Historic Pan-Africa Synchronized Broadcast Launches the You Campaign

Forty-one major broadcasting companies all simultaneously aired the anchor public service ad (PSA), on television and radio, launching the YOU campaign last Word AIDS Day (December 1). The PSA was also aired on MultiChoice/DSTV and the SABC’s Channel Africa giving the ad truly continent-wide exposure.

The launch PSA, featuring well-known African icons, was supported by longer form programming developed by participating ABMP member companies and is the first in a sustained multi-year pan-African HIV/AIDS public education and awareness campaign. This campaign will specifically focus on African pride, accomplishment and cultural uniqueness to promote fresh interest in HIV/AIDS messaging, and by integrating messaging across popular TV and radio programs.

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Using the tag line “Imagine the Possibility of an HIV-Free Generation…It Begins with YOU” the YOU campaign exhorts Africans to consider what each can do as individuals, families, communities to help stop the spread of HIV. As the campaign unfolds in the coming months, new ads will focus on more specific behaviours that drive the HIV epidemic in Africa. The ads also highlighted an SMS number (+27-83-920-8407) accessible across Africa that asks viewers to send a text message saying what they are doing to advance an HIV-free generation. People who send an SMS text message to the number get a message back encouraging all Africans to know their HIV-status as a preventive form of stopping the spread of the virus.

A campaign website (www.itbeginswithyou.org) is under development and will be launched as part of the second phase of the campaign in mid-2007.

ABMP members companies enthusiastically participated in the launch and have thrown their weight behind the YOU campaign. Here are a few examples of feedback:

“Let me explain the essence of the “YOU” slogan in the HIV/AIDS campaign. Quite often we tend to look at the scourge of HIV/AIDS from a very distant perspective – it is someone else who could “catch” AIDS, not me! This tendency to make HIV/AIDS a distant, anonymous, third person gives us a false sense of security, namely that “we” cannot be infected – it is someone else. But the reality of the HIV/AIDS scourge is that it is right here with all of us – in our homes, in our offices, in our hotels, in our families, in our newsrooms, if you’re not infected, you are affected. The “YOU” campaign talks to each and everyone of us – YOU – and removes HIV/AIDS from faceless obscurity and nameless anonymity to the “YOU” that we know, that could be identified, that could be named.”

Brief remarks by Mallam Abubakar Jijiwa, Director-General, Voice Of Nigeria (www.voiceofnigeria.org) and Chairman, Broadcasting Organizations Of Nigeria, (Press Briefing, 29th, November, 2006)

From Mozambique, Televisao de Moçambique (www.tvm.co.mz) broadcast "+ Jovem" (“+ Young”) a youth talk-show program featuring debates on issues related to young people. The show also carried live entertainment including music. On Rádio Moçambique (www.rm.co.mz), the radio stations across the country carried news programming on local activities in the communities. Television Miramar’s news programming focused on global efforts to fight the disease as well as youth debates with young people. Throughout the course of the day, SOICO TV (www.stv.co.mz) carried segments focusing in HIV education featuring in each segment a particular area for discussion.

From South Africa, the South Africa Broadcasting Corporation (www.sabc.co.za) partnered with a local NGO to carry out free HIV testing for members of the public. All SABC senior executives took an HIV test and encouraged members of staff to do the same. Across the country, e.TV (www.etv.co.za) and Mnet (www.mnet.co.za), also members of the ABMP, carried the public service jingles which were also tied into other programming throughout the day.

From Seychelles: Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation (www.sbc.sc) the program YOUTHBEAT did a formal launch of the campaign with featuring human interest stories. Guests included young people, religious leaders, entertainers, beauty pageant winners, and sports personalities all calling out the tag line of the campaign “it begins with YOU.” The program also featured a young star singing with a gospel choir and studio audience participation in a debate based on a drama sketch.

Africa Takes Leadership of Global Media Aids Initiative (GMAI)

Chief Executive Officer of the South African Broadcasting Corporation, Adv. Dali Mpofu on 1st December, 2006, in a formal handover at which former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan officiated, took on the role of chair of the global leadership committee of the GMAI. Launched by then Secretary General Annan in January 2004, the GMAI (www.thegmai.org) aims to increase the role and commitment of broadcast companies worldwide to combating HIV/AIDS. Mpofu takes over from founding chair, MTV Networks International, President Bill Roedy.

“I am very honoured to have been asked to take up leadership of the GMAI at this critical time in the global fight against HIV and AIDS,” Mr Mpofu said. “Africa is worst affected by the epidemic, and this is an opportunity for our continent to demonstrate real leadership in this struggle and to motivate other broadcasters around the world by our example.”

Click here to view press release.

During the hand-over, then UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, commented: "Since the launch of the Global Media AIDS Initiative in 2004, there has been overwhelmingly broad participation. Bill Roedy has mobilized media companies around the world to make unprecedented commitments to HIV prevention through innovative campaigns and programming. Dali Mpofu is wonderfully suited to build on this momentum, and to inspire others to use their creativity and communications skills to fight the epidemic."

“There has never been a greater effort by media to fight this epidemic,” commented Mr Roedy. “However, HIV infection rates continue to increase, emphasising the need for stronger commitments and deeper involvement from all media companies. Fighting HIV must become part of the DNA of every company. Much more needs to be done. By sharing content and expertise, media can collectively make a critical difference. This is the defining moral issue of our time.”

The GMAI aims to engage the world’s media in the fight against AIDS. Since its launch, over 150 companies from 76 countries have committed to substantially increase the broadcast airtime for HIV & AIDS related programmes and have participated in developing and producing HIV & AIDS messaging and programming across genres and platforms. The initiative was conceived by the Kaiser Family Foundation and UNAIDS with additional support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. To date the GMAI has organized major regional HIV/AIDS initiatives among broadcast companies in Africa, the Caribbean, Russia, India, Latin America and the USA.

For more on the GMAI, go to www.thegmai.org

2007 CNN Multichoice African Journalist Awards Application Entry Forms Now Available

Application forms for the 2007 CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Awards are now available and African journalists – Print, Television, Radio, Online and Photo – are being encouraged to send in their applications before the deadline of 21st February, 2007. Journalists may submit their entries in English, French or Portuguese language.

The competition is open to African journalists working on the continent for an African-owned media organization which broadcast or published their entry between January and December 2006. More information on the Award can be found on www.cnn.com/WORLD/africa/africanawards/competition.html

Special Award for Excellence in HIV/AIDS Reporting

Reporters from electronic and print media who have had material related to HIV/AIDS broadcast or printed in 2006 are encouraged to apply for the Kaiser-CNN Award for Excellence in HIV/AIDS Journalism in Africa. This Award specifically recognizes work that includes perspectives on the broader political, economic and social dimensions of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, as well as the more obvious health issues. Applicants for the Award will also be considered for participation in a week-long special journalism development workshop run by the Kaiser Family Foundation in parallel to the CNN award program in Cape Town in July 2007.

Entries must be received by 21st February, 2007. Go to www.cnn.com/WORLD/africa/africanawards/competition.html to find the application forms.

To see information on past winners, judges and previous stories submitted, click here.