Cartoon Network Expands Award-Winning STOP BULLYING: SPEAK UP Campaign with Fall Slate of Projects Leading into National Bullying Prevention Month

Cartoon Network Expands Award-Winning STOP BULLYING: SPEAK UP Campaign with Fall Slate of Projects Leading into National Bullying Prevention Month

Network's Pro-Social Efforts to Include New Bullying Prevention Partnerships with Boys & Girls Clubs of America, The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, The Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention, Facebook, Emory University and The Safe Schools Improvement Act

New On-Air Content to Include World TV Premiere of Movie CONTEST and a Bullying Prevention PSA

ATLANTA, Sept. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- As schools, families and students prepare for National Bullying Prevention Month in October, Cartoon Network and its Stop Bullying: Speak Up partners today announced a comprehensive slate of new and expanded projects to further increase efforts to help build awareness of bullying prevention methods and tactics in schools, on playgrounds and online. The multiple award-winning pro-social campaign has continued to recruit and engage new allies to support the network's vision of encouraging bystanders to speak up whenever they see bullying behaviors take place. The fall 2013 schedule of events also includes the world television premiere of the new movie, Contest, on Oct. 6, which centers on the story about a bully and his victim, and an original PSA to play on Cartoon Network throughout the coming year.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130912/CL78825LOGO )

"Cartoon Network and our Stop Bullying: Speak Up partners believe that when given the proper tools, young people can indeed make a difference," noted Cartoon Network President and COO Stuart Snyder. "We feel this project continues to help because today's youth want to live and learn in safe environments. Over the last three years, with the amazing help from our expert partners, kids have learned the skills they need to safely and effectively respond to bullying when they see it happen. Our next step is to follow kids' natural inclination to stop bullying from happening, where speaking up is just 'what you do.'"

With key activations designed to address bullying prevention issues from multiple sectors, as well creating original on-air content for Cartoon Network, Stop Bullying: Speak Up projects and initiatives slated for fall 2013 include the following:

SEPTEMBER 2013


-- Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) Essay Contest: Stop
Bullying: Speak Up will serve as an official partner for the annual CBCF
national essay contest, which focuses on issues that bear heavy impact
on the lives of African Americans. Open to high school students from the
districts of CBC members, the contest's theme this year is bullying
prevention. Submissions are judged by a special committee with the top
three winning essays eligible for a monetary award scholarship. Winners
and their families are invited to Washington to present their essays in
person at the Annual Legislative Conference on Sept. 19, where Cartoon
Network will photograph the live presentations to post a journalistic
gallery online at the Facebook Stop Bullying: Speak Up page.
-- New Rosalind Wiseman Book, Masterminds and Wingmen: Helping Your Son
Cope with Schoolyard Power, Locker Room Tests, Girlfriends and the New
Realities of Guy World Launches Sept. 10: Renowned author and family
expert Rosalind Wiseman (Queen Bees & Wannabes), an original advisor to
Stop Bullying: Speak Up, will release a new book focusing on boys'
social hierarchies, decision-making influences and emotional well-being.
Cartoon Network will promote Wiseman's newest work--a landmark book
showing parents, educators and coaches how to reach out and help boys
overcome their most common yet difficult challenges--with a preview
video posting and a free 250 book promotional giveaway with Random House
on the Facebook Stop Bullying: Speak Up page in September.
-- All-New PSA to Debut on Sept. 23: Rising young stars Jeremy Shada and
Shauna Case from Cartoon Network's sketch-comedy series Incredible Crew
will appear in a new Stop Bullying: Speak Up PSA this fall that presents
the campaign's key message, "Speak up. It's what you do," in a music
video style. The new PSA will officially premiere on Monday, Sept. 23,
at 6:58 p.m. on Cartoon Network and online at CartoonNetwork.com and
StopBullyingSpeakUp.com.
-- BGCA Flag Raising Launch Across 4,000 U.S. Locations with Congresswoman
Linda Sanchez: U.S. Congresswoman Linda Sanchez (CA-38), who introduced
the Safe Schools Improvement Act, will participate in a rally
highlighting Cartoon Network's Stop Bullying: Speak Up flag raising
program (launched earlier this year) to more than 4,000 Boys & Girls
Clubs of America. Every BGCA club in the U.S. will raise or hang Stop
Bullying: Speak Up flags to demonstrate its commitment to empowering
kids to speak up against bullying. Additionally, Stop Bullying: Speak Up
resource kits--which will now feature Cartoon Network and CNN's 2013
award-winning documentary, The Bully Effect--will be distributed with
the flags to all BGCA clubs.
OCTOBER 2013


-- Emory University Mentorship Program: Stop Bullying: Speak Up is working
with Emory University Center for Ethics to develop and introduce an
innovative program that trains Emory undergraduate students to mentor
middle school students. The 2013-2014 pilot, scheduled to launch in
early October, will place Emory's Ethics and Servant Leadership Forum
(EASL) students in middle schools in Atlanta to promote and model
bullying prevention education and behaviors. The curricula--to include
Stop Bullying: Speak Up resources such as documentary videos and PSAs,
educator guides, tip sheets and campaign bracelets--is being created
with the goal of designing a mentorship program involving universities
and public schools nationwide.
-- New Movie Contest to Premiere Oct. 6 on Cartoon Network: To leverage its
powerful on-air content to underscore the commitment to bullying
prevention efforts, Cartoon Network has acquired exclusive world
television premiere rights to a new feature film, Contest, that focuses
on two students--one, a bully; the other, his victim--who are forced to
work together and form an unlikely friendship. The stakes grow higher,
old emotions resurface and the line between friend and foe is blurred.
Contest will premiere on Sunday, Oct. 6.
-- Stop Bullying: Speak Up Content to be Featured in New Kits Sponsored by
Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention: Stop Bullying: Speak Up and its
award-winning documentary Speak Up, introduced by President Barack
Obama, will be showcased within a new digital bullying prevention kit
being created and distributed by The Federal Partners in Bullying
Prevention as part of StopBullying.gov's new Youth Leadership Program.
These kits will be targeted for youth serving organizations and
community groups around the country, including National Organizations
for Youth Safety (NOYS--a collaboration of over 70 national
organizations promoting safe, healthy behaviors and leadership
development among youth); and 4-H (Head, Heart, Hands and Health), an
organization with more than 6.5 million U.S. members ages 5-21 in nearly
90,000 clubs, administered by the USDA, with the mission of "engaging
youth to reach their fullest potential while advancing the field of
youth development." The Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention includes
representatives from the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Defense,
Education, Health and Human Services, the Interior, and Justice, as well
as the Federal Trade Commission and the White House Initiative on Asian
Americans and Pacific Islanders.
-- Ad Council Partnership via PSAs: Cartoon Network's Stop Bullying: Speak
Up and Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. will continue to support the Ad
Council's pro-social efforts, providing parent-targeted bullying
prevention PSAs refreshed for 2013.
NOVEMBER 2013


-- International Bullying Prevention Conference: Cartoon Network's Stop
Bullying: Speak Up will serve as a key sponsor of the annual
international convention, scheduled to meet Nov. 10-12, 2013 in
Nashville, TN. More than 800 key international influencers from
corporate, non-profit, government and education arenas will meet to
discuss bullying issues and prevention efforts on a worldwide basis.
Cartoon Network Vice President of Social Responsibility Alice Cahn will
serve as a keynote speaker with 4-H Clubs on an opening panel on Nov.
11.
"The success of Cartoon Network's Stop Bullying: Speak Up is largely due to the involvement of our youth audience and the leadership and expertise of our partners," said Alice Cahn, Cartoon Network vice president of social responsibility. "With long-term partners at Facebook, BGCA, with Rosalind Wiseman and the Pacer Foundation, we are proud to welcome the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Congresswoman Linda Sanchez, StopBullying.gov's new youth leadership program and Emory University's Ethics and Servant Leadership Program to our ongoing efforts. Together, we can help support children in their childhood, and create safe, engaging places to learn and play."

About Stop Bullying: Speak Up
Cartoon Network's Stop Bullying: Speak Up is an award-winning, multi-platform pro-social campaign, created with experts in the field to raise awareness, build partnerships and empower young people to speak up against bullying safely and effectively. Campaign resources include video, print and online content--including an award-winning documentary introduced by President Barack Obama--available at StopBullyingSpeakUp.com, available at no charge to schools, community groups and parents to motivate bullying prevention activities or discussions.

About the Safe Schools Improvement Act
Students cannot learn when they are shamed, intimidated, or in fear for their physical safety. To help all children succeed in school, we must recognize that bullying is not just "kids being kids." It is harmful and damaging behavior that adults must take seriously. Current federal law provides funds to promote school safety but does not expressly focus on issues of bullying or harassment. As a condition of receiving future Safe Schools funding, the Safe Schools Improvement Act would require schools and districts to ensure that their codes of conduct specifically prohibit bullying and harassment and would require states to include bullying and harassment data in their state-wide reporting. The legislation would also allow schools to train faculty and staff on how to prevent bullying and address it effectively when it does occur. On April 20, 2012, the White House endorsed this bipartisan, common sense legislation. In 2013, Congresswoman Linda Sanchez re-introduced the House version of the Safe Schools Improvement Act, with Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) re-introducing the Senate companion bill.

About Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network (CartoonNetwork.com) is consistently the #1 U.S. television network among boys 6-11. Currently seen in 99 million U.S. homes and 194 countries around the world, Cartoon Network is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.'s ad-supported cable service now available in HD offering the best in original, acquired and classic entertainment for kids and families. In addition to Emmy-winning original programming and industry-leading digital apps and online games, Cartoon Network embraces key social issues affecting families with solution-oriented initiatives such as Stop Bullying: Speak Up and the Move It Movement. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.

SOURCE Cartoon Network

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CONTACT: Cartoon Network, James Anderson, james.anderson@turner.com, 404.885.4205 or Joe Swaney, joe.swaney@turner.com, 404.885.0657

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