Archive for November, 2010

Me Myself And HIV – Site Launch

Posted by Staying Alive Editor on November 29th, 2010

Ahead of the premiere of our World AIDS Day show: Me, Myself And HIV, we’re launching a comprehensive digital initiative to support the show: www.staying-alive.org/HIV

Me, Myself And HIV, which is due to be aired globally on MTV channels on Wednesday  1st December 2010, gives viewers an insight into the realities of living with HIV by following the day to day lives of Slim, 21, a DJ from Lusaka, Zambia and Angelikah, 25, a college student from Minneapolis, USA.

memyself_sheetfront

As you’ve noticed over the last few weeks we’ve had a focus on getting tested, this site takes that campaign to the next level and making sure that the show and the information we offer is as valuable and interactive as possible, some of the highlights are:

-          An opportunity for you to take the testing pledge:  Our goal is to get at least 10,000 of you to pledge to take an HIV test and know your status

-          A Testing mini-guide and all of the info you need to know about getting tested, including video diaries of some of our supporters and friends taking an HIV test (including some very own MTV staffers)

A sex quiz:  Think you know all there is to know about sex? Then put your knowledge to the test – you might surprise yourself

-          Character Info–find out more about Slim and Angelikah, read their personal blogs and stories

-          Real stories of people who are living with, or affected by HIV in the Knowing HIV section

-          The show – as of December 1st, World AIDS Day you will be able to watch and share Me, Myself And HIV directly from the site.

As if that wasn’t enough you can also get involved across all our social networks over the next week, such as:

-          Pledge to take a HIV test and Tweet #MTVGetTested, @ us on Twitter and  check out our Twitterviews (Twitter Interview) with the cast and celebs on World AIDS Day

-          Put a question (it can even be anonymous) to Slim, Angelikah and our resident Dr over Formspring

-          Join in the daily discussion on our Facebook fanpage

As always we want to hear from you. What issues around testing should we also be addressing, what Facebook discussions should we be spurning? And share with us your thoughts as we commemorate World AIDS Day and think about the impact this epidemic is still having on all of us.

---
Talk about it
Comment now...
---
Become a guest blogger
Post to Share this on Facebook!
---

Me Myself And HIV Schedule

Posted by Staying Alive Editor on November 26th, 2010

New MTV Staying Alive show Me, Myself and HIV is coming to an MTV channel near YOU.

Yesterday we posted the promo for it along with an introduction, if you missed it however you can check out Introducing Me, Myself And HIV.

The show will be airing on World AIDS Day globally across MTV channels along with a host of other 3rd party broadcasters and we believe that this reality TV show is one of our best yet.

Following the lives of Slim, an aspiring DJ from Lusaka, Zambia and Angelikah, a college student from Minneapolis, USA, both of who are HIV positive – Me, Myself And HIV really gives you an opportunity to get an insight into what it’s really like to live with HIV.

We see the two characters juggling regular twenty-something life such as dating and pursuing their dreams with the responsibilities and lifestyle implications that come with living with HIV.

Sound interesting? Check out the schedule below to see when it’s airing in your country and drop us a comment and let us know what you think.

Me, Myself And HIV Schedule

December 1st World AIDS Day

USA

MTV US

2:00 PM

USA

MTV U

6:00 PM

Africa

MTV Base

10:00 PM

UK:

MTV UK

11:00 PM

Australia:

MTV

11:00 PM

Italy:

MTV (JV)

9:00 PM

Spain:

MTV

11:15 PM

Portugal:

MTV

12:00 PM

France:

MTV

10:30 PM

Greece:

MTV

11:00 PM

Germany:

MTV

11:30 AM

Austria:

MTV

11:30 AM

Switzerland:

MTV

11:30 AM

Netherlands:

MTV

6:05 PM

Denmark:

MTV

6:05 PM

Belgium:

MTV

8:50 PM

Sweden:

MTV

6:05 PM

Norway:

MTV

6:05 PM

Finland:

MTV

6:05 PM

Poland:

MTV

11:00 PM

Poland:

VIVA Polska

9:00 PM

Hungary:

MTV

8:00 PM

India:

MTV India

8:30 PM
Brazil MTV Brazil 8:00 PM

MTV Adria

12:10 PM

Czech Rep:

MTV

7:30 PM

Ukraine:

MTV

8:00 PM

Japan:

MTV Japan

9:00 PM

Korea:

MTV Korea

10:00 PM
---
Talk about it
1 Comment...
---
Become a guest blogger
Post to Share this on Facebook!
---

Introducing Me, Myself & HIV

Posted by Staying Alive Editor on November 25th, 2010

MTV Staying Alive are launching a brand new one-off reality TV show called Me, Myself & HIV on World AIDS Day, December 1st.

The show follows the lives of Slim; an aspiring DJ and music producer from Lusaka, Zambia, and Angelikah; a college student from Minneapolis, USA.

Both Slim and Angelikah are HIV positive, and this show aims to give you all an insight into the reality of what it is like to be living with HIV.

We are really excited about Me, Myself & HIV and feel it has the potential to get people thinking about the real issues that are related to HIV on a day-to-day basis, such as the daily medication and the challenge of disclosing your status.

We also feel that this show will clear up some of the stigma that surrounds people living with HIV. The show follows Slim and Angelikah as they speak about their ambitions and plans for the future – we see Slim DJ-ing in a local club and Angelikah out socializing with her friends.

Slim and Angelikah have been great to work with and aside from the show have helped us create  some awesome extra content which will be released when the show is aired – be sure to check it out on www.staying-alive.org/hiv from November 29th.

We will be posting the schedule tomorrow so you can find out exactly when it is airing on your local station, but in the meantime check out the promo below and let us know what you think.

http://www.vimeo.com/17160189
---
Talk about it
9 Comments...
---
Become a guest blogger
Post to Share this on Facebook!
---

Take an HIV Test!

Posted by Staying Alive Editor on November 24th, 2010
It’s important to know that anyone can contract HIV through the following ways:
1. Unprotected sex with an HIV+ person (oral, vaginal or anal sex without a condom)
2. Blood to blood contact with HIV infected blood
3. Sharing needles with a HIV+ person (for drugs, tattoos etc)
4. From an infected mother to her child during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding.
Every 12 seconds someone is newly infected with HIV, and 60% of people living with HIV don’t even know it – which is why getting tested is so vital.
Taking a HIV test is like taking any other medical test – it can be a difficult and stressful experience. If it is something you don’t feel comfortable doing on your own we recommend confiding in a friend or a member of your family and asking them to accompany you. When you go for a test there will be a professional counsellor who is trained to talk you through the process. The counsellor will be able to provide the relevant support if you test positive along with information. If you test negative they will advise you on how you can reduce your risk of infection in the future.
It is recommended that if you have put yourself at possible risk of HIV infection you should wait 12 weeks (3 months) before taking a test. This allows for the most accurate result. However we know how hard it can be to wait, and in some clinics there are tests available that allow for accurate testing before 12 weeks have passed. You should speak to your doctor or local HIV clinic about the different options available to you.
To find an HIV testing centre near you, visit AIDSMAP http://www.aidsmap.com/e-atlas/Explore/page/1411798/?Focus=Select%20a%20country
When was the last time you got tested? How did you find the experience? Let us know by leaving a comment below

Every 12 seconds someone is newly infected with HIV, and 60% of people living with HIV don’t even know it – which is why getting tested is so vital.

To mark World AIDS Day and as part of our Me, Myself & HIV campaign we’ve launched a global testing pledge — we want MTV audiences all around the world to step forward and commit to getting tested – and by doing so help stop the spread of HIV. We all have a part to play.

To pledge visit the Me, Myself & HIV site.

Remember, it’s important to know that anyone can contract HIV through the following ways:

1. Unprotected sex with an HIV+ person (oral, vaginal or anal sex without a condom)

2. Blood to blood contact with HIV infected blood

3. Sharing needles with a HIV+ person (for drugs, tattoos etc)

4. From an infected mother to her child during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding.

Taking a HIV test is like taking any other medical test – it can be a difficult and stressful experience. If it is something you don’t feel comfortable doing on your own we recommend confiding in a friend or a member of your family and asking them to accompany you. When you go for a test there will be a professional counsellor who is trained to talk you through the process. The counsellor will be able to provide the relevant support if you test positive along with information. If you test negative they will advise you on how you can reduce your risk of infection in the future.

It is recommended that if you have put yourself at possible risk of HIV infection you should wait 12 weeks (3 months) before taking a test. This allows for the most accurate result. However we know how hard it can be to wait, and in some clinics there are tests available that allow for accurate testing before 12 weeks have passed. You should speak to your doctor or local HIV clinic about the different options available to you.

To find an HIV testing centre near you, visit AIDSMAP

Check out Travie McCoy on why you should get tested below:

http://www.vimeo.com/17154005

When was the last time you got tested? How did you find the experience? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

---
Talk about it
Comment now...
---
Become a guest blogger
Post to Share this on Facebook!
---

The Global Report And The Prevention Revolution

Posted by Staying Alive Editor on November 23rd, 2010

Today UNAIDS posted their latest Global Report on HIV, which was supported by this week’s  #PreventionRevolution campaign video.

The Global Report, an update on where the world is in the fight against the HIV epidemic showed some really positive signs, highlighting where progress has been made.

The  #PreventionRevolution video, “Falling” was based around one of the key statistics announced in the report – that in the last 10 years new HIV infections have fallen by an average of 20% globally.  In some countries the figure was much higher – take India, where new HIV infections have fallen by an incredible 50%. South Africa, the country that has been worse affected by HIV also showed great improvement – with new infections down by a huge 35%.

The report also showed that young people around the world are adopting safer sex techniques. Condom use increased by over 75% in over some countries in ‘last higher risk sex situations’, meaning that the last time a person had sex with someone who they were not married to/living with, a condom was used over 75% of the time.

The report really supported the need for a #PreventionRevolution, while also showing that changing the way we behave can really have an impact on the HIV epidemic.

One issue that we will be focusing on in the #PreventionRevolution is knowing your HIV status and getting tested. This is an essential part of  HIV prevention because we feel knowing your status allows you to make informed decisions in your life regardless of your status.

That’s why in the run up to World AIDS Day, December the 1st we will be calling out for all of you to take a pledge to get tested.

Check out the latest video below, share it with your friends and let us know what part you are playing in the  #PreventionRevolution.

YouTube Preview Image
---
Talk about it
1 Comment...
---
Become a guest blogger
Post to Share this on Facebook!
---

Prevention Revolution: Update

Posted by Staying Alive Editor on November 16th, 2010

With only 2 weeks left until December 1st, World AIDS Day things are really heating up with the #PreventionRevolution social media campaign.

We need a prevention revolution to stop new infections.

A revolution can be defined as “A fundamental change in power or structure” and this is exactly what is needed globally at a time when there are over 7000 new HIV infections every day.

We are partnering with UNAIDS with this initiative that aims to raise as much awareness as possible about HIV prevention and get the #PreventionRevolution hashtag trending on Twitter on World AIDS Day.

The #PreventionRevolution hashtag was born during our “Leadership In Action” theme on the blog, after an interview with UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibe in which he spoke of the importance of leadership amongst young people in sparking a much needed prevention revolution.

After conversations between UNAIDS and us over Twitter, and a whole load of retweeting amongst our followers, it emerged that this phrase really struck a chord with young people and had the potential to spark discussions  around HIV prevention.

The campaign focus until now has been on why we need a #PreventionRevolution and has raised issues such as HIV testing, using condoms, and talking about sex and sexuality, and HIV knowledge.

This week’s topics are taking it a step further by focusing on gender equity, and the relationship between HIV prevention and human rights, which are structural barriers that need to be broken down to enable effective HIV prevention.

These are complex topics, things that we have been tackling throughout the MTV Staying Alive Campaign in the form of our programming such as Shuga, and the soon to be released Me, Myself and HIV, as well as our blog themes such as “Right To Be Me”

When looking at human rights in relation to HIV, one of the key issues is a person’s right to access HIV prevention.

This right can often be hard to enforce amongst groups such as injecting drug users as they are criminalized for using drugs, this can make it very hard for organisations to provide relevant HIV prevention such as clean needles, as they are isolated from communities and under threat of arrest. This in turn forces them underground where HIV can often spread rapidly when needles are shared amongst drug users.

This issue was talked about in depth at the International AIDS Conference 2010 in Vienna, and it reportedly accounts for up to 200,000 new infections among injecting drug users every year, infections that could be prevented if the issue was dealt with openly without the threat of arrest put on the injecting drug users.

Check out the video by UNAIDS below on the issue of injecting drug use.

YouTube Preview Image

What did you think of the video? If you would like to get involved in the #PreventionRevolution you can share the video amongst your friends, download the Twibbon or tweet us the #PreventionRevolution hashtag on Twitter.

Let’s put the HIV #PreventionRevolution on the world’s agenda for World AIDS Day!

---
Talk about it
Comment now...
---
Become a guest blogger
Post to Share this on Facebook!
---

MTV Staying Alive At The EMAs

Posted by Staying Alive Editor on November 10th, 2010

Staying Alive blog editor Ben Anderson gives us the lowdown on how MTV Staying Alive got on at the EMAs 2010 in Madrid.

It’s Wednesday, I am back in the office after what was an absolutely crazy, but very productive weekend.

Myself and three members of the Staying Alive family attended the EMAs in Madrid with an idea of maximising the impact of our current testing campaign in the run up to World AIDS Day.

x2_3502676

Julie Allen and Ash Cowan on the red carpet

The EMAs seemed like the ideal place to build up momentum and get artists and celebrities talking on camera about HIV testing, as we try to get 10,000 young people to take a HIV test by World AIDS Day, December 1st.

As the show got going, we were pulling artists into our Staying Alive press room and talking to them about why we were ultimately there – not for the glitz and the glamour that comes with these shows, but for the opportunity they give to campaigns like ours.

I personally feel that having celebrities talking about testing and HIV can really open up the issues to their fan base and others around who are influenced by them.

We spoke to artists such as: Plan B, Dizzee Rascal, Mike Posner, The Dudesons and 30 Seconds To Mars and they were great, realising exactly what our campaign was about and getting behind it.

I’m really looking forward to uploading this content in the near future and seeing the reaction to it.

So, keep your eyes peeled for any updates.

But what do you think? What role do you feel celebrities should play in HIV/AIDS awareness? And what artist would you have liked to see talk on the subject?

---
Talk about it
Comment now...
---
Become a guest blogger
Post to Share this on Facebook!
---

Get On Board The #PreventionRevolution

Posted by Staying Alive Editor on November 2nd, 2010

“More than 7000 people are infected with HIV every day. We need a prevention revolution.”

And the revolution has already begun…

In the run up to December 1st World AIDS Day, UNAIDS will be leading an initiative called #PreventionRevolution.

Over the coming weeks they will focus on a different topic related to HIV prevention each Tuesday across their social media channels.

Their aim is to inspire young people using social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter to find out more about HIV prevention, spread the word and tell others about the need for each and every one of us to play our part in the HIV prevention revolution.

logo_round_blog

This prevention revolution initiative is something we are fully behind, in fact the idea came from a conversation that we had with UNAIDS over Twitter after posting a blog on UNAIDS Chief Executive Michel Sidibé on The fact that 15 of the 25 most affected countries in the world are seeing a drop in HIV amongst young people and that young people from these countries were leading a prevention revolution.

After a few back and forth messages with UNAIDS, there was a light bulb moment:

“Wouldn’t it be really cool if we got #PreventionRevolution trending for World AIDS day?”

From there it has been developed into something really exciting that we really hope you can all get involved with.

See our campaign in the run up to World AIDS Day is centred around:

-       Giving young people all the information they need to make informed decisions

-       Empowering young people to show leadership in themselves and their sex life

-       Ultimately get young people to know their status by getting tested for HIV

And we feel knowledge, leadership, empowerment and ultimately getting tested are the key issues that will spark a prevention revolution throughout young people around the world.

So here’s how you can get involved:

-      Tweet, Tweet and Tweet some more about what the #PreventionRevolution means to you and tell your friends/followers to do the same

-       Download the Twibbon and show your support for the #PreventionRevolution accross your social networks

-       Donate your Facebook status to the cause in solidarity with #PreventionRevolution

-       Check out and share the latest #PreventionRevolution video below:

YouTube Preview Image
---
Talk about it
Comment now...
---
Become a guest blogger
Post to Share this on Facebook!
---