MTV Launches Break the Addiction; Sets Goal to Educate and Empower Young People to Help End Global Warming and Mass Overconsump
April 21 2006 - 12:01PM
PR Newswire (US)
12-month, 12-step Campaign offers Young People Opportunity to Lead
the Fight against Global Warming NEW YORK, April 21 /PRNewswire/ --
Following President Bush's State of the Union declaration earlier
this year that "America is addicted to oil," MTV announced today
the network's latest pro-social initiative, BREAK THE ADDICTION, a
year-long campaign to engage, educate and empower young people to
take simple, daily actions that can have a measurable impact in the
fight against global warming. The campaign will launch with a
channel takeover on Earth Day, Saturday, April 22, including an
on-air, online and wireless messaging campaign about how to help
stop global warming, break-ins to regularly scheduled programming
that offer environmental lessons, multiple public service
announcements (PSAs), and an MTV News package introducing BREAK THE
ADDICTION, featuring a leading young environmental activist. BREAK
THE ADDICTION is MTV's year-long recovery program aimed at
mobilizing a new generation of environmental activists. On-air,
online and on wireless, the initiative will connect the audience to
simple, daily tips, as well as in-depth resources, to help them
recognize and change habits that harm the environment. Viewers will
be directed online to think.mtv.com to quantify and track their
efforts by the amount of carbon dioxide emissions and dollars saved
due to changes they commit to making throughout the year.
Supplemental MTV programming -- both long-form and news packages --
will air throughout the year and the tips will be revealed in daily
PSAs on air on MTV, MTV2, and mtvU as well as online and delivered
to cell phones. Additional PSAs will appear on mtv.com, mtv2.com,
mtvU.com, MTV Overdrive and mtvU Uber. Through partnerships with
StopGlobalWarming.org, National Resources Defense Council (NRDC),
Grist.org, Student PIRGs, Campus Climate Challenge, and Clean
Air-Cool Planet, MTV will go beyond the broadcasts to create online
and wireless resources, as well as opportunities for grassroots
organizing and outreach. "Throughout history young people have
always rallied around issues and generated change, and we know from
our constant dialogue with young people that they are concerned
about the environment but don't know how to make a difference,"
said Christina Norman, President, MTV. "BREAK THE ADDICTION will
educate and empower young people with tangible, simple actions and
measurable ways to see how their small efforts have big effects."
MTV will theme each month with a concrete message -- from Examine
Yourself to Go Paperless to Get Political -- and create
corresponding programming and resources on air, online, on wireless
phones and on the ground. Throughout the campaign, young people
will be able to access a number of resources on these platforms,
including: * The BREAK THE ADDICTION recycle bin on TRL -- MTV's
flagship TRL program will host the BREAK THE ADDICTION recycle bin
for audience members who literally must recycle to gain entrance to
the studio. Throughout the year, MTV will point to the container as
a reminder of simple acts that can make big impacts on the planet.
* think MTV's Carbon Calculator -- An online calculator, built in
partnership with StopGlobalWarming.org will launch around Earth Day
to enable young people to calculate their carbon and financial
savings as they commit to making changes in their lives. *
Long-form programming and MTV News packages -- MTV programming will
explore the issues of global warming, as well as showcase the
innovative ways that young people are fighting to preserve the
environment. * User-generated Content -- MTV viewer ideas will be
solicited and showcased through their submission of pictures about
how they're stopping global warming. * Action Center -- Break the
Addiction will provide opportunities for young people to take
personal, social, and political action to help stop global warming.
* Comprehensive Online Resources -- think MTV will launch a Break
the Addiction website on think.mtv.com to serve as a comprehensive
portal for information about global warming and ways to take action
to reduce one's environmental impact. Additional on air, online,
wireless, and grassroots initiatives will be rolled out throughout
the year. About think MTV The think MTV initiative includes
longform specials, MTV News reports, PSAs, and other special
programming dedicated to the issues that young people care about
most. A think MTV icon appears onscreen during programming that has
an online counterpart at think.MTV.com, to offer a range of
opportunities for young people to learn about and engage on
critical issues at the local or national level. On every page
within the site, young people can search for local volunteer
opportunities, contact their political representatives, and
register to vote. About MTV MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom
(NYSE:VIANYSE:VIA.B), is one of the world's leading creators of
programming and content across all media platforms. MTV Networks,
with more than 100 channels worldwide, owns and operates the
following television programming services - MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION,
MTV2, VH1, mtvU, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV
LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, NOGGIN, VH1 CLASSIC, LOGO, MTVN INTERNATIONAL
and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital
services, all of these networks trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV
Networks connects with its audiences through its robust consumer
products businesses and its more than 95 interactive properties
worldwide, including online, broadband, wireless and interactive
television services and also has licensing agreements, joint
ventures, and syndication deals whereby all of its programming
services can be seen worldwide. DATASOURCE: MTV CONTACT: Diane
Domondon, MTV, +1-212-846-6613, Web site: http://think.mtv.com/
http://www.mtv.com/
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