BET Networks Special 'What U Know Bout That? Rap-It-Up Sex Quiz' HIV/AIDS To Premiere On Monday, November 5 At 7:30 P.M. ET/PT

BET Networks Special 'What U Know Bout That? Rap-It-Up Sex Quiz' HIV/AIDS To Premiere On Monday, November 5 At 7:30 P.M. ET/PT

Special Guest Appearances by Ciara, Kelly Rowland, Common, Romeo and Lyfe Jennings

WASHINGTON, Nov. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- BET Networks today announced that their award-winning national HIV/AIDS public information campaign with the Kaiser Family Foundation, Rap-It-Up teamed up with BET News on the provocative new HIV/AIDS special, "WHAT U KNOW BOUT THAT? RAP-IT-UP SEX QUIZ" slated to premiere on Monday, November 5 at 7:30 p.m. with an encore presentation on Friday, November 9 at 10:00 p.m. The one-hour news special is part of a longstanding effort to raise awareness about the disproportionate impact of HIV/AIDS in the Black community and to tackle a host of HIV/AIDS-related issues faced by BET's audience, including stigma and homophobia, HIV testing, substance abuse, and the impact of HIV/AIDS on personal relationships and family life.

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BET News visits the cities of New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Miami to get up-close and personal with young adults and to test them on how much they really know about safe sexual health, behavior and practices. BET News personality Jina Johnson hosts the informative discussion, and fellow BET personalities Lamorne Morris, Sharon Carpenter, and Samson Styles, along with BET News producer Antonio Neves hit the streets to quiz young adults and to talk about their own personal experiences. Today's hottest stars like Ciara, Kelly Rowland, Common, Romeo and Lyfe Jennings make special guest appearances to ask various questions; and sexual health expert, Dr. Rani Whitfield (also known as the "Hip-Hop Doc") is on hand to provide pertinent health information and facts to assist young adults who may be dealing with these issues.

The WHAT U KNOW BOUT THAT? RAP-IT-UP SEX QUIZ program special will also include an extensive online component which offers a unique interactive platform for viewers following the broadcast. The BET.com network website will post a variety of related activities, including the show's sex quiz; a podcast featuring a special interview with Dr. Rani Whitfield; a special message board and forum where Dr. Whitfield can answer questions posted by viewers; and exclusive polls that track viewers' personal sexual experiences and attitudes.

Black Americans have been disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS since the epidemic's beginning, and that disparity has deepened over time. Blacks account for more HIV and AIDS cases, people estimated to be living with AIDS, and HIV-related deaths than any other racial/ethnic group in the U.S. The epidemic has also had a disproportionate impact on Black women, youth, and men who have sex with men, and its impact varies across the country.

BET Networks remains committed to providing fresh, culturally-unique and issues-targeted public affairs programming. Whether it's a poignant short film about HIV/AIDS or a new public service announcement featuring today's hottest celebrities supporting healthy lifestyles, the cable network through the Rap- It-Up campaign consistently exhibits innovative ways to educate its viewers on the important health and social issues impacting young adults today.

ABOUT RAP-IT-UP

Since 1998, the Kaiser Family Foundation and BET: Black Entertainment Television have partnered on a extensive public education campaign to inform young people about sexual health issues, including HIV/AIDS and other sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs). The partnership includes special programming, public service advertisements (PSAs), online content on bet.com, and a free resource and referral service. In 2000, the campaign launched a grassroots initiative to complement the on-air and online components of Rap-It-Up. Program elements include teen forums, mobile HIV testing events, and middle and high school curricula about HIV/AIDS. The campaign has received numerous awards, including 10 Cable Positive POP Awards, a 2005 NAACP Image Award Nomination for "Walking on Sunshine", the 2002 CTPAA Joel Berger Award, and the 2002 Academy of Television Arts & Science TV Cares "Ribbon of Hope" Award. Additionally, the campaign has received 3 EMMY nominations for Best National Public Service Announcements (2002/2003, 2003/2004, and 2004/2005).

About BET Networks

BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom, Inc. (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:VIA.B) , is the leading provider of media and entertainment for African Americans and consumers of Black culture on a global basis. The primary BET cable network reaches more than 84 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. BET Digital Networks -- BET J, BET Gospel, and BET Hip-Hop -- are brands that combine to serve a broader and more diverse audience than the core network. BET.com is the number one internet destination for the target audiences. BET Mobile delivers music, gaming, and video content to the target audiences on wireless devices across virtually all service providers. BET Event Productions is a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe. BET International delivers BET content to the consumers of Black culture around the world. BET Networks inspires its audiences to make a difference in their lives and communities with a series of impactful pro-social initiatives under the Touch BET umbrella.

ABOUT KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION

The Kaiser Family Foundation is a non-profit, private operating foundation dedicated to providing information and analysis on health issues to policymakers, the media, and the general public. It is not associated with Kaiser Permanente or Kaiser Industries. Information on HIV/AIDS is available at www.kff.org, and a daily news summary report on developments in HIV/AIDS is available on www.kaisernetwork.org, the Foundation's free health information service.

   www.BET.com/PR    MEDIA CONTACTS:   Lyntina Townsend, BET   202/608-2745   lyntina.townsend@bet.net    Rob Graham, KFF   650/854-9400   RobG@kff.org  

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Source: BET Networks

CONTACT: Lyntina Townsend of BET, +1-202-608-2745,
lyntina.townsend@bet.net; or Rob Graham of KFF, +1-650-854-9400,
RobG@kff.org

Web site: http://www.bet.com/
http://www.kff.org/
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/

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Profile: International Entertainment