MTV Launches Break the Addiction, Sets Goal to Educate and Empower Young People to Help End Global Warming

12-month, 12-step Campaign offers Young People Opportunity to Lead the Fight against Global WarmingFollowing President Bush’s State of the Union declaration earlier this year that “America is addicted to oil,” MTV announced today the network’s latest pro-social initiative, BREAK THE ADDICTION, a year-long campaign to engage, educate and empower young people to take simple, daily actions that can have a measurable impact in the fight against global warming. The campaign will launch with a channel takeover on Earth Day, Saturday, April 22, including an on-air, online and wireless messaging campaign about how to help stop global warming, break-ins to regularly scheduled programming that offer environmental lessons, multiple public service announcements (PSAs), and an MTV News package introducing BREAK THE ADDICTION, featuring a leading young environmental activist.

BREAK THE ADDICTION is MTV’s year-long recovery program aimed at mobilizing a new generation of environmental activists. On-air, online and on wireless, the initiative will connect the audience to simple, daily tips, as well as in-depth resources, to help them recognize and change habits that harm the environment. Viewers will be directed online to think.mtv.com to quantify and track their efforts by the amount of carbon dioxide emissions and dollars saved due to changes they commit to making throughout the year. Supplemental MTV programming – both long-form and news packages – will air throughout the year and the tips will be revealed in daily PSAs on air on MTV, MTV2, and mtvU as well as online and delivered to cell phones. Additional PSAs will appear on mtv.com, mtv2.com, mtvU.com, MTV Overdrive and mtvU Über. Through partnerships with StopGlobalWarming.org, National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) , Grist.org, World Resources Institute, Student PIRGs, Campus Climate Challenge, and Clean Air-Cool Planet , MTV will go beyond the broadcasts to create online and wireless resources, as well as opportunities for grassroots organizing and outreach.

“Throughout history young people have always rallied around issues and generated change, and we know from our constant dialogue with young people that they are concerned about the environment but don’t know how to make a difference,” said Christina Norman, President, MTV. “BREAK THE ADDICTION will educate and empower young people with tangible, simple actions and measurable ways to see how their small efforts have big effects.”

MTV will theme each month with a concrete message – from Examine Yourself to Go Paperless to Get Political – and create corresponding programming and resources on air, online, on wireless phones and on the ground. Throughout the campaign, young people will be able to access a number of resources on these platforms, including:

The BREAK THE ADDICTION recycle bin on TRL – MTV’s flagship TRL program will host the BREAK THE ADDICTION recycle bin for audience members who literally must recycle to gain entrance to the studio. Throughout the year, MTV will point to the container as a reminder of simple acts that can make big impacts on the planet.

think MTV’s Carbon Calculator – An online calculator, built in partnership with StopGlobalWarming.org will launch around Earth Day to enable young people to calculate their carbon and financial savings as they commit to making changes in their lives.

Long-form programming and MTV News packages – MTV programming will explore the issues of global warming, as well as showcase the innovative ways that young people are fighting to preserve the environment.

User-generated Content – MTV viewer ideas will be solicited and showcased through their submission of pictures about how they’re stopping global warming.

Action Center – Break the Addiction will provide opportunities for young people to take personal, social, and political action to help stop global warming.

Comprehensive Online Resources – think MTV will launch a Break the Addiction website on think.mtv.com to serve as a comprehensive portal for information about global warming and ways to take action to reduce one’s environmental impact.

Additional on air, online, wireless, and grassroots initiatives will be rolled out throughout the year.

About think MTV
The think MTV initiative includes longform specials, MTV News reports, PSAs, and other special programming dedicated to the issues that young people care about most. A think MTV icon appears onscreen during programming that has an online counterpart at think.MTV.com, to offer a range of opportunities for young people to learn about and engage on critical issues at the local or national level. On every page within the site, young people can search for local volunteer opportunities, contact their political representatives, and register to vote.

About MTV
MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. MTV Networks, with more than 100 channels worldwide, owns and operates the following television programming services – MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION, MTV2, VH1, mtvU, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, NOGGIN, VH1 CLASSIC, LOGO, MTVN INTERNATIONAL and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital services, all of these networks trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks connects with its audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its more than 95 interactive properties worldwide, including online, broadband, wireless and interactive television services and also has licensing agreements, joint ventures, and syndication deals whereby all of its programming services can be seen worldwide.