NEW
YORK (MTV) - MTV:
Music Television today announced it will air an MTV
News special to help continue to raise awareness of the tragedy in
Southeast Asia and empower its audience to support fund-raising efforts
worldwide. MTV NEWS PRESENTS: AFTER THE TSUNAMI will follow a special
edition of "Total Request Live" dedicated to tsunami relief. In
addition, on February 3 at 9 a.m. MTV2 will simulcast MTV ASIA AID, a
benefit concert taking place in Bangkok, Thailand, and produced by MTV
International; MTV will air an edited version on February 4 at 8 p.m.
mtvU, MTV's college network, will simulcast MTV NEWS PRESENTS: AFTER
THE TSUNAMI at 6 p.m. on February 3, and also air an edited version of
the MTV Asia Aid benefit concert on February 7 at. 7 p.m.
"This is
the biggest natural disaster that this generation has ever witnessed,"
commented Dave Sirulnick, EVP of MTV News & Production. "In
addition to showing the terrible impact of the tsunami, we also want to
share with our audience the inspiring stories of young people who are
helping with the relief efforts -- as well as the untold stories of
hope amidst the sadness. We are eager to give our viewers a community
where they can learn more about the tsunami and how it is affecting
other young people around the world."
MTV NEWS PRESENTS: AFTER
THE TSUNAMI, premiering February 3rd at 6 p.m. ET/PT, features a
powerful look at the impact of the tsunami in the affected areas,
especially on young people. MTV News correspondent Gideon Yago travels
with the U.S. Navy, aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, as
they undertake aid missions off the coast of Indonesia and assess the
scope of the tsunami's damage. Gideon travels through Banda Aceh with
tsunami survivors, as they return to what used to be their villages for
the first time. MTV News' SuChin Pak travels to Thailand and surveys
the tsunami damage in the resort town of Phuket and on the remote Phi
Phi Islands. She also visits a camp where doctors from around the world
are trying to match victim's DNA records with the many thousands of
bodies yet to be identified, and also tours a refugee camp that over
2,000 men, women and children now call home. MTV UK News reporter Tim
Kash travels to his native land of Sri Lanka to find out how people
there are coping. Tim witnesses the mass devastation at the site of a
train crash where 1,600 people perished, and ultimately realizes that
his people are resilient and determined to come back from this tragedy.
And MTV India VJ Cyrus Broacha travels from his home in the capital
city of Mumbai to a remote South Indian fishing village devastated by
the tsunami. Along the way he befriends a boy who lost his mother in
the disaster, and spends time with some of the young volunteers who are
helping the children try to return to normal lives.
The
February 3rd edition of TRL (5 pm ET/PT), which is the cornerstone of
the network's afternoon programming block, will be dedicated to helping
raise funds for tsunami relief and awareness of the continued strife in
Southeast Asia. Hosted by Carson Daly, the show will feature young
people who have volunteered in relief efforts; MTV News reports about
the crisis from Gideon Yago and SuChin Pak; a special appearance by
Sharon Osbourne, who will discuss the single she is producing with
Simon Cowell to benefit tsunami relief; and information on ways that
viewers can help support relief efforts. The MTV Store will also offer
fans the chance to get their names included on the TRL ticker during
the show, or on "MTV 44 1/2," the world's largest HDTV screen which
resides in Times Square, by making a donation to Save the Children
between now and February 1 at the the MTV Store in NYC (1515 Broadway,
at 44th and Broadway). In addition, the show will mark the official
launch of an MTV.com auction of celebrity-signed items, with proceeds
benefiting UNICEF. The auction will end on February 13.
Some of
the items up for auction include: autographed guitars from Tom Delonge
and Mark Hoppus of Blink-182, Maroon 5, Yellowcard, and 3 Doors Down; 2
tickets to an exclusive MTV party with 50 Cent; tickets to the 2005
Video Music Awards, 2005 Movie Awards, and Total Request Live; signed
posters, photos, and/or CDs from Jennifer Lopez, Destiny's Child, Tom
Hanks, 50 Cent, Hilary Duff, The Hives, Kelly Clarkson, Mario, and NBA
superstar Yao Ming; a WRFF Snoop Dogg Limited Edition scooter bike; a
framed poster of Gwen Stefani's album cover, signed by Gwen herself; a
set visit and walk-on appearance for the WB series "One Tree Hill"; a
pair of tickets to the Hollywood premiere screening and after party of
Keanu Reeves' latest film, CONSTANTINE; and other items from Alicia
Keys, Missy Elliott, Simple Plan, Linkin Park, T.I., and others. In
addition, the auction will offer the "TRL Wall of Fame," an actual
piece of wall from the TRL studio that has been signed by nearly 100 of
the biggest names in music, movies, and TV, including Destiny's Child,
P. Diddy, Jude Law, Xzibit, Carmen Electra, Jamie Foxx, Jessica
Simpson, Eminem, Jim Carrey, Gwyneth Paltrow, Christina Aguilera, Queen
Latifah and many more. Details on the auction can be found at MTV.com.
MTV
ASIA AID, a worldwide television special and concert to benefit UNICEF
featuring live performances from Good Charlotte, Kelly Clarkson,
Hoobastank and Simple Plan, will premiere on MTV2 in the U.S. on
February 3 at 9 a.m. and an edited version will premiere on MTV on
February 4 at 8 p.m. Taking place in Bangkok, Thailand, the show will
also include a pre-recorded performance from Jennifer Lopez and
specially taped messages from Sting, 50 Cent, Ricky Martin, Nelly,
Green Day, Moby, and Ronan Keating.
Other plans include:
*
mtvU will air PSA's about tsunami relief efforts. In addition, mtvU is
featuring VJ segments that promote their special tsunami resource on
mtvu.com, where students can find information on relief efforts and how
they can volunteer or contribute.
* MTV, in partnership with
Youth Venture, is awarding Tsunami Response Grants of up to $1000 each
to teams of young people who have creative projects designed to help
people affected by the earthquake and tsunami in South Asia and Africa.
Applications and more information will be available starting February 3
on mtv.com.
* MTVNews.com will promote its feature "What You
Can Do To Help," which will continue to be updated, and will be
producing a companion feature to the MTV News special, with diaries
from the producers from the trips to Southeast Asia and photos of what
they saw in India, Thailand, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. MTVNews.com will
also be promoting and linking to the benefit auction.
*
Throughout January and February, MTV is airing public service
announcements encouraging viewers to log onto MTV.com to learn more
about how they can help tsunami victims.
MTV Networks owns and
operates the cable television programming services MTV: Music
Television, MTV2, mtvU, Nickelodeon/Nick at Nite, TV Land, VH1, CMT:
Country Music Television, and Spike TV, as well as The Digital Suite
from MTV Networks, a package of thirteen digital services, all of which
are trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks also operates and offers
joint ventures, licensing agreements and syndication deals whereby its
programming can be seen worldwide.
