HIV/AIDS PSA Campaign 'Drawing Attention' Because Of Celebrities Involved, Messages, New York Times Reports

A "provocative" HIV/AIDS public service campaign airing on several media outlets is "drawing attention" nationwide because of the celebrities featured in the announcements and the "frank nature" of their messages, the New York Times reports. The campaign -- called "Look, listen, love, respect" -- has enlisted actresses Whoopi Goldberg, Amanda Peet, Rosie Perez and Susan Sarandon to deliver "candid, no-nonsense" messages linking drug use and risky sexual behavior with the spread of HIV among men who have sex with men, according to the Times. The Internet is a central focus of the campaign, which has launched a Web site, loveandrespect.us. Video clips of the commercials also can be viewed on YouTube and MySpace. The campaign is scheduled to air on two national cable television networks, Here! and Logo, as well as on local cable TV stations owned by companies such as Cablevision, Cox Communications and Time Warner. In addition, there are plans to air the announcements in clubs and bars in cities nationwide and to produce audio versions of the spots for the national Out Q channel of Sirius Satellite Radio, the Times reports. The campaign is a collaboration between the New York City-based organizations HIV Forum NYC and the Callen-Lorde Community Health Center. It is receiving financial backing from Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and Cable Positive, the Times reports. Dan Carlson, co-founder of HIV Forum NYC, developed the campaign with Jay Laudato, executive director of Callen-Lorde, and Colin Weil, a writer, director and producer. According to Carlson, the campaign features female actors because they "felt these honest, direct, loving messages would be heard best if told by women we can see as our mothers, best friends, sisters." He added, "They can tell us things we may not be ready to hear from each other" (Elliott, New York Times, 1/16).

"Reprinted with permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.