GBC Press Release

Shanghai - A new education and awareness campaign featuring public service announcements (PSAs), one directed by critically-acclaimed Chinese filmmaker and screenwriter Lu Chuan and starring award-winning actress Qin Lan was unveiled today. The campaign is an effort to curb HIV transmission in China. The campaign is supported by a consortium of leading media outlets, major international and Chinese companies, the Chinese Ministry of Health and UNAIDS.

The new PSAs are the result of the efforts made by the China HIV/AIDS Media Partnership (CHAMP), a multi-year awareness campaign to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS.

CHAMP is a well-established initiative that mobilizes the power of mass media and commercial marketing to raise HIV/AIDS awareness. Since the end of 2008, CHAMP PSAs have been broadcast daily on hundreds of national and provincial TV stations, with a combined potential viewership of more than 650 million people. The PSAs have been shown more than 5,000 times on broadcast TV, and more than 13,000 times on mobile TV screens.  The air time, worth millions of dollars, is provided free-of charge by CHAMP's media partners including Health Times, MTV and Universal Media Holding.

"The engagement of the private sector in preventing HIV transmission is an important contribution towards a harmonious society," said Dr. Ren Minghui, Deputy Director General, Bureau of Disease Control, Ministry of Health. "I believe that CHAMP will play an important role in achieving the objectives of China's action plan for reducing and preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS."

"The private sector has an extremely important role to play in China's response to AIDS" said Mr. Michel Sidibe, Executive Director of UNAIDS. "Most people are employed, and many are employed in the private sector. China's rapidly expanding private sector has the potential to deliver prevention messages to vast numbers of people. CHAMP is a very positive example that hopefully will inspire an increasing number of Chinese companies to utilize the innovative power of a vibrant private sector in the response to AIDS."

"Media companies have the power to effectively communicate life-saving information to vulnerable populations better than anyone else in the world," said John Tedstrom, GBC President and CEO. "Effective, relevant public education messages are absolutely critical to stopping HIV in its tracks in China. By harnessing the vast capacity of these companies, and combining it with the incomparable creativity of talented young directors like Lu Chuan,

CHAMP ensures that our message will be heard far and wide. There is no doubt that this initiative will help to save lives, and to ensure the future well-being of communities throughout China."

"I am honored to contribute to this important effort to communicate to the public about AIDS and the risk of sexual transmission of HIV," said in an earlier statement by Mr. Lu Chuan, who is directing one of the PSAs. "I can think of no more important use of my artistic skills and abilities."

Three public service announcements have been developed, with the goal of communicating directly to male migrant workers (supported by the International Labour Organization), young female migrant workers, and young women. The campaign will feature a variety of media, including broadcast TV and the internet. The announcements will also be posted on outdoor electronic billboards and on plasma screens placed in buses and commuter trains.

Further, CHAMP member baidu.com, the world's largest Chinese-language internet search provider with over 70% of the search market in China, is lending its core competence to help CHAMP develop new ways to deliver HIV messages to the millions of people who visit baidu.com for their internet searches.

In addition to the launch, CHAMP hosted a debate featuring UNAIDS Executive Director, Mr. Michel Sidibe, Director General, Department for International Cooperation, Ministry of Health, Dr. Ren Minghui, Movie Actress, Ms. Qin Lan, and GBC President and CEO, Dr. John Tedstrom, moderated by National UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador for China and CCTV News Anchor, Mr. James Chau, which focused on innovative ideas regarding the role of business, and the role of broadcast, alternative & creative media in the response to HIV/AIDS. The launch was attended by more than 100 guests from the government, international agencies, non-governmental organizations, media and the private sector, including managers of CHAMP project donors Anglo American, BD, Coca Cola, and General Motors.

Current CHAMP Donors and Members

Anglo American

Becton Dickinson Asia Ltd.

Coca-Cola (China) Beverages Ltd.

General Motors China

UNAIDS

The Global Media on AIDS Initiative

Current Project Supporters and Members

As of October 2009 GBC China has recruited more than 35 national and international public and private sector partners to join the CHAMP initiative:

Media Partners

Baidu, Inc., Beijing QuaiLong, The China Internet Information Center, China PMR Network,  Ifeng.com, SOHU, Beijing HealthTV Marketing Corporation, Chang Ai Media Project,  Dynamic Advertising Channels Holding Ltd,  LS Workshop, MTV China, Universe Media Holding

Private Companies

Anglo American, Beijing Fudun Law Firm, Becton Dickinson Asia ltd.(BD), Renmin University, Claire PR, The Coca-Cola , General Motors, Guolian Pharmaceutical Company, L'Oreal, Ogilvy PR,Pivot Marketing , RedWorks of Ogilvy Company, Standard Charter Bank, Thread Design

Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs)

GMAI, The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, Hong Kong AIDS Foundation, MSI China (Positive Talk Project)

UN agencies

ILO, UNAIDS, UNDP, UNICEF

Originally published November 24, 2009