Assessing Public Education Programming on HIV/AIDS: A National Survey of African Americans 2004 OCTOBER The research described in this report was directed by Victoria Rideout, vice president and director, Program for the Study of Entertainment Media and Health, Kaiser Family Foundation. Ms. Rideout also wrote this report. The Foundation’s partnerships with BET and Viacom, Inc. are directed by Tina Hoff, vice president and director, Entertainment Media Partnerships, with assistance from Julia Davis, Meredith Mishel, Laurel Yamaguchi, Laura Wiggs, and Luis Ontiveros, Kaiser Family Foundation. Funding for this research and report was provided by the Ford Foundation. Graphic design and production: Leahandah Soundy, Kaiser Family Foundation Additional graphics by: Theresa Boston, Kaiser Family Foundation Copyright © 2004 Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, Menlo Park, California. All rights reserved. Assessing Public Education Programming on HIV/AIDS: A National Survey of African Americans 2004 OCTOBER Table of Contents Introduction 1 Kaiser Family Foundation Public Education Efforts Directed Toward The African American Community 3 Methodology 5 Survey of African Americans on HIV/AIDS Public Education Programming – Key Findings 6 Conclusion 12 Appendix A: Television, Radio, and Outdoor Public Service Announcements 13 Appendix B: Full-Length Programming 15 Appendix C: Honors and Awards 17 Introduction Since the fi rst cases of what would later become known as AIDS In an effort to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and other sexual were reported in the United States in 1981, nearly 1.5 million health issues in the African American community, the Kaiser Family Americans have been infected with HIV, including more than Foundation began working with Black Entertainment Television (BET) 500,000 who have already died. Today, nearly one million people in 1998 to reach their viewers with public health messages. Today, are estimated to be living with HIV/AIDS in the United States. this partnership – called Rap It Up – represents the single-largest public education effort on HIV/AIDS and related issues directed Racial and ethnic minorities have been disproportionately affected toward the African American community. It includes targeted public by HIV/AIDS since the beginning of the epidemic. Minority service ads (PSAs), longer-form programming, community events, Americans now represent the majority of new AIDS cases, and free print and online resources. In 2001, the Foundation also Americans living with AIDS, and deaths among persons with AIDS worked with the UPN network on a series of PSAs on sexual health in the U.S. Although African Americans represent just 12% of the issues, several of which were targeted to African Americans. U.S. population, they accounted for 50% of new AIDS diagnoses in 2002, the most current year for which data are available. AIDS is In 2003, BET’s and UPN’s corporate parent, Viacom, also working now the second-leading cause of death among African Americans with the Kaiser Family Foundation, made HIV/AIDS a company-wide age 25-44, and the leading cause among African American women commitment with the launch of KNOW HIV/AIDS. One signifi cant ages 25-34. component of the KNOW HIV/AIDS initiative is the integration of HIV/AIDS messages into popular Viacom-produced television sit- coms and dramas – including top-rated shows among African American viewers such as Girlfriends, One on One, and The Parkers, all of which have featured storylines addressing HIV/AIDS in the African American community. In addition, KNOW HIV/AIDS extends the reach of messages to African Americans through tar- geted PSAs on other Viacom television properties, most notably CBS and UPN, and on more than 200 Infi nity radio stations and Viacom outdoor properties across the country. 1[KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION NATIONAL SURVEY REPORT] The purpose of these efforts is to help increase awareness about The Foundation monitors the effectiveness of these media cam- HIV/AIDS and how to prevent it, promote dialogue between partners paigns in a variety of ways, including keeping track of the number and with health care providers about sexual health issues, encour- of times the programming is broadcast, the number of viewers age testing, address the role that stigma and discrimination play who see it, how many call the toll-free telephone line or visit the in the spread of the disease, and promote safer sex behaviors. A companion Web sites, and the like. Over the years, the Foundation primary target audience is young people under age 25. has also conducted focus groups to test messages and formulate approaches for communicating with the target audience, and has Certainly no media campaign alone is ever going to be the “silver conducted national telephone surveys designed to measure sexual bullet” that changes behavior when it comes to a topic so personal health attitudes, awareness and behaviors of the target audi- and so sensitive as sex. The choices people make about sex are ence. In addition, several surveys have measured the reach of and inherently complex, private, and subject to numerous competing response to the Foundation’s public education campaigns (see, infl uences. Clearly, there are important roles for many different for example, Reaching the MTV Generation: Recent Research on parts of the community to play in addressing HIV/AIDS, including the Impact of the Kaiser Family Foundation/MTV Public Education government, parents, health providers, religious institutions, grass Campaign on Sexual Health). roots organizations, schools, and drug abuse prevention organiza- tions. The Foundation’s media-based public health messages This report presents the results of a nationally representative designed for the African American community are one part of a telephone survey among 800 African Americans 18 and older, much larger puzzle. conducted in Spring 2004. As part of a broader national survey of more than 2900 Americans on HIV/AIDS, respondents were also asked about exposure to a range of television programming the Foundation had undertaken in partnership with BET or its corporate parent Viacom, targeted to an African American audience. In addi- tion, the survey measured respondents’ attitudes toward HIV/AIDS, their knowledge on related issues concerning risk and transmission, and whether they have taken certain steps such as talking with a partner about HIV, visiting a health care provider, or being tested for HIV. [OCTOBER 2004] 2 Kaiser Family Foundation Public Education Efforts Directed Toward The African American Community From its onset in September 1998, the Foundation’s partnership Full-length special programming: Under the partnership with BET has included a signifi cant commitment of airtime to a vari- with BET, a total of 21 different full-length (30–60 minute) specials ety of public service ads, along with a substantial amount of news have been produced and broadcast, airing a total of 32 times and and full-length programming. In December 2000, the campaign reaching a total national audience of 9 million over the last 7 years. re-launched as “Rap It Up.” During 2001, the Foundation joined These longer-form specials have taken a variety of approaches: fea- with the UPN network to develop public service ads specifi cally tar- turing BET talent or other celebrities, such as Big Tigger, who visits geted to African American viewers. In January 2003 the Foundation a local clinic to get tested for HIV; several teen summit-style forums partnered with the media company Viacom, Inc., to launch KNOW that feature in-studio interviews and live discussion; or focusing on HIV/AIDS, the fi rst cross-platform public education campaign on a specifi c theme like the disproportionate impact that HIV/AIDS is HIV/AIDS, which also includes programming specifi cally targeted to having among wome African American viewers (including messages embedded in enter- the African American tainment shows as well as public service ads). This partnership, community. which is ongoing, includes messages on Viacom-owned channels such as CBS, UPN, and Showtime, as well as on radio and in out- door advertising. The Foundation’s partnerships with BET and Viacom aimed at African American viewers have included the following components: Public service advertising: In the 6 years since its launch, a total of 31 television PSAs on HIV/AIDS or other sexual health issues have been produced and broadcast on BET as part of the network’s Rap It Up campaign with the Kaiser Family Foundation. These ads Messages integrated in entertainment programming: As have aired more than 9,000 times over the last 4 years, an average part of the KNOW HIV/AIDS initiative, several Viacom television of more than 6 times a day. In addition, 3 ads targeting African sitcoms and dramas with signifi cant African American audiences Americans were produced and broadcast as part of a partnership have incorporated major storylines on HIV/AIDS: Girlfriends, One the Foundation had with UPN. These ads aired every week in prime on One, Half and Half, The Parkers (all UPN) and Soul Food (SHO). time during UPN’s African-American-themed shows, over the course Collectively, these 5 shows included 9 episodes on HIV, reaching an of 15 months. The Foundation has produced 15 television ads tar- estimated audience of 36.8 million. geting African Americans as part of the KNOW HIV/AIDS campaign with Viacom. These ads have aired on Viacom-owned networks including CBS, UPN and various cable networks a total of more than 17,000 times through July 2004. All ads are tagged with a free telephone referral service and/or web address for view- ers to obtain more information about sexual health issues. See Appendix A for a complete list of PSA titles and airdates. 3[KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION NATIONAL SURVEY REPORT] Radio and outdoor advertising: As part of the KNOW HIV/ Online content: In 2001 BET and the Foundation developed AIDS campaign the Foundation has conducted in partnership online content that is part of BET.com, providing additional informa- with Viacom, 4 radio ads and 10 outdoor ads targeting African tion on HIV/AIDS and other sexual health issues (www.bet.com/ Americans were produced and featured on Viacom-owned proper- rapitup).