The Wall Street Journal - November 28, 2000
Edward Harris, Staff Reporter

For this Friday's 13th annual World AIDS Day, MTV is offering free to broadcasters world-wide the follow-up program, "Staying Alive 2," hosted by pop icons Ricky Martin and George Michael. So far, 26 broadcasters say they will air the show -- including the Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, Thailand's Bangkok Broadcasting & Television Co. and the National Geographic Channel -- bringing a far larger potential global audience of 743 million homes.

MTV produced the half-hour program, in partnership with the World Bank and UNAIDS, a United Nations program. The program offers six real-life testimonials from those stricken with, or fearful of, HIV infection. They come from locales ranging from Paris to Lusaka, Zambia. An unusual aspect is that other broadcasters -- including cable channels that compete with MTV for advertising revenues -- will carry the program with the MTV logo in the corner.

MTV believes that its influence with young people who are often beginning to experiment with sex and drugs -- putting them at particular risk for infection with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS -- carries a responsibility to encourage condom use and other protective behavior.

"Half of all HIV transmission occurs in those under 25, and we have this audience," says Bill Roedy, the London-based president of MTV International, who was recently appointed head of the Global Business Council on HIV and AIDS. He acknowledges that allowing free distribution of the program helps spread the MTV brand to those who might not otherwise see it, but insists this wasn't the purpose. "We are simply trying to reach as much of an audience as possible," he said.

Mr. Roedy declined to say how much the program cost to produce, saying only that the costs are shared equally by MTV, the World Bank and the U.N.

Despite MTV's efforts, the program won't run on the South African Broadcasting Co., the largest broadcaster in southern Africa, where HIV infection is particularly severe. More than 70% of the 34.3 million people living with AIDS are in sub-Saharan Africa, according to UNAIDS. While the MTV program may be useful, SABC plans its own all-day education blitz on Dec. 1., explains Kitty Scott, head of SABC's corporate AIDS strategy. The MTV program might dilute its Africa-specific message, she feels. However, the program will be broadcast on Zambian, Zimbabwean and Kenyan state channels, among others, according to MTV.

Write to Edward Harris at ed.harris@wsj.com1
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