Nickelodeon Networks Capture Eight CTPAA Beacon Awards,

Nickelodeon Networks Capture Eight CTPAA Beacon Awards,

Capturing More Awards than Any Other Network

NEW YORK, May 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Nickelodeon Networks, the number-one entertainment brand for kids, was awarded a total of eight Beacon Awards, more than any other network, for various pro-social campaigns on Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite/TV Land, and The N. Sponsored by the Cable Television Public Affairs Association (CTPAA), the national Beacon Awards competition recognizes excellence in public affairs throughout the cable industry. In particular, Nickelodeon's "Let's Just Play" won four Beacon Awards, and was also a 2005 Golden Beacon Award finalist. A full list of Nickelodeon Beacon Award-winning campaigns can be found below.

"It's an honor to be recognized by our colleagues in the industry who have looked at all of the campaigns from the various networks, and decided to bestow these awards upon our initiatives," said Marva Smalls, Executive Vice President, Nickelodeon Networks Public Affairs. "We are an entertainment company that believes we have a responsibility that extends beyond entertainment. As part of our mission to connect with our audiences, it has been a part of our DNA to incorporate pro-social campaigns to help empower them."

Let's Just Play is Nickelodeon's long-term, pro-social commitment to encourage kids to participate in active, healthy, and playful lifestyles - a much needed antidote to reports of the rise in childhood obesity, the concerns about reduction of PE in schools and in after-school programs, and the over- scheduled and sedentary lifestyles of kids today. In addition to using the power of Nickelodeon's air, online sites, and celebrity support, the channel devotes significant year-round resources to build a grassroots infrastructure to support physical play opportunities in communities everywhere. In partnership with local cable affiliates, the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and the National PTA, Nickelodeon's Let's Just Play provides programmatic support for communities to host their own play activities.

TV Land & Nick at Nite's Family Table: Share More Than Meals was created by the two networks in 2003 and seeks to remind its viewers about the emotional and social benefits that come from taking the time to sit down and share with one another. Through a series of promotional spots - which both networks air in regular rotation daily - TV Land and Nick at Nite have committed over $11 million in on-air time over three years to encourage viewers to experience the benefits of dining together. Parents who dine with their kids four times a week or more are more likely to raise kids with better verbal skills, who perform better in school and are less likely to abuse cigarettes, drugs and alcohol during adolescence than families who do not make consistent family dining a priority.

The N, the nighttime network for teens, partnered with the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and National PTA to present a special 'Living With HIV/AIDS' episode of its acclaimed series, "A Walk In Your Shoes." This important episode, which aired on World AIDS Day and was part of The N's contribution to the Viacom/Kaiser KNOW HIV/AIDS initiative, featured an HIV negative teen who "walks in the shoes" of an HIV positive teen. The N also aired a series of four HIV/AIDS public service announcements that addressed the scale of the epidemic and help educate teens about the virus and how it is transmitted. In addition, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision in 2004 - Brown v. Board of Education, The N presented "I Sit Where I Want: The Legacy of Brown v. Board of Education," an hour-long documentary examining the state of race relations and integration from a teen perspective, and providing a relevant and contemporary view of Brown's legacy.

From the hundreds of entries received in this year's Beacon Award competition, 76 winners were chosen by cable public affairs professionals in an extensive two-phase judging process. The overwhelming number of entries represent company initiatives implemented over the past year, in the areas of community, customer, media and employee relations, as well as education and government affairs.

The winners were announced at a gala awards ceremony on May 3, during CTPAA's annual three-day conference, FORUM 2005: Expanding Cable's Connections. FORUM 2005 was held at the Ritz-Carlton, Washington, D.C. from May 1 to 4, 2005.

"Winner status is truly an outstanding achievement. The requirements to become a winner are more demanding than ever before. These award winning projects reflect the cable industry's strong commitment to public affairs, technological advances, and educational initiatives to communities across the country," said Steve Jones, Executive Director, CTPAA.

Nickelodeon's 2005 Beacon Award winners are:

From Nickelodeon: - Community; Full Campaign/Series; Cable Network III Nickelodeon's "Let's Just Play"

- Community; Full Campaign/Single Activity; Cable System I "Let's Just Play" Florence, Time Warner Cable/Florence, SC

- Community; Full Campaign/Single Activity; Cable Network III Nickelodeon's "Let's Just Play's" Worldwide Day of Play

- Community; Print Materials; Cable Network III Nickelodeon's "Let's Just Play" Print Materials

From Nick at Nite/TV Land:

- Community; Video Promotion or PSA/Series; Cable Network III TV Land and Nick at Nite's Family Table ... Share More Than Meals

From The N: - Education; Full Campaign/Single Activity; Cable Network II The N's "A Walk In Your Shoes: Living With HIV/AIDS"

- Education; Video Promotion or PSA/Series; Cable Network II The N's HIV/AIDS PSAs

- Education; Programming/Single Program; Cable Network II The N's "I Sit Where I Want: The Legacy of Brown v. Board of Education"

About Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon, now in its 26th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books, magazines and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 88 million households and has been the number- one-rated basic cable network for more than nine consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom International Inc.

About CTPAA

CTPAA is the only national, professional organization specifically addressing the issues, needs and interests of the cable industry's public affairs professionals. Its mission is to develop and promote public affairs excellence to help achieve industry, corporate and social goals. A strong advocate of the public affairs professional's participation in all aspects of corporate decision-making processes, CTPAA works to enhance each member's status and influence through skill building and professional development. For more information on CTPAA, FORUM 2005 and the 2005 Beacon Awards, see www.ctpaa.org .

Source: Nickelodeon

CONTACT: Joanna Roses of Nickelodeon, +1-212-846-7326

Web site: http://www.nick.com/ http://www.ctpaa.org/

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