BET Rolls Out a Weekend of Award-Winning, HIV-Themed Programming Commemorating World AIDS Day

BET Rolls Out a Weekend of Award-Winning, HIV-Themed Programming Commemorating World AIDS Day

WASHINGTON, Nov. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- BET Networks today announced that it will air a lineup of special HIV-themed programming to coincide with World AIDS Day this Saturday, December 1. This HIV-focused programming rounds out a successful year for BET's pro-social initiative Rap-It-Up, which recently won the Emmy(R) Award for "Outstanding National Community Service Campaign" and a 2007 Cable Positive Award for "Outstanding Special Programming." The Rap-It- Up campaign also includes dedicated grassroots efforts and a comprehensive educational program, all to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS among the African- American community.

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On Friday, November 30 at 6:00 p.m. ET/PT, BET's popular music countdown show 106 & PARK will air a LIVE 90-minute telecast hosted by veejay duo Terrence and Rocsi. The music special will tackle the issue of HIV/AIDS and the risky behaviors associated with contracting the disease, and will also feature celebrity guests Magic Johnson, Juelz Santana and Jim Jones to discuss healthy life choices and provide important information about HIV testing and prevention methods to BET viewers.

An encore presentation of the provocative HIV/AIDS special WHAT U KNOW BOUT THAT? RAP-IT-UP SEX QUIZ will air on Saturday, December 1 at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT. The one-hour BET News special addresses 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. BET News personality Jina Johnson hosts the show and is joined by fellow BET personalities Lamorne Morris, Sharon Carpenter, and Samson Styles, along with BET News producer Antonio Neves, who visited the cities of New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Miami to talk with young adults and test them on how much they really know about safe sexual health, behavior and practices, and discuss their own personal experiences. Special guest stars Ciara, Kelly Rowland, Common, Romeo and Lyfe Jennings also make 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.

Since 1998, BET Networks has worked diligently to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and its impact on the African-American community. To date, the network's Rap-It-Up HIV/AIDS public education initiative, in partnership with the Kaiser Family Foundation, has received more than 1.3 million calls to its toll-free hotline, hosted teen forums throughout the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean, and has reached millions of BET viewers via HIV-related programming, including award-winning news specials, documentaries and public service announcements.

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

For up-to-the-minute and archival press information including releases and photographs, visit BET's press-only Web site at http://www.bet.com/pr.

ABOUT RAP-IT-UP

Since 1998, the Kaiser Family Foundation and BET Networks have partnered on an 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 division of Viacom Inc. (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:VIA.B) , is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 87 million households according to Nielsen Media Research, and can be seen in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET Digital Networks - BET J, BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Mobile, a service venture into the lucrative world of ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, an extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

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Source: BET Networks

CONTACT: Lyntina Townsend, +1-202-608-2745, lyntina.townsend@bet.net, or
Marcy Polanco, +1-212-975-3327, marcy.polanco@bet.net, both of BET Networks

Web site: http://www.bet.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment