BET
AIDS activist to be featured on BET show
Black Entertainment Television has been following the
BET filming Top 20 Greatest Moments in Reggae
Another documentary to record and celebrate the evolution of reggae music is on the way. This, the latest of such projects chronicling the history of the music, is called The Top 20 Greatest Moments in Reggae. And it is being undertaken by Earthstrong Production, Aranthes Lewin and Trinidadian Jeanille Bonterre, better known as Empress Jeanille, formerly MTV Reggae Tempo.
BET, Marvel Animation to co-produce "Black Panther" series
BET Networks and Marvel Animation are teaming up to produce an animated series based on the legendary superhero, The Black Panther. Casting is already underway for the series that is slated to premiere in the first quarter of 2009. A special sneak preview will premiere at Comic-Con in
'Payne' is leader but with fewer viewers; BET, USA are most watched networks
Even though it averaged fewer than its usual two million viewers per show, "House of Payne" maintained its lead over the top 25 most watched cable shows by black households. The TBS program took first, second and third position during the second week of July. Shifting summer viewing habits gave BET's "Baldwin Hills" fourth and fifth place on the chart.
CBS
Dial It Forward: CBS Radio Launches Video Platform
CBS Radio said Wednesday it's launching a new online video platform, operated by WorldNow, to facilitate the online business of its 140 radio station Web sites. Coming a few months after it began sharing content and managing ad sales for AOL Radio and Last.fm, the online video platform is another big step to expand CBS Radio's online offerings.
Viewing Shows Online Won't Kill TV
Recent study commissioned by CBS confirms, watching full length shows online will not devastate television viewership, Magid Media Labs conducted the study of 50,000 people, finding out that 35% of online viewers would be more likely to watch CBS on television after finding shows online.
MTV
Cablevision Gets Its MTVN On Demand
The new content includes a variety of today’s most popular music videos, as well as hit programming from such MTV hits as From G’s to Gents, VH1’s Brooke Knows Best, CMT’s Trick My Truck. The deal follows last week’s VOD announcement that added more than 100 on-demand shows from several MTV Networks services, including Comedy Central, Noggin, Black Entertainment Television The N and Logo.
Front Porch Digital Solutions Chosen by MTV Networks for Content Sharing
Kanye West Teams W/ MTV For “Homecoming” Iraq War Special
Grammy award winning rapper, Kanye West, is teaming up with MTV’s Sway Calloway to pay surprise visits to soldiers who have recently returned home from
MTV Announces That I WANT TO WORK FOR DIDDY Will Premieres Monday
Diddy. He only needs one name, but he needs a virtual army of help to keep his legendary empire of music, acting, fashion, sports, fragrance and television running. The ultimate secret weapon in that army? Diddy's personal assistant. VH1's new competitive reality series "I Want To Work For Diddy" tracks 13 hungry applicants as they compete to land the job of a lifetime. This isn't some boring job interview. They'll be challenged emotionally, physically and mentally to earn the privilege of doing Diddy's bidding, and just one lucky person will get the chance to call him "My Boss."
MTV Buys Pilot From Diller's CollegeHumor
MTV is looking to spice things up with a dose of frat boy humor. The Viacom channel is said to be acquiring the pilot for a television show from the creators of Barry Diller's CollegeHumor.com.
MTV’s Splash Page Launches! Check Out ‘Watchmen’ Exclusives Now!
It’s called SPLASH PAGE and we’re more than a bit excited to share it with you. Really our tag line says it all — when comics and movies collide, we’ll pick up the pieces. Expect all the exclusive news, interviews, video, humor, and commentary you’ve come to expect from the Movies Blog but over on SPLASH PAGE it’s all focused on a world that you’re probably just as obsessed with as we are.
An outpost of MTV Networks has become an authorized broadcaster in French-speaking
Online Casual Gaming Anything but Casual, MTV Networks Study Finds
Online casual gaming holds an exclusive place in the lives of gamers' of nearly all ages because it is both emotionally and physically engaging, according to MTV Networks' new study: "An Exploration of Online Casual Gaming."
Ximena Sarinana Introduced To MTV Tr3s Audience
Mexican, singer-songwriter-piantiast, 22 year old Ximena Sarinana is featured on MTV Tr3s Discubre & Dowloand. This distinctive recording artist combines vocals simlar to Ella Fitzgerald and Edith Piaf with her own unique cultural sounds.
Yahoo! Joins Forces with MTV Latin America to Launch Blog & Rock
Yahoo! today announced that it has joined forces with MTV Latin America to kick off Blog & Rock, a Yahoo! online promotion in which users are invited to share personal song-worthy stories by logging on to mtvla.yahoo.com from July 14 through August 11, 2008.
UNIVISION
Univision 34 Launches Mobile News Alerts on Univision Móvil
Univision’s flagship station KMEX-TV Channel 34, Los Angeles’ #1 rated 6pm local newscast for fourteen consecutive years1 and the #1 station across all Nielsen measured markets in the country regardless of language2, announced today the mobile distribution of news alerts, both in video and text messages, on Univision Móvil. Coverage includes important local, national and international news, as well as breaking news, weather, entertainment and the top stories of the day.
VIACOM
Nickelodeon Adds Social Networking Features to its Casual Gaming Sites
Nickelodeon is introducing social networking features into its largest online gamingVideogame-Simulator-Job 
properties, AddictingGames and Shockwave. Features like direct chat options and talking avatars powered by Oddcast will gradually be launched on both sites over the next six months.
Viacom, CBS Chief Redstone to 'Fight Death'
Sumner Redstone, at 85 years old, is still overseeing the media empire that he built over the past 20 years with no plans on stepping down. "I love what I'm doing," he says. "I love Viacom. I love CBS. And so I don't want to die. I have a will to live. I'm gonna fight death as long as I can."
Viacom CEO: 'great' content is king
Phillippe Dauman, speaking at the Fortune Brainstorm Tech, confirms that content is key. Great content is never a commodity, he said, and the Internet and mobile communications are helping Viacom broaden its reach internationally and among younger audiences online and via mobile devices.
AFRICA
AFRICA: When homophobia fuels the spread of HIV
The persistent and increasing outbreaks of violence against members of the gay community in Africa are jeopardising efforts undertaken to combat HIV, both within this group and across the population as a whole, AIDS activists warned at a recent meeting in
Bill Clinton to visit Africa, Mexico for anti-AIDS campaign
Former president Bill Clinton will be visiting Africa and
Africa: How Culture Can Be Used to Increase Understanding of HIV
Culture in all its forms and definitions needs to be integrated with HIV and AIDS mitigation strategies if the Commonwealth is to stem the increase of HIV infections across all regions. This was among the key messages that emerged from a briefing held at the Commonwealth's headquarters in Marlborough House,
HIV/AIDS infections in prisons ‘shocking’
The voluntary HIV/AIDS testing among prisoners in 2006, revealed a 9.2 per cent infection rate, the National Assembly was told here yesterday. The Deputy Minister for Home Affairs, Ambassador Hamis Kagasheki, said 3,556 inmates underwent the test and 327 of them were found to have been infected.
Red Cross launches massive Africa AIDS appeal
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) launched Tuesday a multi-million dollar appeal for an AIDS treatment programme in five African countries. The IFCR is seeking 21 million Swiss francs (13 million euros, 21 million dollars) for a three-year programme in
S.Africa experts hope drugs can curb HIV infection
In a study launched on Tuesday, researchers want to find out whether antiretroviral drugs normally used by people already carrying the HIV virus could protect those at higher risk of infection, a concept referred to as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). "It's early days but very exciting. It's another strategy, it gives us hope that maybe we can beat this epidemic," researcher Linda-Gail Bekker told Reuters at the sidelines of the launch of the study.
Uganda First Lady to launch AIDS film
The First Lady of Uganda has found a new way to education people in her country about HIV/AIDS. She will be launching a film aimed at fighting the spread of the disease entitled The Miss HIV film. The film, which will be screened for 70 minutes, aims at presenting the conflict between the behavioural change model and the sexual rights model in the prevention of HIV/AIDS.
UNICEF-supported soap opera raises awareness about HIV/AIDS in Niger
HIV/AIDS is an issue that is rarely talked about in
Zimbabwean Journalist Honored For Documentary On HIV/AIDS
Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin’ono overcame the country’s controversial media laws to produce a documentary about the many Zimbabweans suffering with and dying of HIV/AIDS that won the 2008 CNN Multi-Choice African Journalist of the Year Award.
ASIA
Grim reality: A survey of sex workers
More than 41% women sex workers in the Capital's
India, Glossy Magazines on the Same Page
As
Social stigma: HIV/AIDS-affected forgo pension
Ganjam has around 48 percent of the total AIDS patients of the State. But according to AIDS control societies, not many families of this 48 percent of population, have enrolled themselves as beneficiaries of this scheme. And this is due to fear of social stigma
Vision China Media Signs Exclusive Contract with Shanghai Metro
VisionChina Media Inc, one of
CARIBBEAN & LATIN AMERICA
Brazil to Install Condom Machines in Schools
Pro-family advocates and critics around the world expressed strong opposition this week after news spread that the nation of
Dutch organization promoting 'sex camp' for young people in Ecuador
The Dutch anti-life foundation HIVOS, together with the Latin American and Caribbean Network for Sexual and Reproductive Rights, is organizing a “sex camp” in Ecuador for young people who want to express their “sexual rights.”
Family planning challenged to reduce HIV related stigma
--Family planning associations have been challenged to peel away the HIV/AIDS related stigma and discrimination that is still very much alive in some parts of the region. Head of the Preventative Health Department Dr. Rachel Eersel gave the call to action during her presentation at the opening ceremony of the Caribbean Family Life Affiliation’s (CFLA) Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Saturday evening.
Reporting to a United Nations session on HIV/AIDS throughout the Caribbean, he said: "We need to bring our attorney[s]-general together, identify specifically the existing laws and begin to brainstorm as to how these laws can be tackled so that no longer can we criminalise these practices."
Guyanese wins UNAIDS Fellowship
Chisholm was selected to participate in the six-month UNAIDS Special Youth Programme at its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland and three months attached to its Country Office in Guyana. Chisholm has already started his internship with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).
Finally, next month, the world will pay long-overdue attention to this region when the XVII International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2008) is held in Mexico City. Given that so many in Latin America and the Caribbean have died from HIV/AIDS and have fought this disease with the same enthusiasm and passion as in any part of Africa and Asia, there seems no justification for this lack of attention.
Jamaica is leading the Caribbean in the fight against AIDS, having reduced the prevalence rate of HIV in Jamaica to about 1.5 per cent, the country's Minister of Health Rudyard Spencer has reported
Jamaica getting $3b grant to fight AIDS
The grant, which will be received this month, is based on the new National Strategic Plan 2007-2012, which aims at achieving universal access to HIV prevention, treatment and support. It focuses on the three priority areas of prevention, treatment, care and support and enabling environment and human rights.
More HIV positive women choose to have babies
As antiretrovirals become more widely available in Jamaica, a significant number of women living with HIV are opting to have children, a situation many never thought possible five years ago. However, many report that their reproductive health rights are not always respected by health personnel.
New strategy to combat HIV/AIDS
Grenada is using its Carnival celebrations to launch the latest strategy against the spread of the deadly HIV/AIDS virus. The intention is to make Grenada HIV/AIDS free," said Caroline Alexis-Thomas, the head of the National AIDS Directorate. The Carnival education programme is being conducted under the theme 'Put the brakes on AIDS' and Alexis-Thomas said the aim is to heighten the population's awareness to the virus, particularly the young people.
Society Must Come to Grips with Social Issues to Control HIV/AIDS
Outgoing Chief of Epidemiology and AIDS in the Ministry of Health and Environment, Dr. Peter Figueroa has called on the society to come to grips with a number of sensitive social issues, in order to effectively control the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
"We know our young people are sexually active. We have to put effective programmes in place to encourage them to abstain, and for those who do not want to abstain, they need ready access to condoms," he emphasised.
The Reality of HIV/AIDS - Diary of an HIV-positive/pregnant girl
Gabrielle* was 17 years old when she found out she was pregnant and HIV positive. She had gone to the medical centre to do a routine blood test when the nurse broke the bad news. "'You are HIV positive'. I went numb," she said. However, she regained her composure after a few days. She now had a baby to live for. She told herself that she had to at least live long enough to see her baby born without the virus.
USVI delegation to travel to Rwanda on HIV/AIDS mission
First Lady Cecile de Jongh will join a delegation of eleven students and five adults from the US Virgin Islands to travel to Rwanda to offer assistance to children orphaned by HIV/AIDS.
EUROPE
Britain's "Culture of Promiscuity" sees nearly 400000 new STD Cases
A "culture of promiscuity" has led to 397,990 new cases of sexually transmitted diseases in Britain, the highest number since record-keeping began thirty years ago, the Daily Mail reports. The Health Protection Agency that compiled the statistics noted that for most British young people, promiscuous sexual behaviour has become just "part of the territory" in day to day life. In their report released July 2, the HPA found that half the cases of infection could be found in the 16 to 24 year age group, even though this group made up only 12 percent of the population.
Family Planning Association Launches Campaign
Clinicians working in hospital and community settings can get involved in fpa's (Family Planning Association) Sexual Health Week (4-10 August 2008) themed It's My Right! The awareness week is campaigning on the issue of the rights of people with learning disabilities to have sex and relationships and enjoy good sexual health. A new set of posters, featuring models with learning disabilities are now available at www.fpa.org.uk as part of an information package for health professionals.
Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) is a particularly invasive strain of Chlamydia. Initial signs of LGV include sores on the penis and around the anus, and swollen lymph glands in the genital region. It can also cause anal bleeding, and can enhance the transmission of HIV. Left untreated, it can lead to disfigurement of the penis.
Teenage girls report pressure to live up to sexual ideals
Teenage girls feel under increasing pressure from magazines and websites to live up to material and sexual ideals, leaving them vulnerable and unhappy, according to research out today. Girls as young as 10 are suffering from stress and anxiety because they feel under pressure to grow up too quickly, a study by Girlguiding UK and the Mental Health Foundation has found.
Training Program That Teaches Parents How To Discuss Sex
A new training program that teaches parents at their workplace how to discuss sex with their children could be an effective way to reduce high-risk sexual behavior among teenagers, according to a U.S. study published Thursday in the British Medical Journal
ADVERTISING NEWS
Cumulative Value of Multi-Platform Advertising
A recent report from Integrated Media Measurement, Inc. (IMMI), based on data from 3000 panelists in six major markets, finds that though multi-platform advertising increases reach over individual platform advertising, the effect is not simply additive.
Nielsen: Global Ad Spending Up, U.S. Flat
Much of the growth came from outside the U.S. and Canada, which saw a 1% increase. Spending in Europe, where the waters may be getting choppier than the U.S., was essentially flat (down .4%), compared to the same period last year
Reebok Launches New Campaign With 20 NFL Players
Created by Mcgarrybowen, the ad shows players in their off-season pursuits--fishing, laying by the pool, cutting the grass--suddenly heading in the same direction, uniting to "migrate" to their home stadium. The players, each in his team's NFL Equipment Speedwick Tee, trudge through cities, plains and desert, to Vashti Bunyan's "Train Song."
HIV/AIDS AND SEXUAL HEALTH NEWS
EM Enterprises & Antonio Brown & Associates in conjunction with the HIV/AIDS Organization Planned Parenthood & The National Black Justice Coalition unleashes its 1st Annual Summer Takeover event to raise awareness, give education and counseling for HIV/Aids on July 25th -27th 2008. The event, which will combine high fashion and entertainment, is also seeking to raise awareness, educate and offer free testing for HIV/Aids. This event was marketed in several cities throughout the United States including, D.C., Baltimore, Dallas, New York, Atlanta, Philly, and Houston. Celebrity host include BET's Tocarra, B2K former band member Raz B, Deisgner Kenny Flannigan, Family Matters Jaimee Foxworth, Noah's Arc Jensen Atwood and Comedian Mike Brooks to name a few.
Elton John’s AIDS Foundation Supports Needle Exchange
The Elton John AIDS Foundation isn’t just about tiaras and white ties! Hell no! In fact, the foundation recently rolled up their sleeves and took to the streets of New York with a community based needle exchange program to help stop blood born diseases. Volunteers from the organization set up shop all over NYC with a massive supply of clean needles to offer hepatitis screening, vaccines, HIV testing and treatment programs.
HIV/AIDS reporting guide for Latin American journalists published
UNESCO and Foundation Agency have published a guide on covering HIV/AIDS for journalists in Latin America. With the collaboration of journalists, social organizations, governmental officials and international agencies, the guide summarizes more than 100 hours of a series of workshops that took place in Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay.
More family meals mean less risky sex for teens
Parents who don't want their teens to engage in risky sexual behavior should make family time a priority, a new study suggests. Adolescents who took part in family activities more often had sex less frequently, less unprotected sex, and fewer sex partners, Dr. Rebekah Levine Coley of Boston College and her colleagues found.
New Report Calls for Greater Condom and Contraceptive Funding
A recently released report from Population Action International (to be released at the International AIDS Conference in Mexico City) says that while prevention is a top priority in battling HIV/AIDS, developing countries are not receiving the necessary donor support for condoms and contraceptives.
Report warns of AIDS ‘crisis’ across South
AIDS specialists are calling for a fundamental rethinking of HIV policy after a new report showed that infection with the virus was rising dramatically in the South even as it dropped everywhere else in the country.
While the numbers of adolescents and young adults with HIV are still relatively low, they do represent a difficult group to identify and treat. In a perfect storm of independence and invulnerability, these young people often go untested or without medical care. That's why the state has developed a coordinated effort to serve this group, working with the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Department of Pediatrics, Health Education Resource Organization (HERO), Sinai Hospital, and Light Health and Wellness. "The goal is to fund a comprehensive network of services," says Heather Hauck, director of the Maryland AIDS Administration.
Training Program That Teaches Parents How To Discuss Sex
A new training program that teaches parents at their workplace how to discuss sex with their children could be an effective way to reduce high-risk sexual behavior among teenagers, according to a U.S. study published Thursday in the British Medical Journal
UNESCO launches education kit on HIV/AIDS
"This kit provides technical advice on policies to develop and implement, on the required appropriations and the implementation of programs related to education and HIV, under the UNAIDS Global Initiative on education and HIV-AIDS (EDUCAIDS)," the UN agency said a statement issued Wednesday.
US ban on visitors with HIV could end soon
A two-decade ban on people with HIV visiting or immigrating to the United States may end soon through a Senate bill aimed at fighting AIDS and other diseases in Africa and other poor areas of the world. The U.S. is one of a dozen countries — including Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Libya and Russia — that ban travel and immigration for HIV-positive people
MOBILE NEWS
Mobile, ISP Not Ripe For Behavioral Marketing
Behavioral marketing via mobile devices is still a couple of years off, according to panelists speaking at the OMMA Behavioral conference on Monday. Meanwhile, they agreed that ISP-based behavioral targeting is attractive for obvious reasons, but will not be viable in the near future because of privacy concerns.
Social Networking On Mobile Still Not As Strong As Email And Web
Only 24 percent of Internet users access social networking sites with a mobile phone, according to a new survey (pdf) done in the U.K. last month. The general thrust of the survey was to determine how big a role social networking plays in online usage.
Verizon CEO: Better wireless networking coming
Verizon CEO, Ivan Seidenberg has acknowledged current issues with US broadband coverage and promises a faster and more reliable network in the future. Seidenberg says that that content providers like Viacom who are eager to distribute media – whether it’s for the mobile phone or on the web – places carriers in a good position. “You can put content anywhere in the cloud,” he said. “You don’t need to have a connection of content and distribution to be successful.”
MULTI CULTURAL NEWS
BlackInAmerica.com hopes to take advantage of audience for CNN special
BlackInAmerica.com functions like any other social network, but is specifically targeted to positive and open-minded African-Americans who want to see change. It encourages unity, and stimulates positive ideas, dialogue and solutions.
CNN's 'Black' Series Attracts McDonald's
The upcoming installments of CNN's "Black in America" series have signed on McDonald's and Geico as sponsors, reaching beyond the network's regular stable of advertisers. "We are attracting new category advertisers because of relevant, audience-connecting programs like "Black in America," says Greg D'Alba, CNN executive. Having an African-American candidate for president undoubtedly helps fuel the interest among both viewers and brands.
Experts Concerned About the Growing Rate of HIV Infection in Hispanics
Hispanics make up 14 percent of the U.S. population but a new survey shows they represented 22 percent of new HIV and AIDS cases in 2006. The survey found in major U.S. cities, one in four gay Hispanic men have the virus that causes AIDS.
Gorilla Nation adds African-American sites and staff to multicultural rep division
Gorilla Nation, the world's largest online ad rep firm, today announced that it has been selected to exclusively represent the online ad inventory of three African-American and two Hispanic web properties through its GNMulticultural division.
Latino Commission on AIDS Welcomes Miss Universe 2008
Miss Universe 2008 Dayana Mendoza is the newest "Madrina" of the Latino Commission on AIDS, announced Dennis deLeon, President of the Latino Commission on AIDS. Dayana Mendoza visited the offices of the Commission in New York on July 23rd and received a comprehensive briefing on the impact of HIV/AIDS among Hispanics in the United States and Territories.
MEXICO: Prostitution Rings Flourish at all Levels
"Diamond VIP" class prostitutes, who are mainly from Eastern Europe, Argentina, Brazil or Cuba, can charge as much as 2,000 dollars in Mexico, while sex workers from southern Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador or Honduras earn a mere 15 dollars. The price indicates which mafia is handling the women.
The high-class prostitutes are "administered" by Russians, Ukrainians or Cuban-Americans linked to global human trafficking rings, while the lower-priced are controlled by local pimps. Both organisations operate in a network of corruption in which authorities are involved.
MMTC offers twelve recommendations for changes in telecom policy
The Minority Media and Telecommunications Council put forth twelve recommendations it hopes the Federal Communications Commission and other federal agencies will adopt. "This Road Map for Telecommunications Policy seeks nothing less than the complete eradication of racial discrimination and its present effects from the nation's most influential and important industries -- mass media and telecommunications," said MMTC Executive Director, David Honig.
More to Hispanic media than Univision
When we think of Spanish-language advertising, we tend to think of Univision, the giant Hispanic broadcaster. But while broadcast and, by extension, Univision, is still the dominant Spanish-language ad medium, its gains have finally begun to level off. Now other areas of Hispanic media are starting to lead the category’s growth.
NAACP releases its 12th annual report card on economic reciprocity
After 12 years of tracking the diversity efforts of some of the nation's largest companies in five key industries, the NAACP reports measured progress toward the goal of addressing economic concerns of the African American consumer.
Spanish-language Media Market In a Growth Phase
As reports of layoffs, cutbacks and buyouts sweep through America’s most influential newspapers like the Chicago Tribune, Miami Herald and The Washington Post, publishing companies struggle to stretch resources and keep newspapers afloat. Despite declining circulation and shrinking advertising revenue, one niche market is holding steady.
The Future of Latin Entertainment, Media and Technology Markets
The 2008 LMEC-LatinVision Convergence Conference: The Future of Latin Entertainment, Media and Technology Markets will be held on Wednesday, October 15, 2008, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the New York Times Center in New York City. The one-day event brings together the best minds in the Latin media, entertainment and technology markets to discuss why New York is the center for this industry and its future, how investors can tap into the growth and new opportunities and what the city is doing to help develop talent and strengthen its workforce.
PHILANTHROPY
Ben & Jerry's and Elton John Team Up
Ben & Jerry's will sell the treat at Monday's concert and for a short time only at the company's Vermont scoop shops. All the proceeds will go to the Elton John AIDS Foundation. It promotes HIV/AIDS education, and recently has focused new attention on programs in poor communities in the South and the Caribbean.
Bill Gates and Michael Bloomberg turn their millions against smoking
Two of the world’s richest men, with bank balances that rival the gross domestic product of small countries, are joining forces to wage war against a common enemy — the tobacco industry. The billionaires, through their eponymous charities, intend to lobby governments in Asia, Africa and South America to increase taxes on cigarettes, implement smoking bans and raise awareness of health risks.
Clinton Foundation unveils deal to cut malaria drug prices
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton unveiled a deal on Thursday with six Chinese and Indian companies to cut a key malaria drug price by a third and slash the price volatility of a vital ingredient by 70 percent.
New Philanthropy Highlights Black Achievement
A new philanthropic effort will give out $150,000 to Omaha organizations. On Monday, the African-American Unity Fund said it will get grants for organizations that are working to address the needs of the black community. "Areas where citizens might be involved with the arts, economic development and other types of issues," said Douglas County Treasurer and member of the grant committee John Ewing
The new philanthropists: Silicon Valley teens
Meet the new philanthropists - Silicon Valley teens with innate computer networking skills, affluent family connections and the one-click ability to bear witness to global poverty. "Their sense of justice is different than ours growing up," said Sue Schwartzman of the Jewish Community Endowment Fund, whose youth foundation gave away $204,000 in global charity in June.
SOCIAL MEDIA NEWS
A California Woman Has Taken Social Networking To A Whole New Level
"Kick off your shoes, slide into your "Blue Fuzzy Slippers," and put your feet up, says, Sherri A. Baldy, BFS President and CEO. "It’s time for a fresh new approach to those great American pastimes Shopping, Selling, Socializing and Searching the four S’s that have been the backbone of the Internet almost since its creation." Sherri A. Baldy is the first woman to ever create a social network of this level. she is now taking it all a step further. You can now sell in your network on Blue Fuzzy Slippers right on your profile page!
Facebook dominates UK social networking as Twitter leaps
Facebook dominates UK social networking with 45.29% of the market, almost double the share of second-placed Bebo and three times more than MySpace, as micro blogging site Twitter shows major growth.
Facebook Sues 'Copycat' German Social Networking Site
Facebook has sued a German social networking site, saying the site stole its look and feel by creating a clone site and merely replacing a blue background with a red one
Gambling On Facebook Games, Zynga Cashes In
A company that makes free game applications for Facebook is about to receive a large infusion of cash from investor Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers -- a sign of investors' growing interest in services that plug into social networks. The company, Zynga Game Network, is also an unusual recipient for Kleiner's funding in that it's been around a while. Kleiner is known for investing in younger companies, but is making an exception in this case -- further indication of the importance placed on social networking success.
hi5 Is Fastest-Growing Top-10 Social Network in the World
hi5 Networks, one of the world’s largest social networks, announced today that it is also the world’s fastest growing among the top-10 global social networks. Based on the June comScore Media Metrix worldwide figures released today, hi5 grew 79% in the first half of 2008 – more than twice the growth rate of any of the top 10 social networks.
The OpenID project aims to make surfing the Net easier by giving everyone a single ID they can use to access all their sites. MySpace is its newest member. "All this will tie together to make it more useful for MySpace users to have MySpace accounts even when they're not on MySpace," said Jim Benedetto, the company's senior vice president of technology.
If you've jumped on the social networking bandwagon and are wondering "Is this all there is?" don't give up just yet. It's not so much about what you can get out of social networks today but what you can gain tomorrow—when they become personalized. If you've ignored the social networking trend up until now, consider this handy list your set of training wheels.
The Business Value Of Social Networking
As social networks become ubiquitous, small and midsize businesses need to understand how they can exploit them. bMighty spoke with John McCrea, head of marketing for Plaxo, which manages 40 million online address books, to learn why entrepreneurs need to get into the game, how to do it and where this is all going.
OTHER NEWS
Americans Viewed 12 Billion Videos Online in May 2008
comScore, a leader in measuring the digital world, today released May 2008 data from the comScore Video Metrix service, reporting that U.S. Internet users viewed more than 12 billion online videos during the month, representing an increase of 45 percent versus year ago.
Coca-Cola backs six-city summer concert tour featuring artist Lupe Fiasco
Coca-Cola keeps the summer cool and makes it hot for teens across the country as it kicks off the six-city, invitation only 'Coca-Cola Refresh Your Flow Tour' featuring hip hop artist Lupe Fiasco today in Los Angeles.
Gays Don’t Tell Doctors Their Sexuality, Study Finds
A survey of 452 New York City men who had had sex with other men within the past year found that 39 percent had not disclosed their sexual orientation to their doctors, a problem particularly acute among black, Hispanic and Asian men, the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene announced on Wednesday
FCC Panel Probes Future of Digital Media
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission met in Pittsburgh on Monday for two sessions, "The Future of Digital Media" and "The Broadband of Tomorrow." One panelist, Web pro Mark Cuban, suggests the greatest opportunities in digital media will lie beyond the Internet.
Senior Marketers Expect Increase in New Media and Digital Spending
Over 75 percent of senior marketers expect spend for new media and online initiatives to increase in the next year despite the poor economy, according to the sixth annual PRWeek/Manning Selvage & Lee (MS&L) Marketing Management Survey, MarketingCharts writes.
Study of knowledge, perception and attitude of adolescent girls
Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIas), including HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) mainly affects sexually active young people. Young adults aged 15-29 years, account for 32% of AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) cases reported in India and the number of young women living with HIV/AIDS is twice that of young men.
TiVo to Create 'New Business Model' for TV
TiVo is introducing a "product purchase" feature with Amazon.com. Owners of TiVo video recorders will see links to buy products like CDs, DVDs and books. TiVo plans to begin offering this feature to advertisers with the goal of creating "a future business model for television."
