MTV will continue "Fight for Your Rights" campaign (10729)

The Kaiser Family Foundation and MTV on Wednesday announced that their Emmy Award-winning "Fight for Your Rights: Protect Yourself" public education partnership on MTV will be extended for a seventh consecutive year to continue to inform and empower young people about critical sexual health issues. Since launching in 1997, close to 1 million young people have called the campaign's toll-free hotline to receive additional information on sexual health topics, be connected with a counselor, or find a local HIV/STD testing center. Millions more have visited the campaign's Web site for additional information and resources or participated in community events across the country. The campaign also has distributed nearly half a million copies of "It's Your (Sex) Life: Your Guide to Safe and Responsible Sex," the informational guide about a young person's sexual health.

A new Kaiser survey of 16- to 24-year-olds nationwide shows that the "Protect Yourself" campaign has been effective--more than half of those surveyed knew of the campaign, with nearly half of those familiar with the campaign saying they were more likely to talk with their partner about safer sex.

"The decision to extend the 'Protect Yourself' campaign was an easy one," said Brian Graden, president of Entertainment for MTV. "This campaign has had an incredible, measurable impact on young people by changing their attitudes and behavior on a topic of critical importance. We're looking forward to working with Kaiser to develop new and innovative dimensions to the initiative in the coming year."

For more information about the "Fight for Your Rights: Protect Yourself" campaign, visit the campaign's Web site at www.fightforyourrights.mtv.com.