource site and SeekingAlpha.com, a business site known for providing news, earnings reports and conference-call transcripts. Seeking Alpha and BNET will share and link to each other's content.

FOX

Murdoch: U.S. Is In for a 'Hard Time'
News Corp. chief Rupert Murdoch says the United States has no option but to spend $700 billion to salvage the battered U.S. financial system, though he is opposed to the bailout in principle. "If they can get this thing through and hurry up about it, I think we'll be OK. But we're in for a hard time."

MySpace Music Set to Challenge Apple
News Corp.'s MySpace is launching its new online music service, aiming to loosen Apple's grip on the U.S. music industry and challenge all other online rivals. MySpace says that EMI is now part of the joint venture that already includes the other three top recording companies.

MTV

Avon and MTV Executives Honored by Women’s Venture Fund

“This year we are honoring two women who have reached the pinnacle of their careers,” said Maria Otero, founder and president of the Women’s Venture Fund. She said Leslie Leventman, executive vice  president, creative services, special events and convention planning with MTV; and Kim Azzarelli vice president of legal and public affairs and corporate secretary with Avon, “have also been highly supportive in helping women succeed in building their own businesses.”

NEWS: MTV Signs Up “From Gs To Gents” For Second Season

Fonzworth Bentley will stay on as the show’s host, leading an entirely new cast of bad boys aspiring to become well-groomed professionals and winning the grand prize of $100,000. The upcoming season will also place Bentley behind the scenes as a member of the production team.

Stars of MTV's The Hills Join Taco Bell(R) for a "Reality Check

In an effort to raise awareness of global hunger, Taco Bell is again joining forces with Speidi--Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt of MTV's hit reality show The Hills. The couple will host the World Hunger "Reality Check Challenge" event for the second straight year.

VIACOM

AT&T, Microsoft, NBC Form Anti-Piracy Supergroup

AT&T, Microsoft, Cisco, Viacom, and NBC Universal have joined forces to create a new lobbying coalition named "Arts & Labs," tasked with taking aim at piracy.

AFRICA

Display HIV/AIDS posters in public places

A youth leader has appealed to operators of chop and drinking bars to display HIV/AIDS posters and other educational materials in their premises to help curb the spread of the virus.
Mr. Eric Pinaman Asare, President of Universal United Youth Organisation (UUY), a non-governmental organisation, said this at a two-day HIV/AIDS awareness workshop for some youth groups at Akim Oda on Wednesday.

Sixty million condoms distributed in two years

The government and Population Services International (PSI) have distributed nearly 60 million condoms in the country in the last two years as the fight against HIV/AIDS intensifies.

Soles4Souls(TM) and Save Africa's Children Announce Partnership to Benefit Hundreds of Thousands of African Children

Soles4Souls(TM) Inc., the international charity dedicated to providing free footwear to those in desperate need, routinely responds to requests for help from victims of natural disasters around the world, such as the recent hurricanes in the U.S. Gulf Coast. Another key component of the charity's mission is to give assistance to people living in abject poverty, such as Sub-Saharan Africa.

ASIA

Freedom HIV/AIDS: Awareness Campaign Goes Wireless Through Mobile Technology

An Indian software solution provider, ZMQ Software Systems, had recently taken the initiative to raise awareness on HIV/AIDS across India using mobile technology. Their unique effort has been well-appreciated and the organization was honored today for their efforts.

Grants offered for women's projects

Constance Thomas, chairman of the UN China Theme Group on Gender (UNTGG), said earlier this month: "The latest call, while still focusing on broader areas including women's rights and their empowerment, will also aim to address new developments in China including considering gender in the rebuilding and reconstruction efforts of the Sichuan earthquake."

CARIBBEAN & LATIN AMERICA

BELIZE COUNCIL OF CHURCHES MEETS TO DISCUSS HIV/AIDS

The Council of Churches in its work trying to respond to the needs of the wider community recognizes that HIV is still a taboo subject within the context of the Christian Church and it is wreaking havoc up on the wider Belizean Society

Burden Of Neglected Tropical Diseases In Latin America And Caribbean May Exceed That Of HIV/AIDS, TB And Malaria

The analysis found that NTDs are the most common infections of approximately 200 million of the poorest people in the region. They include tens of millions of cases of intestinal worm infections, and almost 10 million cases of Chagas disease, as well as schistosomiasis, trachoma, dengue fever, leishmaniasis, lymphatic

filariasis (LF), and onchocerciasis.

Companies shun HIV/AIDS meeting

Representatives from only six of 25 companies showed up for a breakfast meeting Friday to explore HIV/AIDS risk reduction among employees and non-discrimination to those living with the disease in the workplace. "This is why I am so disappointed at this morning's turnout because I know from experience that some managers believe HIV is not their problem," he said.

ADVERTISING NEWS

Report: U.S. Ad Spending Is Plummeting
U.S. advertising spending fell 3.7% in the second quarter from a year earlier, the biggest decline since 2001, says market researcher TNS Media Intelligence. Ad expenditures "started to contract in March, well before the September turbulence on Wall Street."

Yahoo Launches Ad Platform, Hires Bain
Yahoo is rolling out a new digital advertising platform, called APT, which promises to offer "cross-selling more easily than ever been before." Also: Yahoo is hiring Bain & Co. to perform an efficiency audit, as the Internet company aims to "benefit greatly from more discipline."

HIV/AIDS AND SEXUAL HEALTH NEWS

DC Aims to Publicize City's HIV-AIDS Epidemic

The District will embark on a large-scale "social marketing" campaign to publicize the facts of its staggering HIV-AIDS epidemic and the plans to help curb it, D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) said today.

Engagement 2.0: Is condom-free sex a sign of commitment?

Pendarvis Harshaw, a teen who grew up in Oakland offered his own take on commitment. “Sex without condoms is the new engagement ring,” he suggested in an on-air essay. Among his friends and acquaintances, ditching the condoms for other forms of birth control like the pill, signifies taking monogamy to a new level; partners are required to trust each other completely at the risk of getting an STD.

New Strain of Sexually Transmitted Disease is Discovered in Scotland

Health Protection Scotland has highlighted the case of the new variant Chlamydia trachomatis (nvCT) strain, identified in a patient attending a sexual health service in Scotland last month. The Scottish Bacterial Sexually Transmitted Infection Reference Laboratory has alerted all consultant microbiologists in Scotland about the outbreak, said HPS in a report.

SF: HEALTH OFFICIALS LAUNCH WEB SITE TO MAKE STD TESTING MORE CONVENIENT

San Francisco health officials today launched a new Web site that aims to boost the convenience of getting tested for sexually transmitted diseases. The Web site, www.STDTest.org, is a partnership between the San Francisco Department of Public Health's STD Prevention and Control Services and Internet Sexuality Information Services Inc., a nonprofit that promotes sexual health and disease prevention.

Teens choosing not to use condoms, Alpert study finds

The research, published in the September/October issue of Public Health Reports, showed that teens who engage in unprotected sexual activity tend to believe that condoms reduce sexual pleasure. They also show a disinclination to talk about protection with their partners, researchers found.

MULTI CULTURAL NEWS

Black Culture Foundation To Honor Eight Local Heroes

Each award recognizes the recipient has given significant service to the local Black community.

Massive Latino voter registration drive launched

A coalition of Spanish-language media and community organizations kicked off a massive voter registration drive Thursday aimed at putting nearly one million voter registration forms in the hands of potential Hispanic voters.

Pharmacy Students Working Toward “Closing the Gap”

The Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA), the Latino Association of Pharmacy Students (LAPS), and the Pilipinos of UCSF Student Organization (PUSO), three UCSF campus organizations, joined forces on Sunday afternoon to inform first-year Pharmacy students about “Closing the Gap: The Student Pharmacist Role as Advocates to the Underserved”.

PHILANTHROPY

How Is Financial Crisis Affecting Philanthropy?

What I am hearing is that the economic crisis -- or at least fear of it -- is affecting funding and in some cases significantly. But here's the hitch: Almost every conversation I have had except one was about how the funders are afraid that the economy is getting worse and that is why they are cutting back. Only once was I told that the an organization's primary funder had cut back because of necessity from actual financial difficulties. So it appears that fear that the economy is turning down is causing many funders to cut back.

Philanthropy vs Profit

So far, I don't think that anybody has convincingly demonstrated that's the case. It might be true, but for-profit philanthropies have very little in the way of a track record, and the track record they do have is not particularly good. Maybe that will change, in the future. But for the time being, I'd keep the idea of for-profit philanthropy in the "not proven" category.

Star power meets philanthropy with celeb charities

You have to care about something other than what's going to make you money," said Morris L. Reid, managing director of Westin Rinehart, a firm that does brand strategy for public figures. "You have to be charitable. It shows that you care about someone other than yourself. It also shows that you are in touch with the average American's needs and plights."

SOCIAL MEDIA NEWS

Twitter Helps Speed Up News Dissemination
The State of Utah began sending updates through Twitter in April and has posted more than 450 messages since then, alerting followers to public-hearing schedules, health-care data updates and other news. Using a blog to disseminate such information would be "too time-consuming."

OTHER NEWS

AOL Launches New Lifestyle and Pop Culture Sites

AOL announced the launch of two new specialty sites, Lemondrop, http://lemondrop.com, which covers women's lifestyle, and PopEater, http://popeater.com, which focuses on pop culture. The new sites continue AOL's efforts to launch experiences targeted at specific audiences. Both sites provide consumers a forum to interact and engage in a fun and entertaining format about lifestyle and pop culture features.

MEDIA AND MONEY CONFERENCE

October 14-15, 2008 - Marriott Marquis - New York City - Now in its second year, Media and Money features compelling keynote interviews with industry leaders, panel discussions on new digital and mobile opportunities, new business models and the latest investment trends.Join Dow Jones, The Nielsen Company and today's most successful media and entertainment dealmakers as well as top financiers to determine how to best address the new media landscape and discover how to survive and thrive in this challenging economic environment. Make the right contacts and get key insights to capitalize on the shifting headwinds in the media and entertainment industries

Pressure Mounts For Controlling Food Marketing To Kids
Dannon, which declined to join the Children's Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative when it was launched in 2006, has become the 15th company to sign the agreement pledging that all of its advertising directed primarily to children will be for products that meet nutritional guidelines that the Council of Better Business Bureaus has reviewed and approved.

September 23, 2008

2008-09-23T16:27:00.001-07:00

CBS

CBS iPhone App Targets Citizen Journos
CBS is announcing that Eyemobile for iPhone is available in the iTunes App store for users that want to submit photo and video content to the company's new citizen journalism site, CBSeyemobile.com. Eyemobile lets users upload content from their iPhones.

Disney, CBS to Stream TV Shows on Netflix
Online movie rental company Netflix is entering deals with CBS and Disney Channel that will allow current season episodes of several television shows to be streamed online. Netflix will offer shows including CBS's "CSI" and the Disney Channel's "Hannah Montana."

MTV

It's Official! MTV Gives Whitney Her Own Spinoff

The Hills co-star Whitney Port has scored her very own MTV serious set to begin airing early 2009.The new show will feature Port’s life in New York City and her career working for Diane von Furstenberg.

MTV to Share Videos Among Its Web Sites
Viacom's MTV Networks is purchasing the rest of software company Social Project it does not own with plans to integrate social network features such as sharing of videos among its global network of Web sites and, within two to three years, the television.

UNIVISION

General Mills Expands Hispanic Platform With Univision

General Mills is embarking on a year long partneriship with the nation’s largest Spanish-language television network, Univision, to expand it’s content based outreach to Hispanics.

AFRICA

Ericsson joins new UN initiative to bring digital-health benefits to Africa

Ericsson is joining forces with the United Nations Office for Partnerships to use telecommunications to bring mobile-health applications and services (m-health) and telemedicine to rural Africa. As a founding member of the UN's Digital Health Initiative, Ericsson is taking another step in its ongoing commitment to help achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which aim to reduce global extreme poverty.

HIV/AIDS increase blamed on adultery

Acting Kayunga district chair person Boniface Bandikubi is blaming the increasing HIV/AIDS prevalence rate on adultery among married couples in the district.

CARIBBEAN & LATIN AMERICA

GRENADA - Book suggests homosexuality will be accepted in Caribbean soon

Claude Douglas, a sociologist, has just released a new book titled, Homosexuality in the Caribbean: Crawling Out Of the Closet, which examines the rise of homosexuality in the region. The 60-page book covers issues ranging from biological origins and the gay tourist phenomenon, to the campaign to decriminalise homosexuality in the region.

ADVERTISING NEWS

Ad Execs Predict Tough Times, Digital Future
In 2009, advertisers will expect to make "a relatively fixed amount of dollars work harder," predicts Publicis Groupe Media head Jack Klues, speaking on a panel discussion for Advertising Week. A year from now, "we won't be talking about analog versus digital. It's all digital

Advertising Week Panelists Bash Old Media
Traditional media is taking a few hits at Advertising Week in New York. In a kick-off panel discussion, Vanity Fair columnist Michael Wolff suggests that media content is losing value, which will prompt a bargain sale: "I'm sure Time magazine will in very short order be available

Yahoo-Google Pact Opposed by Ad Group
The World Federation of Advertisers, which represents 55 advertiser associations worldwide, is asking the European Commission to block the proposed search-advertising partnership between Yahoo and Google, saying the deal may "have a detrimental effect on competition."

MOBILE NEWS

Google-Powered Phone Set to Make Debut
On Tuesday, T-Mobile USA will reveal the first phone to use Android, Google's software platform, at a New York news conference. The product is expected to sell for $199 and carry the Google brand. Analysts say it could quickly rival the BlackBerry, the iPhone and other "smart" phones.

MULTI CULTURAL NEWS

Black-owned media seeking more advertising dollars from Democrats

"If you want to win by getting black people to vote in the state of Florida, you must actively engage the black community's political culture. A large part of this culture is black-owned media," said Cherry, whose family owns 11 radio stations and two newspapers, including The Daytona Times.

University of Miami receives grant from National Center on Minority and Health Disparities

These funds will support a regional seminar series on health disparities related to HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, and family and intimate partner violence.

SOCIAL MEDIA NEWS

Microsoft research tackles teen social networking

"Here we can come up with math models that account for her observations about the way social networks are layered, and that there are different kinds of friendships," said Chayes. "You have friends from high school who you haven't seen. You have colleagues on there and family on there. It's all these different networks. We need a way to handle them differently, model them differently."

New York Times Rolls Out Social Network
TimesPeople, the social network where users share their interests, is becoming fully integrated into the NYTimes.com site. The platform allows visitors to share and recommend content. Last week the Wall Street Journal unveiled community functions as part of its redesign.

Social Networking Website for Capitol Hill and Politicos Across America

MyPoliticalWorld.com has the features that you would find in an aspiring social network - friending, messaging, profile viewing - but distinguishes itself with its political focus - forums for debate, political video covering news and the Presidential race, Capital Hill job listings and other "gadgets" like the ability to register to vote for the upcoming presidential election.

OTHER NEWS

Hulu Introduces Channels to Video Hub
Hulu, the NBC-News Corp. online video hub, is introducing a "Channels" option allowing users to sort through its programming by genre, from "Comedy" to "Reality." A new "Web Originals" channel will filter the programming that is available only on the Internet.

NBC Eyes Olympic TV/Web Data to Plan Ads
NBC Universal will present a new study showing that audiences recall advertisements more clearly when they are run on both television and the Internet. The research, undertaken by NBC during its airing of the Olympic Games, may change the way commercial time is bought.

News Magazines See Big Five-Year Decline
Regional magazines now outnumber any other magazine category, according to the National Directory of Magazines, which catalogs more than 20,500 U.S. and Canadian publications. News magazines are seeing the greatest decline, while shelter titles are seeing the biggest

Wall Street Journal to Sell Online Obits
The Wall Street Journal hopes to grow classified advertising by working with Web startup Tributes.com to sell obituaries on the WSJ.com site. The new partnership with Tributes is seen by analysts as an effort to "make the Journal more consumer friendly."

September 22, 2008

2008-09-22T15:58:00.001-07:00

BET

BET's "Cousin Jeff" returns to EMU Sprt. 24 to speak to students

Johnson, who also is known as ‘Cousin Jeff,’ has served as the National Youth Director of the NAACP and gave congressional testimony about Hurricane Katrina recovery. As a correspondent for BET, Johnson has covered the Darfur region of Sudan and was one of only two correspondents to interview Sudan’s President Omar Al-Bashir.

CBS

CBS Kicks Off Auction of Radio Stations
The U.S. radio market's vibrancy will be tested with the kickoff of the auction for 50 stations owned by CBS. First-rounds bids are due today. "We don't know what the marketplace is," admits CEO Les Moonves. "If we don't get the right pricing for it, we're not going to sell."

FOX

MySpace Music Faces Antitrust Challenge
News Corp. and the major record labels are facing antitrust questions about the MySpace Music retail venture before the site even launches. Independent music labels claim they are being frozen out of the "Internet's MTV" are blocked from uploading their music.

News Corp's Murdoch: 'I'm Very Worried'
The U.S. local television station market is "performing very badly," says News Corp. chief Rupert Murdoch, during an interview on Fox Business Network. The newspaper industry "is in real crisis." He adds that he isn't interested in buying NBC: "We like startups."

MTV

Fat Man Scoop Gets In Bed W/ MTV for New Sex Talk Show

“Its called ‘Man and Wife,’” Scoop told SOHH. “It’s coming on September 29th at 11 o’clock on MTV. “We answer email, voicemail and video submission and all of it’s done from our bed,” his wife Shanda added. “It’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen on television which I’m proudest of.”

MTV And Dr. Drew Bring Families Together With New Series "Sex...With Mom And Dad"

"This is a unique and compelling format from overseas that we redeveloped and adapted for the MTV audience about getting families to talk openly about a taboo topic," said Tony DiSanto, EVP, MTV Programming and Series Development. "'The talk' is a personal choice for every family, but what Dr. Drew uncovers in this show is that by talking openly and honestly about sex, families can re-program their way of thinking, break down walls, reinforce trust and create deeper bonds."

MTV names VP for music brands

MTV International has named current managing director for Europe South, Antonio Campo Dall’Orto, as its executive vice president for music brands. Dall’Orto will retain his current responsibilities and will also drive collaboration among the company’s global content and creative talent, with the aim of developing a more integrated creative direction for MTVNI’s music brands

MTV Networks Buys The Rest Of DIY Social Networking Platform Flux

MTV Networks was a minority investor in Social Project, which is behind the Flux social-networking platform powering many of its sites, including MTV.com, TheDailyShow.com, and ColbertNation.com. Social Project, which competes with Ning and KickApps, had previously raised $47.5 million, mostly from MTV's parent company Viacom.

MTV's Spike.com Airs 'PG' Adult Content
Spike.com, the MTV Networks service aimed at young men, is launching a short-form series that will bring together primetime television stars and actresses from adult films for comic -- and platonic -- vignettes. The online series aims to spoof the adult-film genre.

VIACOM

Viacom to Lose Spielberg, DreamWorks
Film director Steven Spielberg is raising $1.2 billion from Indian entertainment conglomerate Reliance to reestablish DreamWorks as an independent film studio and break away from Viacom's Paramount Pictures. The new deal comes in the wake of a financial drought in Hollywood.

AFRICA

Eastern Region overcoming HIV/AIDS stigmatization

The Eastern Region is gradually coming out of self stigmatization as more and more People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWH) are coming out openly to join programmes to fight the spread of the pandemic in the Region.

Govt starts door-to-door HIV/Aids testing

The government has started a campaign to test willing Ugandans of HIV/Aids from their homes. The Minister of Health, Dr Stephen Mallinga, told the Parliamentary Committee on HIV/Aids yesterday that the campaign will target people who are reluctant to go for testing at the health centers.

Kenya: HIV Tests Launch Wider Health Campaign

A week-long campaign launched in Lurambi division in western Kenya this week aims to test 80 percent of the population for HIV/Aids, and to supply those tested with a package of items which will help them combat multiple health problems, including malaria, HIV/Aids and diarrheal disease.

South Africa: Afro-Pop Group Star Inspires Students to Get Tested

Tshidi Moholo, of the sensational afro-pop group Malaika, was tested for HIV in front of students from the University of the Witwatersrand on Thursday to help inspire the youth to do the same. The pop star volunteered to be tested for HIV at the Levi's Red for Life Campaign at the institution's main campus in Johannesburg.

UN Meetings Highlight African Needs

U.N. member states and international organizations adopted the eight Millennium Development Goals in 2000 to provide a framework for reducing extreme poverty, hunger, disease and child mortality. The goals, which include improving education, maternal health and promoting gender equality, are supposed to be reached by the year 2015.

Youth group embarks on intensive HIV/AIDS campaign

The Universal United Youth Organisation (UUY), a non-governmental group at Akim Oda in the Birim South District has embarked on an intensive campaign to educate the youth on the dangers of HIV/AIDS. This followed reports that most of the youth in the municipality were not perturbed about the disease due to the high illiteracy rate in the area.

Zimbabwe AIDS Activists Say Food Now More Critical Than Drugs

Zimbabwe's National Network of People Living With HIV/AIDS has asked the central bank and government to provide its 120,000 members with food under the government's so-called Basic Commodity Supply Side Intervention program, known as Bacossi.

ASIA

INDIA Court order against ‘obscene’ condom packaging suspended

On Ravikuamr’s plea, the high court, erroneously presuming that the Advertising Standard Council of India (ASCI) was a government body, had directed it to ensure that no Indian condom manufacturer would market its product in obscene packs or promote them through advertisements with obscene pictures.

CARIBBEAN & LATIN AMERICA

AIDS Victim Speaks Out

With 88 new AIDS cases recorded in the Bahamas as of March of this year, one victim of the incurable disease candidly spoke to the Journal on Sunday, expressing hope that other sexually active individuals, especially teens, would either abstain from sex or adopt safe sex practices.

Relationships Sexual myths explored

There are several untruths about sex which influence the way persons engage in sexual activities. Over time, loose talk about sex becomes accepted as reality. As such, persons may find that they may not derive the full benefits from sexual intimacy because of the myths they have come to believe.

EUROPE

Russia: Intravenous Drug Use Leading Cause of HIV/AIDS

Many HIV/AIDS experts have also expressed concerns that Russia, as well as other former Soviet Union states, are facing widespread HIV/AIDS epidemics. But unlike many other parts of the world, the majority of HIV cases in Russia are due to intravenous drug use.

ADVERTISING NEWS

Ad Spending Woes Forecast to Worsen
Madison Avenue is bracing for the worst advertising slump since 2001, as a drop-off in consumer spending is likely to lead marketers to rein in their budgets. Both traditional and Internet media are expected to be impacted. The news comes as the Advertising Week festival kicks off in New York.

Four A's makes first installment on $5 million partnership with Howard University

The American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA) presented Howard University with a $250,000 check on September 15 to establish The Center for Excellence in Advertising.

HIV/AIDS AND SEXUAL HEALTH NEWS

Greater Awareness Of HIV/AIDS, Other Global Health Issues Attributed To The Growth In Public Health Students,

The Washington Post on Friday examined the "record numbers" of undergraduate college students who are taking classes in epidemiology, global health and public health, driven in part by the HIV/AIDS pandemic and a motivation to contribute to the field.

HIV Victims Tell Their Story

New Life Christian Center in Turlock is hosting the "AIDS -- Step into Africa" exhibit. It includes a replica of an African village and tells the stories of four real children who have been affected by the AIDS pandemic there. Various photographs of AIDS-affected families and children can be seen throughout the tour. Turlock Christian HS student Caniel Wright uses headphones to listen to the stories.

New HIV Infections Increasing in Gay and African-American Communities

Last month, RealJock.com reported that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) had radically increased its estimate of annual HIV infections in the U.S., to roughly 55,000 from a prior estimate of 40,000. Following that study, the CDC conducted further analysis of its statistics. The results, released last week, have given a more complete picture of HIV infection at the current moment—and indicate that there are increasing infections in the gay and African-American communities.

Recent Evaluations of the Peer-Led Approach in Adolescent Sexual Health Education: A Systematic Review

Peer-led interventions have become a popular method of providing sexual health education to adolescents, but the efficacy of this approach and the methodological quality of recent trials have not been systematically reviewed. METHODS: Electronic and hand searches were conducted to identify quasi-randomized and randomized controlled trials of peer-led adolescent sexual health education published from 1998 to 2005.

Study Examines Cost-Effectiveness of HIV Monitoring Strategy

In a computer-based model evaluating the benefits and costs of three types of HIV disease monitoring strategies, early initiation of antiretroviral therapy and monitoring using the CD4 count, a measure of immune system function, instead of based on symptoms appear to provide health benefits in low- and middle-income countries, according to a report in the September 22 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

MULTI CULTURAL NEWS

Target Market News to host African-American Internet Summit in October

Plans for the First Annual African-American Internet Summit were announced today by Target Market News. The all-day conference -- the first such gathering of its kind in the nation -- will take place in Chicago, IL on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008 in downtown Chicago. The event is expected to attract 200 professionals from marketing, advertising, media and research.

Ya Es Hora Campaign Launches Historic Mobilization Drive Targeting a Million Potential Latino Voters

After helping to mobilize nearly 1.4 million legal permanent residents to apply for citizenship, the leaders of the Ya Es Hora Campaign will brief reporters on Thursday, September 25 at 12:00 EDT on a historic registration drive targeting a million potential Latino voters.

OTHER NEWS

Barbershops become urban community health centers

African-American communities in the shadows of the University of Pittsburgh's buildings are getting sick and dying sooner than their white counterparts, of preventable diseases -- and Dr. Stephen Thomas wants to change it. An outreach initiative involving local barbershops and beauty salons is a step in that direction.

Comcast Details Changes for Web Traffic
Comcast is providing U.S. regulators details of how it plans to change the way it manages Web traffic over its high speed Internet network without blocking applications or content. High-volume user traffic will be identified and throttled during periods of network congestion.

MASTER P - RAPPER MILLER PLANS TEEN TV VIEWPOINT SHOW

Rapper PERCY MILLER is hitting the road to get viewpoints from America's troubled teens about modern issues and concerns, for a new TV show.
The hitmaker-turned-Better Black Television chairman, formerly Master P, is set to visit teens in detention centres and those from some of America's poorest neighbourhoods for his new show Teens Real Talk.

Media: Little Hope for Quick Turnaround
Despite a rally on Friday, analysts aren't optimistic about the near-term prospects of media and entertainment stocks. Even after the economy recovers, industry stocks will still be out of favor, they say, because changing consumer habits make the media biz a "difficult proposition."

McCain and Obama camps latch onto new media

A recent study by Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism finds that Obama was first to use the Web as a campaign tool; the think tank says McCain's crew has finally gotten on board, recently adding a social networking component and other new features. (more findings from the study)

NBC Flagship Station May See Cutbacks
Morale is plummeting at WNBC, the New York flagship station of NBC, as the channel switches to a 24-hour news format. Longtime writers and producers are being told to apply for new jobs as "content producers," with no guarantee that they will be hired or paid their current salaries.

People.com Surpasses TMZ for First Time
Breaking financial news and exclusive baby photos are paying off for Web sites owned by Time Inc. Last month, People.com passed TMZ for the first time with 11.5 million unique visitors, thanks to its multimillion-dollar photos of actor Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's twin newborns.

Unigo Student-Content Site to Eye Ads
The new site Unigo.com, a free student-generated guide to North American colleges, allows students to create and share content about their lives. The advertising-supported site, founded by 26-year-old Jordan Goldman, has an advisory board that includes TiVo CEO Tom Rogers.

Washington Post Starts Aggregating News
The Washington Post is adding a section to its Web site that links readers to the best of political coverage -- even scoops by rival newspapers. The idea behind the new Political Browser feature is to brief political junkies on the top "must reads" of the day.

Yahoo's New Board to Meet This Week
Yahoo's revamped board will meet for the first time Tuesday, giving activist investor Carl Icahn his first chance to push his agenda from the inside. In addition to Icahn, the new board includes two directors he supported: ex-Viacom exec Frank Biondi and ex-Nextel exec John Chapple.

September 18, 2008

2008-09-18T16:38:00.000-07:00

CBS

CBS' Moonves: Political Ads Will Save 4Q

Major TV network executives say advertising at their respective local TV stations remains a tough business--but one executive said a silver lining comes with political advertising. CBS Corp. President/Chief Executive Officer Les Moonves expects $150 million in political ad revenues in the fourth quarter will be funneled into its local stations and affiliates in the next several weeks.

CBS Promotes 7 Shows On EcoHangers, Rooftops Near LAX

Pressing onward into its fall marketing season, CBS will feature a promotion on dry cleaners' "green" hangers for some of its shows. Starting this month, CBS will promote seven shows with specific clever messages displayed on the hangers.

FOX

Murdoch: Good Time To Get 'Bigger Share' Of Cable

News Corp. chief Rupert Murdoch indicated Wednesday that he's from the invest-and-wait school--rather than pull-back-and-hope--when it comes to riding out an economic downturn. Citing cable channels as a principal growth engine, Murdoch said they now offer a "great chance ... to get a bigger share."

MTV

Central European Media in license deal with MTV

Central European Media Enterprises Ltd. said Thursday that it signed a licensing deal with MTV Networks International that allows it to create an MTV channel in the Czech Republic.

AFRICA

My Video Award Contest at the MTV Africa Music Awards

Aspirant music video creators across the African continent are being given the opportunity to shine at the first ever MTV Africa Music Awards with the My Video award and with the support of Zain (MAMAs). Zain is a telecommunications company operating in emerging markets and which aims to become one of the top ten mobile groups in the world by 2011.

NGOs, ACHAP collaborate against HIV/AIDS in Botswana

Three non-governmental organisations in Botswana have joined forces in the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic, signing a partnership with the African comprehensive HIV/AIDS Partnerships (ACHAP).

Shell sponsors MTV Base on African entertainment

As part of its corporate social responsibilities, Shell Nigeria Limited is partnering with MTV Base Network Africa to uplift contemporary African music, the second time it is undertaking the venture.

CARIBBEAN & LATIN AMERICA

Brazil to produce generic AIDS drug

Jose Gomes Temporao said Wednesday the decision to produce efavirenz, a generic version of Stocrin, was taken because Merck refused to reduce its price. Production should begin in the first half of 2009.

NY Press Screening Of 'What Goes Around'

Sunrason Films, Johnny Blacks Entertainment, and O-Don, in collaboration with the Caribbean Cultual Theatre present a special media screening of Director Steve "Tehut Nine" McAlpin's latest film 'What Goes Around.' Giving a brand new take on the age old adage 'you reap what you sow,' this comedic drama takes through the ups and downs of romance and relationships, while educating about HIV/AIDS prevention.

ADVERTISING NEWS

Gamers Next Frontier For Political Ads

Video games could be the next frontier in political advertising, according to new data from a Pew Internet & American Life Project study. The research, which surveyed over 1,100 youths ages 12-17, found some distinct correlations between their game play and civic activities.

HIV/AIDS AND SEXUAL HEALTH NEWS

‘A Lot of Unknowns’

Medical advances are helping many HIV patients live into old age. But that blessing presents its own unique set of tribulations.

Hip/Hop Artists Raise HIV/AIDS Awareness

Folks down in Texas were treated to an apparently awesome concert that was also a worthy cause. Mike Jones, David Banner and Day26 (among others) performed a "Hip Hop for HIV" concert to bring attention to the effect HIV/AIDS are having on the black and Latin@ communities. Concert goers received tickets for the concert by getting tested. And although the outreach targeted black and Latin@ communities, the testing was meant for everyone,

Internet's Largest Sex Health Survey Gets One Millionth Response

To date, the Sex Health Guru Survey has generated more than 1.2 million responses, and continues to grow with thousands of new responses every day. To achieve such high levels of participation, the survey uses a calculated mix of serious research questions and questions designed to entertain.

Nation's Largest Human AIDS Ribbon Ceremony

The National Minority AIDS Council (NMAC) at the United States Conference of AIDS will attempt to create the Nation's Largest Living/Human AIDS Ribbon as Part Of their Annual Conference's Opening Ceremonies to Honor Those Working on the Frontlines of the HIV/AIDS Epidemic

UNAIDS honors Yao Ming for AIDS work

China basketball star Yao Ming and two others -- a French businessman and a Chinese professor -- received UNAIDS awards on Wednesday for their contributions to AIDS prevention efforts and the elimination of discrimination against HIV/AIDS-infected people.

MOBILE NEWS

Mobile Search To Become Big Business
Mobile search is on its way to becoming big business and could be worth as much as $2.4 billion in three years, according to Mobile Content Networks. MCN is a mobile search rival to Google and Yahoo; it earns money placing ads alongside mobile phone search results and screens. The mobile search firm believes the market will more than double each year as consumption of wireless data and mobile content accelerates through 2011.

Nielsen: Rise In Mobile-Only Phone Users

The trend toward mobile-only phone consumers is growing, according to a new Nielsen Company study--partly due to a weakening economy. Currently, 20 million households--about 17% of the country--rely completely on a mobile phone for their communications needs.

Phone Jacks, Be Gone! One In Five May Go Mobile-Only

Hard-wired phones may increasingly become a victim of the tightening U.S. economy as consumers look for new ways to cut spending. A new Nielsen Mobile study indicates that one in five U.S. wireless households could be wireless-only by the end of 2008. Already 20 million households, or 17%, are abandoning land line phones in favor of mobile ones. That's up from only 8.5% in 2005.

MULTI CULTURAL NEWS

HIV/AIDS professionals gather for National Minority AIDS Council

Today through Sunday, HIV/AIDS professionals from across the country will address those facts and discuss ways to stop the spread of the virus at the National Minority AIDS Council, the largest annual AIDS-related meeting in the United States, at the Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center.

PHILANTHROPY

Bill Gates Tops Forbes List Of Wealthy Americans

Gates held onto his first-place position in the United States even as he lost his global first-place spot to Mexico's Carlos Slim. Slim is no stranger to U.S. high-tech circles, as he was a major investor in MCI and in CompUSA. He recently took a major equity position in the New York Times.

SOCIAL MEDIA NEWS

Latest Trends and Best Practices for Social Media

The Society for New Communications Research, a nonprofit global think tank dedicated to the advanced study of the latest developments in new media and communications, and their effect on traditional media and business models, communications, culture and society, will hold its 3rd Annual Research Symposium & Awards Gala on Friday, November 14th

Social Networking Passes Porn As Top Search Category
In his new book, "Click: What Millions of People are Doing Online and Why it Matters," Hitwise General Manager of Global Research Bill Tancer reveals that social networking sites are the Internet's biggest attraction, surpassing pornography and underscoring a seismic shift in the way people communicate.

Social Networking Sight Provides Glimpse Into Global Community

Livemocha, a social-networking site with a special twist: helping people learn a new language by communicating with native speakers.

OTHER NEWS

Creator of Bud Lizards Gets HBO Series
Steve Dildarian was the brains behind the comical Budweiser "Lizards" spots, which he wrote while at Goodby, Silverstein & Partners a few years back. Now the ad guy is becoming a TV guy.

Farley Flex named a National Ambassador for UNICEF Canada

Flex is, of course, best known to Canadian Idol fans as a judge on the popular TV show, but the music industry icon is also a humanitarian and gives his time to many organizations, including Merry-Go-Round, ParticipAction and now UNICEF.

Global Malaria Estimates Are Reduced

The World Health Organization (WHO) has cut its global estimate of yearly malaria cases by more than 100 million, according to a report released Thursday by the health agency. Almost all of that downward revision was attributable to updated surveillance numbers — mostly in Asia, and particularly in India — rather than a measurable reduction of actual malaria cases, agency staff said.

More Hits for Newspapers

Market woes hit the industry--again. Newspapers took another round of blows this week with tandem announcements of more job cuts at McClatchy, an employee lawsuit at Tribune and the likely closure of the Newark, N.J.-based Star-Ledger in January.

MSNBC Launches Site For Dateline Reporter
MSNBC thinks investigative journalism on TV is a natural source of content for the Web. To prove it, Chris Hansen, the Dateline NBC investigative reporter known for the controversial ongoing "To Catch a Predator" reports, is getting his own Web site courtesy of MSNBC.com.

New HBO Rival Scrambles For A Cable Distributor
MGM, Lionsgate and Paramount have been working to create a premium movie channel that would take on HBO, Showtime and Starz. They were counting on Comcast to be a partner and distribute their channel, but Comcast recently pulled out.

September 16, 2008

2008-09-16T16:00:00.000-07:00

BET

Debut of "Somebodies" sitcom next week marks BET's move into scripted series

BET will join the growing list of cable networks launching scripted series when it debuts the comedy series Somebodies Sept. 9. The series is the first scripted project for the 28-year-old African-American-targeted network, which has been criticized for relying on music videos and reality programming.

Does BET promote racism?

Some members of the audience believe that BET does not influence the entire black community and that they're a channel created solely for the purpose of entertaining, not the voice of the black community. Others such as Bristan Childs vehemently disagreed. She believed that BET should be held accountable for the programs because they do have an impact on the community.

Reginald Hudlin exits BET post as president of entertainment

In an publicly released memo issued yesterday to staff, BET Networks CEO, Debra Lee, announced that Reginald Hudlin, president of the cable channel's entertainment division, was leaving his position after three years. Lee wrote that he was "returning to his entrepreneurial roots."

CW NETWORK

CW's 'Gossip Girl' Walks The Talk

All that gossip talk must have gotten around--CW's "Gossip Girl" delivered one of its strongest viewer performances ever for its season two premiere among virtually all key audiences.

FOX

4KIDS Entertainment Unveils '08-'09 Saturday Morning Lineups

4Kids Entertainment, Inc.a global provider of children's entertainment, unveiled its Saturday lineup of fall programs for FOX and The CW Network today. Debuting September 13th, the schedule reflects nine hours of national television programming on two broadcast networks.

MySpace, Disney Launch 'High School Musical' Contest

News Corp.'s MySpace and Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures have teamed up to market the theatrical release of "High School Musical 3." The promotion markets the movie to school-age kids by engaging them in a series of tasks that tap into typical MySpace behavior such as uploading photos, changing status, connecting with friends and building a community

Rupert Murdoch's Newspaper Fantasy

In a revealing profile of media mogul Rupert Murdoch, we see how the man thinks and what new endeavors have captured his attention. Murdoch's latest passion appears to be buying The New York Times. Everyone tells him it would be impossible. "But The New York Times is obviously irresistible to him. I've watched him go through the numbers and fantasize about the staff's quitting as soon as he entered the sacred temple. It would be the realization of his destiny: because the Times represents the ultimate in newspaper proprietorship."

MTV

Is MTV Being Hypocritical?

Green bloggers everywhere are raving about the network's latest ad in the Switch campaign, where a funny little monster points out the hypocrisy of corporations that paint their products green and call them ecofriendly. But is MTV one of them?

MTV Enters Crowded Ad Network Sector

MTV Networks yesterday said it would develop ad networks called "Tribes" anchored by sites in the MTV universe. Pepsi will participate as the charter sponsor of the MTV Generation Tribe.

MTV Hits the Streets with Three Cool Tours this September

Tomorrow, the LifeStyles(R) Condoms Love Fest(TM) tour begins a road trip to 14 cities across Canada with MTV Live's DJ Dopey spinning the hottest music for club goers. Hosted by Paris

Hilton at the Toronto stop, the LifeStyles(R) Condoms Love Fest(TM) Tour hits the hottest night clubs and campus venues in Canada, to spread the word about safe sex. "We want to engage young people everywhere they are and create experiences," said Brad Schwartz, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Much MTV Group, CTV Inc. "We're taking MTV on the road, giving them MTV's

unpredictable daily show; talking with them about prevalent social issues; and rocking out with Mobile."

MTV to 'rest' flagship TRL show

MTV is to drop its flagship US show Total Request Live in November after 10 years on the air. Executive producer Dave Sirulnick said he wanted to "rest" the show, which comes live from New York's Times Square, after a two-hour special. "We want to close this era of TRL in a celebratory way, and 10 is a great number," he said.

MTV to roll out global hi-def channel

The channel will show a mix of music programs from MTV and children's programming from Nickelodeon and will launch Sept. 15th to Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Poland and Sweden. It will add distribution in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, the U.K. and Spain by the end of the year, also adding six Latin American markets including Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Columbia and Venezuela by the end of 2008.

Rapper TI Lands MTV Reality TV Show

MTV will be following the rapper as he gives fans a personal look into his career and personal life. The reality TV show will also show T.I. performing community service and other day-to-day activities stemming from the rapper's legal obligations which T.I. hopes will show others how not make his same mistakes.

UNIVISION

Univision Salutes Hispanic American Heroes

Univision Communications, Inc., the nation's leading Spanish-language media company, announced today the launch of a comprehensive initiative in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month to salute Hispanic American veterans and those serving in the armed forces. "Nuestros Heroes" (Our Heroes) features an extensive series of moving vignettes designed to recognize the valor and achievements of Hispanic men and women who have distinguished themselves in the U.S. Armed Forces throughout American history.

VIACOM

Viacom-Owned Paramount Buys Game Developer ScreenLife

Paramount Pictures, the Viacom-owned movie studio, has made its first gaming related acquisition: it has bought Seattle-based game developer ScreenLife, the creator of the popular DVD game "Scene It?".

AFRICA

AFRICA: Make circumcision safer, say researchers

The HIV prevention benefits of rolling out large-scale male circumcision programmes could be lost due to a lack of training and resources to carry out the procedure safely.

An HIV/AIDS adviser calls for more education

The Presidential Adviser on HIV/AIDS and Reproductive Health, Professor F. T. Sai has challenged leaders of political parties to include in their campaign messages of HIV and AIDS education. He said the fight against HIV/AIDS deserves a priority in the National Development Agenda.

Multi-faceted health programme on HIV/Aids needed

The author of a book on Aids research, Jonny Steinberg, has urged government to put into place a multi-faceted health strategy programme to fight the prevalence of HIV/Aids. Steinberg says the 18 months research work he conducted in Lusikisiki village in the Eastern Cape, focused on the civilian understanding of government's HIV/Aids programme.

CARIBBEAN & LATIN AMERICA

Lions Attend First Cabinet Meeting in Jamaica

A number of workshops were held during the 14-17 August meeting in Kingston. The workshop covered HIV/AIDS Risks, Sexuality and Gender; Investment and Securities and the use of Technology in Lionism, specifically for preparation of required reports and a Leo (youth arm of the Lions Club) Forum.

Scotiabank launches 3rd Red Ribbon Campaign

Scotiabank has launched its third annual Stronger Together Red Ribbon Campaign, a joint initiative with St. Maarten AIDS Foundation to combat the spread of the disease both locally and internationally.

Think Safe, Act Smart campaign: Partying safely in Antigua

At this year’s Carnival, the Caribbean HIV/AIDS Alliance reached more than one-fifth of the island’s population with its Think Safe, Act Smart campaign. From 25 July to 3 Aug., a Carnival bus took the campaign’s messages to the streets and partygoers were provided with pouches of HIV information that doubled as useful bags for holding keys, money and condoms.

Tufton lauds newest batch of US Peace Corps

"We are very pleased that on this occasion the volunteers will be focusing on health (HIV/AIDS), youth and the environment, including agricul-ture. These are among the Government's top priorities and areas of focus, as we seek to build human capacity, while transforming and growing the Jamaican economy," he said.

ADVERTISING NEWS

AOL Dials Up iPhone-Specific Ads

AOL will let advertisers serve iPhone-specific ads through its Platform-A digital ad division, the Internet company said Wednesday. The move marks the latest effort by AOL to expand its mobile ad offerings after acquiring mobile ad company Third Screen Media last year. In August, AOL began letting publishers offer inventory across multiple mobile ad networks via Third Screen through "partitioning" technology.

Google Shifts To 'Real Time' Scoring, Will Reap Hundreds Of Millions In Incremental Search Ads

A tweak Google announced Monday to the so-called "quality score" it uses to manage its AdWords program is expected to result in hundreds of millions of dollars in incremental ad revenues for the online search giant. The changes, which Google said it would begin implementing over the next several days, is expected to boost average click-through rates for AdWords advertisers, and increase Google's advertising yield by moving to a "real time" valuation.

Google Studies Self-Serve YouTube Platform, Display Ad Quality Scores

Google's advertising teams are working on a self-serve ad platform for YouTube and a system for measuring the effectiveness of display ads akin to the Quality Score system for paid search.

Privacy Key As Mobile Ads Continue To Grow

Mobile advertising in the U.S. will hit $1.9 billion in 2012, according to a new forecast by market research firm Frost & Sullivan. The report warns operators against sharing subscriber information with overzealous marketers.

HIV/AIDS AND SEXUAL HEALTH NEWS

All types of sexual activity carry some STD risk

Writing in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology, the panel advises doctors to ask patients -- adults and teenagers -- about all of their sexual activities, and to counsel them on how to reduce their STD risks. Although this "is a sensitive issue to address for both patients and physicians, it's important to discuss sexuality frankly and without judgment so that we can help our patients fully protect themselves against STDs," Guido added.

Dear Next President: A national HIV/AIDS policy, please?

We desperately need a national strategy for fighting this disease here at home. Such a policy should use strategies that are already being implemented in some of the countries the U.S. government supports, such as providing more health access and treatments methods for those living with HIV, as well as more support for agencies and grassroots organizations working towards HIV prevention.

Disproportionate HIV rates found among African immigrants

Jeanne Tshibungu imparts her lessons wherever African immigrants agree to listen — at apartments, hair braiding salons, taxicab stands and, on one particular rainy morning, inside a steamy garage at a Silver Spring day-labor center packed with Cameroonians. Standing with a plastic bag filled with condoms, she began explaining in lilting French how they could contract HIV and especially how not to.

Gay men of all ages remain a priority for HIV prevention in the US

HIV prevention needs to be targeted at gay men of all ages, a close analysis of HIV incidence figures from the US published in the September 12^th edition of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report shows. The figures also show that African Americans as well as Hispanic and Latino individuals are also disproportionately affected by HIV.

Online-mediated syphilis testing shows promise

The Internet has "emerged as a medium where people can find information on sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) or any other medical topic," Rik H. Koekenbier, of GGD Amsterdam, the Netherlands, noted in an interview with Reuters Health. "With interventions like ours, men can take direct action to address their health concerns and in this way participate in their own wellness."

Palin Daughter's Pregnancy Spurs Sex Ed Debate

The revelation Monday that the 17-year-old unmarried daughter of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is pregnant has reignited debate over whether sex education programs focusing primarily on abstinence are effective in keeping teen pregnancy rates down.

Sex (ed) and the city

Using role play, kids are taught to recognize social pressure and anticipate risky situations; abstinence and pregnancy prevention; refusal and delay tactics; getting and using protection; and how to manage relationships with their peers and communicate with parents.

Your teen ready to date? Don't panic!

Famed sex therapist Dr. Ruth has written a new book to help parents address the uncomfortable subject of their teens becoming sexually active. In this excerpt, Dr. Ruth provides advice on what to expect when you teen is dating for the first time, and how to create an atmosphere for open communication and honesty.

Washington Post Examines HIV/AIDS Outreach Efforts Aimed At African Immigrants

The Washington Post on Tuesday examined HIV/AIDS outreach efforts aimed at African immigrants in the U.S. According to the Post, some health researchers say that the "message" that HIV/AIDS also affects Africans in the U.S. is "growing in importance as they become increasingly concerned that the AIDS epidemic ravaging sub-Saharan Africa is following migrants from that continent to America."

MOBILE NEWS

Mobile social networking will be huge but revenues not so certain

It's not an uptake problem: mobile versions of the popular Web 2.0 networking sites, Facebook and Myspace, are expected attract 140 million users by 2013, all regularly checking their mobiles for the latest buddy posting. But the carriers' share of this new revenue has been pegged at a lukewarm US$410 million dollars, says ABI research - somewhat on the low side for a set of services that has been taking the Internet by storm.

More Money Means More Mobile Web Use

A new study from Ipsos Mendelsohn finds that as the rich get richer, they surf the Web more. Affluents, defined as those who earn more than $100,000 per year, are "highly wired" Mediaweek says, with almost all owning and using a desktop, laptop and cell phone, according to the survey. The group represents about 20% of U.S. households and goes online an average of 26 times per week using a computer, and 17.6 times via mobile devices.

T-Mobile's Android Phones To Launch In Late October
T-Mobile USA plans to begin selling the first smart phone powered by Goggle's new mobile software late next month, according to people familiar with the matter, facing off against Apple Inc.'s iPhone and Research In Motion Ltd.'s BlackBerry with a device that blends aspects of both.

MULTI CULTURAL NEWS

African-American Market Comes of Age

Within religion publishing, it's hard to miss the surge in growth over the last several years of the African-American market. Industry professionals of all stripes—agents, authors, editors, PR gurus—will tell you the market demand is there, the desire to reach the market is there, and strong sales records of heavy-hitting backlist authors and new literary voices promise to keep demand high.

ANA extends deadline for Multicultural Excellence Awards to Sept. 15

The ANA (Association of National Advertisers) announced today that they have extended the submission deadline for their Multicultural Excellence Awards until September 15. Entries are now being accepted, and winners will be announced at the ANA's 10th Annual Multicultural Marketing Conference, November 16-18 in Boca Raton, FL.

Black media face balancing act with historic candidacy of Obama

Covering the historic candidacy of Barack Obama, journalists with the African-American media face particular challenges. They must address their readers' and audience's concerns, which are often ignored by the overwhelmingly white mainstream media. But they also strive to present a broader perspective while holding both candidates and both parties accountable -- even when it's not popular.

Glam Media debuts online black women's network with Lexus as lead sponsor

Glam Media, Inc., a pioneer of vertical content networks, today announced the launch of Glam Black Life (blacklife.glam.com), a new vertical providing brand advertisers with access to the largest network of African American woman-focused sites

Gorilla Nation signs four African-American sites to GNMulticultural ad rep deals

Gorilla Nation one of the largest online ad rep firm, has announced that it has been selected to exclusively represent to selected advertisers the online ad inventory of four African-American web properties, including BlackPeopleMeet.com, a leading website for black singles, through its GNMulticultural division.

Home Depot Mag Builds Hispanic Following

Looking for a hot magazine title that reaches Hispanic men? You may want to skip the newsstand and head to The Home Depot. One year after launching in Home Depot stores, Constru-Guía al Día (Up-to-date Construction Guide), a Spanish-language quarterly for construction contractors, has emerged as a rare media conduit to Spanish-speaking, under-the-radar male immigrants.

Interactive One debuts three sites for news, entertainment, women's interests

Interactive One, LLC the digital connection for Black America and the new digital division of Radio One, Inc., the largest African-American multimedia company, has launched three new content-driven websites: NewsOne, TheUrbanDaily and HelloBeautiful. The three sites will join BlackPlanet, the social networking site for African-Americans, acquired by Radio One earlier this year, making it the largest online media entity for African-Americans reaching more than 6 million unique visitors monthly.

Lee Moss Media acquires more domains for planned black social networks

Lee Moss Media, a joint venture between entrepreneurs Dante Lee and William Moss, has recently added two more valuable domain names to their portfolio -- BlackPhD.com and BlackDoctors.com. They will join a network of Internet destinations the company plans to introduce in late 2008 as social networks and online directories.

NAMIC announces winners of Excellence In Multi-Cultural Marketing Awards

Winners of the 2008 Excellence In Multi-Cultural Marketing Awards (EMMA) competition were announced today by NAMIC (National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications). Recognizing the cable industry's campaigns that demonstrate best practices in multi-cultural marketing, the awards will be presented on Monday, September 15, 2008 at a special session of the 22nd Annual NAMIC Conference, Diversity: Pipeline to Innovation. Taking place at the New York Marriott Marquis, the three-day conference is scheduled for September 14-16, 2008.

Study: Bank accounts opened by African-Americans and Hispanics growing slowly

Despite growing use of financial services and products, and more targeted communications, U.S. Hispanics and African-Americans continue to be 'unbanked' and 'underbanked' according to Synovate's 2008 U.S. Diversity Markets Report.

The critically acclaimed documentary, The Black List, premieres on HBO

This film is part of a multimedia initiative titled "The Black List Project," conceived by Greenfield-Sanders and Mitchell and comprised of the HBO documentary, a museum exhibition of photographic portraits, a book of those photographs, and an interactive educational program.

The Future of Hispanic-Latin Entertainment, Media and Technology

The 2008 Convergence Conference is the premier event for Latin Media, Entertainment, and Technology CEOs and Executives looking to grow their business and explore new opportunities with Latin audiences and to reach the mainstream which spotlights the constant state of creation and evolution required of business leaders in today's rapidly changing digital landscape.

UPTOWN Magazine unveils study on spending by affluent African-Americans

UPTOWN Magazine, the luxury lifestyle company targeting the growing Affluent African American market, and Diversity Affluence, a marketing research and consulting company specializing in affluent ethnic markets, have released groundbreaking research on the behaviors, attitudes, opinions and spending patterns of Affluent African Americans.

Zoom launches multicultural division to tap growing audience for indoor venues

Zoom Media & Marketing, a leading provider of targeted out-of-home media and promotional programs, announced today the launch of Zoom Forward, a multicultural initiative dedicated to serving the growing Hispanic and African American markets. With a focus on helping advertisers more effectively reach multicultural audiences via Zoom�s unique media and experiential marketing assets

PHILANTHROPY

Vanity And Philanthropy

In an effort to play down its usual parade of vapid celebrities and private-jet-owning business moguls, Vanity Fair has shaken up its annual list of the 100 most powerful people in the world by including leaders in the nonprofit world.

SOCIAL MEDIA NEWS

BBC launches radio social networking website

The BBC has launched a social networking website for radio listeners, letting audiences to its 10 national radio stations share recommended output with their friends. The service, called Radio Pop, allows listeners to tune in to the BBC's online radio streams, tag, or "pop", their favourite programmes and share their preferences with others in their network.

LiveWorld Launches LiveBarTM, Enabling Brands To Seamlessly Overlay Social Networking on Any Web Page in Minutes

Interactive online conversations and social networking can take place on any web page quickly and easily thanks to a new product announced today by LiveWorld, Inc., a leading social media marketing agency. LiveBar's patent-pending technology brings online community to any web page in minutes, without costly web site redesign and without forcing consumers to leave the web page to connect with others.

What is Social Networking? 58% Still Have No Clue

The survey of more than 13,000 people in 17 developed nations also asked if users were losing interest in social networks. According to the report, 36% said “yes,” with interest fading fastest in Japan, Slovakia, and Canada, with 45% of US users supposedly losing their appetite for social networking.

OTHER NEWS

Cision Launches International Website for Media Releases

Cision is launching CisionWire, a news portal that increases the visibility of news releases and reports. Users will be able to easily find media releases and reports from all of the publicly listed companies in the Nordic region in the portal. The service is integrated with Cision's CisionPoint service platform.

Digital Signage Grabs, Engages, and Informs

A study released in 2008 by SeeSaw Networks, conducted by OTX, to better understand how digital out-of-home media can be used to reach mobile consumers, shows that digital signage advertising engages people, has high awareness, and is a compelling media that advertisers an use to effectively reach people with their message.

Journalist Discuss New Media and Impact on Election

"This is a historic election in more ways then one," says WVU School of Journalism Dean Maryanne Reed. "One way that its historic is that new media the internet, blogs, YouTube, Facebook, are all having a major impact on the campaign probably more than any other campaign in history," says Reed.

Nielsen Reveals First Out-Of Home TV Ratings

The first out-of-home TV ratings have been released by a previously announced venture between The Nielsen Company and Integrated Media Measurement Inc., with NBC's Olympics and Fox's summer shows dominating all comers.

Queer Experiments: October Edition - All about the 'Down Low'

''Men reported risk behavior more often with steady female and steady male partners (e.g., wives, girlfriends, boyfriends) than with more casual male and female partners (regular uncommitted partners, one-night stands). Men, especially African American/Black men, were significantly less likely to report receptive sexual behaviors with men than insertive behaviors.

Sony Helps Sponsor Educational Series at BlogWorld & New Media Expo

BlogWorld & New Media Expo, the first and only conference dedicated to blogging and new media, announced that Sony, a BlogWorld Expo exhibitor, has agreed to loan 10 portable recording devices for the purpose of recording all educational seminars

August 01, 2008

2008-08-01T11:21:00.001-07:00

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)."

July 31, 2008

2008-07-31T17:21:00.000-07:00

CBS

Amex Tests Ad Integration in CBS Markets

CBS Television Stations inked a deal with American Express and its digital agency Digitas to run integrated on-air and online ads in six local TV markets. American Express will integrate its TV ad content with ads on the sites of CBS' local stations. The TV ads will also coordinate with ads on CBS' network of local blogs and community sites.

MTV

Manager of MTV Estonia: new owner of MTV will bring along knowledge

Music channel MTV Estonia manager Karoli Hindriks said the change of owners does not bring along changes, but perhaps knowledge and consistency for operating in the given sector as the new owner knows the international media world well

'Work for Diddy' premieres as Combs' newest series

"The show isn't about just seeing if I could find someone to work for me. It's about people chasing their dreams," he said. "I don't say it in a cocky way, but I take pride in being one of the best at doing what I do," which, of course, encompasses a multi-pronged entertainment empire. Combs sees himself serving as an inspiration, particularly for young African Americans, "to show them that they can do more things than shoot basketball or rap."

VIACOM

Viacom Boss Dauman Looking Forward To Losing Dreamworks

On Tuesday, Philippe Dauman dissed DreamWorks on Viacom's earnings call, saying that if Steven Spielberg and David Geffen leave, there will be substantial savings on marketing and overhead. Well, get ready to start saving, Philippe, because it looks like that DreamWorks-Reliance deal is almost done

AFRICA

20% of SA prisoners are living with Aids: study

The Correctional Services Department says almost 20% of the prison population is living with HIV/Aids. South Africa has an estimated 166 000 inmates in prisons. Correctional Services Director-General Vernie Peterson says the finding is part of a study conducted by the department to determine the prevalence of the disease among prisoners.

Study Finds AIDS Harms Democratic Development in Southern Africa

A new report says HIV/AIDS is hurting political development in southern Africa, in part by the loss of experienced politicians struck down by the disease. The group says southern Africa has only two percent of the world's population, but nearly half of the 38 million people infected with HIV/AIDS. VOA's William Eagle reports from Washington the report by a South African research group will be the focus of a panel discussion and webcast at the upcoming 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City.

ASIA

ABU, KFF Align for HIV/AIDS Coverage

“We’re excited to be working with KFF and to be bringing our members to such an important gathering of global health experts,” said Francyne Harrigan, the ABU Development Projects manager. “ABU and our members recognize the powerful role our industry plays in informing audiences on health issues and welcome the opportunity to cover the critical issue of HIV/AIDS.”

Beijing moves to stop vice industry staining Games

But such crackdowns give rise to other problems, said Dr. Bernhard Schwartlander, China country representative for the Joint United Nations on HIV/AIDS. "If you drive it underground everything gets much more out of control. The likelihood of promoting condom use is reduced or there may be violence against women, which makes them more vulnerable," he said.

Japanese Condom Ads Get Booted Off of Korean Trains

According to recent reports, sex will be getting the proverbial boot off of trains in Korea. Japanese condom ads have been removed from all trains and have sparked a wave of controversy in the process.

CARIBBEAN & LATIN AMERICA

14000 AIDS deaths recorded in Caribbean last year

"We have made some headway against HIV in the region," said Dr Michel de Groulard, acting director of the UNAIDS Caribbean Regional Support Team. "But we still have a long way to go to ensure that our response is as effective as it should be and that our prevention strategies really work and reach those who need them most," he added.

Anytime is AIDS time

Sombre reminders of the danger of the deadly pandemic, HIV/AIDS, continue to be presented to the public by the various AIDS awareness stakeholders and their recent concentration on festive activities, such as Carnival is expected to bear real fruit if the messages are taken as seriously as they ought to be. We hope that revellers and general partygoers make use of the information and the various other handy materials that are being made available, since the disease continues to attack people in the Caribbean at an alarming rate.

BELIZE TO PARTICIPATE IN INTERNATIONAL AIDS CONFERENCE

“Historically I think that Belize has had little representation at any Global Conference on AIDS. I know of Belizean participation only at the Global AIDS Conference two years ago in TorontoCanada. I think that Belize’s participation is going to be a step up to other global conferences, so I think that it’s very special for us to be participating.”

Region seeking UN assistance in five areas

Caribbean governments are seeking assistance for food security, disaster risk reduction and disaster management among other key areas from agencies of the United Nations (UN), the newly appointed UN resident coordinator for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Michelle Gyles-McDonnough has said.

United Nations: Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean

The Regional Directors' Group, representing ten UN agencies, funds and programmes, met here today to support and urge Ministers of Health and Education from the region to improve the availability and quality of sexuality education for young people. The Ministers will meet in the Mexican capital tomorrow to discuss the status of sexuality education and HIV prevention

ADVERTISING NEWS

Study: Ad Networks Have Their Place, But Content Drives Key Brand Metrics

While ad networks continue to garner the glory, media buys across branded content sites, or properties like iVillage and Discovery that fall under the Online Publishers Association (OPA)'s umbrella, are often still priced at a premium. And according to new OPA research, those higher-priced CPMs are justified, as branded content sites have a greater impact on key metrics like brand favorability and purchase intent than ad networks, portals and even Internet industry norms (as determined by Dynamic Logic's MarketNorms).

US advertising slowdown looms over media companies

Earnings reports from three major media companies _ CBS Corp., The Walt Disney Co. and Viacom Inc. _ this week show the malaise in local ad markets beginning to spread to national cable and broadcast networks.

HIV/AIDS AND SEXUAL HEALTH NEWS

African American-Owned Condom Company Fears the Widening AIDS Epidemic

Head Strong Condoms aims to do just that. There are no bright colors, no fruity flavors, no glow-in-the-dark condoms. These are just condoms. The focus is where it should be, Manuel says: preventing pregnancy and protecting against sexually transmitted disease. Manuel created Head Strong Condoms, the only African American-owned condom company he knows of, after he heard of HIV-infected adults knowingly infecting others with the virus.

Handing out condoms till she's 70?

That realization about the AIDS crisis propelled Bambi Gaddist into activism in South Carolina more than 20 years ago, and she's been relentless in her fight to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS there ever since. One of the most effective tools in her arsenal? A large white RV.

Higher Number of HIV Infections Must Translate Into Leadership & Action

"Let this serve as yet another wake-up call to our government leaders in Washington, D.C., the States and Territories. We cannot turn our backs on the HIV/AIDS epidemic in our own country. HIV/AIDS is devastating many communities, particularly gay men, African Americans, Latinos and injection drug users. The AIDS Institute calls upon President Bush, the Congress, together with both Presidential candidates, to support a National AIDS Strategy and to demonstrate their leadership by committing immediately to preventing HIV in the United States through increased funding for the CDC HIV Prevention programs, and the establishment and implementation of prevention policies and programs based on sound scientific evidence.

Lifestyles Condoms Introduces Polyisoprene Non-latex

LifeStyles Condoms® announces the release of its latest innovation in contraception, SKYN™. LifeStyles® SKYN™ is the first condom on the market made from revolutionary polyisoprene non-latex, boasting that it’s “the closest thing to wearing nothing.”

Local Prison To Provide Inmates With Condoms

A local prison is planning to provide condoms to prisoners, even though intercourse between inmates is illegal and considered a major offense. For the next year, inmates at California State Prison Solano will be getting condoms from the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

My Quest? Build A Better Condom

There are lots of reasons scientists are looking for ways to make condoms more appealing--and safer--to use. TIME's Callie Lefevre asked Jan Vinzenz Krause about his efforts to make a spray-on condom. The condom fits 100% perfectly, so the safety is much higher than a standard condom's, and it feels more natural.

MULTI CULTURAL NEWS

Black America: A Neglected Priority in the Global AIDS Epidemic

Discussion with Kai Wright, freelance journalist based in Brooklyn and is the publications editor of the Black AIDS Institute. His article “America’s AIDS Apartheid” appears in the July issue of The American Prospect.

Essence study: Black women use consumer technology for empowerment

Black women are more likely than other female consumers to spend time using technology, and they view cell phones and the Internet as tools of empowerment and self-expression, a study finds. Compared to other women, five times as many black women -- 36 percent -- use cell phones for three or more hours a day, according to research by Time Inc.'s Essence magazine. Black women also spend more extended time using iPods, computers, high-definition TVs and DVD players.

SOCIAL MEDIA NEWS

The Dawn of Visual Networking

The age of visual networking is upon us, and it could be the most important trend in personal computing in at least a decade. So what is it? In its simplest form, visual networking is watching a cool video on YouTube, then e-mailing it to a friend. A more elaborate scenario is people using Cisco's HD Video Conference Telepresence suites or HP's Halo rooms to hold face-to-face meetings while thousands of miles apart.

OTHER NEWS

Avenue A | Razorfish Announces Creation of New Media and Entertainment Practice

Avenue A | Razorfish, one of the largest interactive services firms in the world, has launched a Media and Entertainment practice offering digital marketing solutions to companies in the print/publishing and broadcast/cable fields in the United States and abroad. The new practice will be led by Domenic Venuto, vice president of Media and Entertainment.

Bill & Melinda Gates Congratulate President Bush on Signing of AIDS, TB, and Malaria Funding Reauthorization Bill

We congratulate President Bush and leaders in Congress for their achievement in getting PEPFAR reauthorized at an unprecedented level of $48 billion. This bill renews and strengthens America's commitment to the global fight against AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. It is a worthy tribute to Henry Hyde and Tom Lantos, two legislators who distinguished themselves by their efforts to address global health and poverty issues.

Can New Media Be Taught in Schools?

Inside Higher Ed has an article today detailing some colleges' plans to fund "new media" sections in their journalism schools. Many people think that new media departments in schools are a terrible idea. The world is changing, media education has probably always needed to change and this point in history offers some exciting opportunities for educators and students.

Getting to Know "Lovers and Friends"

The Lovers and Friends Show, Johnson's brainchild, premiered online in January. Set in South Florida, it follows the everyday drama-ridden lives of a core group of six multiethnic lesbians of color and their friends and lovers.

Google Acquires Video Editing Service For YouTube

Omnisio lets users extract sections of video clips found on YouTube, Google Video or Blip.tv and then mash them up to form their own embeddable video clips. According to TechCrunch, the all-cash deal is worth $15 million.

Yahoo Drives 100 Million Visits to Newspapers

"It's like a fire hose blasting us with page views," says one newspaper editor. At the Dallas Morning News, for instance, some placements have accounted for up to 27% of the day's page views, and 65% of the day's unique visitors. Yahoo places the stories based on variables including user votes and search. Top stories are given primary placement on Yahoo's homepage.