Redefining peer pressure with 'MTV'
Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, New York
At a skateboard park somewhere in New York, three young men confronted a peer, pressuring him to do something.
"So, did you do the deed or not? I've done it, he's done it ... It's a part of being a man, man," said one of the boys.
The cornered boy claimed that he had done it that afternoon, but the others asked for proof. He then rolled up his sleeve, showing a plastered arm, which was welcomed by cheers and high- fives.
The advertisement was one of a number of public service announcements about HIV/AIDS produced by America's MTV. The clip closed with the tagline "Redefine peer pressure. Get tested."
While the content on the music television network may have become increasingly sexual during past years, the channel has also been praised for its groundbreaking programs to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS among youth.
In a recent interview with the channel, the United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan credited MTV for doing positive, preventive work with its target audience.
"Other channels came onboard a bit later, but you have made a real contribution in educating the young. And it is important because when you look at the statistics there's a high proportion of the young getting infected today, particularly between 14, 15 to 24, 25, and that is really the age group your station touches most," Annan told the MTV news correspondent John Norris.
There are an estimated 40 million people worldwide now living with some stage of HIV or AIDS.
Of all the new cases in the world, more than half of them are between 15 and 24 years old.
MTV first launched its "Staying Alive" campaign in 1998 that seeks to help prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS by empowering youth to protect themselves and fight the discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS.
Partnering with several well-known sexual health organizations as well as other media, the Staying Alive campaign included long- format programming, such as documentaries, concert events, news specials, and discussion programs, public service announcements, sexual behavior polls, a website in 10 languages (www.staying- alive.org), and off-air marketing and grassroots promotion.
There is also MTV's "think:Sexual Health", the Emmy-Award winning campaign that encourages young people to make informed choices about the issues surrounding HIV/AIDS, other sexually transmitted diseases and unintended pregnancy.
According to research conducted by the U.S-based Kaiser Foundation for family health in 2002 and 2003, more than two out of three of the campaign viewers are now more likely to use condoms, nearly half of the viewers have talked to their partners about having safe sex, and almost one in four have been tested for HIV or other STDs.
MTV vice president for strategic partnerships and public affairs, Ian V. Rowe, said more than one million people had called the toll-free hotline (1-888-BE-SAFE-1) and there had been a 30 percent increase in HIV testing. Just less than two thirds of people surveyed said they had personally learned something new from the campaign, Rowe said.
"We have reached a one billion audience through the network, and hope for more."
MTV plays in more than 412 million households in 164 territories in the Asia Pacific region, Europe, Latin America, North America and Russia.
For more information on MTV AIDS campaigns, programs and booklets, visit www.think.mtv.com.