Leading Media and Other Corporate Allies Encourage Americans to be “Greater Than AIDS” on World AIDS Day
As the world marks World AIDS Day (December 1) in this 30th year of the epidemic, Greater Than AIDS announces scaled up partnerships and collaborative efforts with leading media and other corporate allies, community organizations, and state and local health departments to increase knowledge and understanding about HIV/AIDS in America, encourage actions to prevent its spread, and reduce the stigma surrounding the disease.
“HIV isn’t what it was 30 years ago. We have the power to end it,” said Tina Hoff, Senior Vice President and Director, Health Communication and Media Partnerships, Kaiser Family Foundation, which provides strategic guidance and day-to-day management for Greater Than AIDS. “Greater Than AIDS leverages the resources of the public and private sector to connect those most in need with information and services.”
Phill Wilson, President and CEO of the Black AIDS Institute, co-founding Greater Than AIDS partner, commented, “30 years of AIDS is enough. We have the tools to end the AIDS epidemic. It only requires each of us doing our part. I am proud that SiriusXM Radio, OUT Magazine, Walgreens and our other partners and collaborating organizations have stepped up to do their part.”
Among the announcements from Greater Than AIDS today:
- SiriusXM encourages open discussion on air, offers resources online: SiriusXM is teaming up with Greater Than AIDS to raise awareness and offer resources to millions of people across the country with special programming throughout the year on SiriusXM OutQ, the nation’s first and only 24/7 LGBT radio channel, and African-American issues talk channel The Power. These channels will provide an open forum for medical experts, pioneering activists and listeners to share their stories and perspective on the continued battle against HIV/AIDS, and to debate and discuss the state of the progress in the LGBT and African-American communities and beyond. Information, resources and tips/advice on where people can find help in their community are available online.
- OUT Magazine Partners on New HIV/AIDS Guide for Gay Men: Greater Than AIDS and OUT Magazine have teamed up to produce an in-book, 8-page informational guide on HIV/AIDS for gay and bisexual men for distribution in the December 2011 / January 2012 double issue of the magazine. The co-branded guide is part of a broader corporate commitment by OUT Magazine’s parent company, HERE Media, to Greater Than AIDS, which has included more than $500,000 worth of donated media placement since October 2010 across OUT, The Advocate, HIV Plus, and gay.com, as well as a jointly branded online information portal at: www.gay.com/greaterthan“I am pleased that OUT has teamed up with the national Greater Than AIDS movement to reinvigorate our community’s response,” said Aaron Hicklin, editor-in-chief of OUT Magazine. “Together, we aim to get out information, confront stigma, and rally support around this preventable and treatable disease.”
- Walgreens Encourages Customers to be Greater Than AIDS: Walgreens, the nation’s largest drug store chain with more than 7.500 stores in all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, is teaming with Greater Than AIDS to place new in-store signage, radio and pharmacy receipt messages and other informational resources in more than 550 stores in heavily affected areas throughout December. During the week encompassing World AIDS Day, Walgreens will also showcase Greater Than AIDS messaging on the company’s digital billboard at One Times Square — the nation’s largest — that rises 341 feet above midtown Manhattan. Since launching a collaboration on World AIDS Day 2010, Walgreens and Greater Than AIDS have distributed more than 600,000 co-branded Greater Than AIDS products in over 550 Walgreens stores across 250 cities. Additionally, Walgreens teamed up with Greater Than AIDS and EBONY magazine to distribute more than 2.4 million HIV/AIDS information guides to EBONY readers and community organizations across the country. More information is available at:
www.greaterthan.org/walgreensOur pharmacists are listening to concerns, developing important relationships and putting community pharmacy in a great position to be even more effective and relevant to those with chronic conditions, wherever they live,” said Walgreens pharmacy, health and wellness division president Kermit Crawford. “And we are certainly proud to continue our work with Greater Than AIDS in distributing information and providing additional services and resources to the areas that are impacted by HIV and AIDS.” - Medical Students Make HIV/AIDS a Priority: The Student National Medical Association (SNMA), the oldest and largest student-run organization focused on the needs and concerns of medical students of color, has joined the Greater Than AIDS coalition. Together, SNMA and Greater Than AIDS will work to educate the association’s more than 6,000 members (including medical and pre-med students, residents and practicing physicians) on HIV/AIDS , including the importance of discussing and encouraging HIV testing between providers and patients; expose SNMA members to careers in HIV/AIDS primary care and infectious disease; promote cultural competency amongst SNMA members in HIV/AIDS care; and engage SNMA chapters in community service events focused on HIV/AIDS. The partnership builds on the SNMA’s long history of service to underserved communities.“For over 47 years, the Student National Medical Association has worked to address the needs of underserved communities. The HIV/AIDS epidemic is affecting these communities in such a disproportionate way that we cannot be silent in this area,” said SNMA National President Michael G. Knight. “By partnering with the Greater Than AIDS campaign, our members will work to become the leaders and change agents that our patients, neighbors and families can depend on to address this vital issue.”
- Special World AIDS Day Messaging: Several Greater Than AIDS partners are planning special promotions to mark World AIDS Day: CBS Outdoor will feature Greater Than AIDS PSAs on its network of 140 digital billboards in 30 markets nationwide on December 1st. American Urban Radio Networks and Radio One local and nationally syndicated programs such as The Russ Parr Morning Show and The Doug Banks Show are dedicating airtime to HIV/AIDS on World AIDS Day as part of the companies’ broader commitment to the campaign. These radio programs will run PSAs, post information on station websites and social media, and conduct interviews with Greater Than AIDS ambassadors. The National Basketball Association’s D-League teams in Eerie, PA, Hidalgo, TX, and Boise, ID are integrating special Greater Than AIDS promotions into their games on December 1, including in-arena signage, giveaways and social media cross promotions.
Hundreds of community organizations from San Francisco to Philadelphia are integrating Greater Than AIDS messages into World AIDS Day events with free informational materials and interactive activities from the campaign.
Since the campaign’s launch in 2009, an unprecedented coalition of media has joined together to support Greater Than AIDS. More than 10,500 national TV PSA airings have been placed by FOX, BET, Logo, and NBA TV, and more than 20,800 local TV PSA airings have been placed by CBS, NBC, and Google TV stations, representing a total of 260 hours of airtime. More than 52,800 radio PSA airings have been placed by American Urban Radio Network, Clear Channel Radio, CBS Radio, Emmis Communications, and Radio One, amounting to approximately 400 hours of airtime. More than 15,000 outdoor postings have been provided by CBS Outdoor, Clear Channel Outdoor, and Blue Line Media in 35 priority markets. Leading monthlies, including The Advocate, EBONY, ESSENCE, Heart & Soul, HIVPlus, OUT, POZ, UPTOWN, and VIBE are provide ongoing visibility to the campaign in the form of PSA placements and editorial coverage, as well as online PSA placements. Greater Than AIDS is also working with state and local departments of health and community foundations in more than 15 states to expand the reach of the campaign in hard hit areas through joint events and special promotions.
AIDS in America
As the AIDS epidemic enters its fourth decade, according to 2011 national survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation, two in five Americans – including three in five Black Americans – now know someone living with HIV or who has died from AIDS. More than 1.1 million people are living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S. today – more than at any time in the history of the epidemic. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in five of those who are positive does not know it.
HIV/AIDS is both preventable and treatable — early HIV diagnosis and treatment helps those who are positive live longer and healthier lives, and also reduces the spread of the disease. Yet, one in three Americans with HIV is diagnosed late – within a year of an AIDS diagnosis – making these treatments less effective. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) identifies stigma as a major contributor to the spread of HIV, keeping people from seeking information, speaking openly, using protection, getting tested and treated and otherwise acting to protect themselves and those they love.
About Greater Than AIDS
Greater Than AIDS is an unprecedented collaboration among a broad coalition of public and private sector partners united in response to the HIV/AIDS crisis in the United States, in particular among Black Americans and other disproportionately affected groups. Through a national media campaign and targeted community outreach, Greater Than AIDS aims to increase knowledge and understanding about HIV/AIDS and confront the stigma surrounding the disease.
The Kaiser Family Foundation — a leader in health policy and communications — provides strategic direction and day-to-day management, as well as oversees the production of the media campaign. The Black AIDS Institute — a think tank exclusively focused on AIDS in Black America — provides leadership and expert guidance and directs community engagement. Greater Than AIDS is developed in support of Act Against AIDS, an effort by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to refocus attention on the domestic epidemic. Additional, financial and substantive support is provided by the Elton John AIDS Foundation, Ford Foundation and MAC AIDS Fund, among others.
The Kaiser Family Foundation, a leader in health policy analysis, health journalism and communication, is dedicated to filling the need for trusted, independent information on the major health issues facing our nation and its people. The Foundation is a non-profit private operating foundation, based in Menlo Park, California.