Viacom Celebrates the Power of Stories in Its 2016 Social Impact Review
October 21 2016 - 3:19PM
Business Wire
Drawing from new U.N. development goals,
company recognizes brand initiatives that continue to make a
difference in communities around the world
Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ:VIAB, VIA) yesterday released its 2016
Social Impact Review that details how the company amplified the
unique voices of its audiences and employees to create positive
change throughout 2015. The Power of Stories is the product of
Viacommunity, the umbrella arm of Viacom’s corporate social
responsibility program, which unveiled the report at a Social
Impact Fair in its New York City headquarters that featured a
musical performance by award-winning R&B artist Mario.
“Viacom continues to lead the way in delivering positive social
impact through the power of entertainment and through the passion
of our fans whose stories inspire us to act,” said Ali Jannello
Tuck, VP of Corporate Social Responsibility at Viacom. “2015
showcased the incredible work of our brands to educate and mobilize
viewers globally on issues that matter most to them: domestic
violence and sexual assault, gender and racial equality,
reproductive health, childhood education, veteran care, and
environmental protection, among many others.”
To address society’s biggest challenges, Viacommunity focuses
its efforts on six areas that align with the United Nation’s
Sustainable Development Goals: building inclusive societies;
pioneering social change; promoting healthy living; inspiring
future generations; empowering people; and managing business
responsibly.
Some examples of 2015 successes include:
- The global impact of MTV’s Staying
Alive Foundation and acclaimed Nigerian television series MTV
Shuga, which together form a revolutionary mass-media campaign on
sexual health. The foundation raised more than $2 million for
ongoing HIV/AIDS projects, while female viewers of Shuga
experienced a 68% reduction in chlamydia infections, according to
the World Bank. In the U.S., MTV’s airing of White People, a
groundbreaking documentary that examines race in America from the
viewpoint of white Millennials, has helped provoke a national
conversation about the realities of white privilege. Likewise,
MTV’s Look Different Campaign created a gender-focused implicit
bias quiz on Women’s Equality Day to address gender bias, and
released an eye-opening study that shows how young people often
have difficulty identifying issues related to gender equality, such
as equal pay and “slut shaming.”
- The launch of Logo’s documentary films
division to elevate stories that capture LGBT life and culture.
Logo released five award-winning films including Matt Shepard is a
Friend of Mine, which earned the network a Daytime Emmy Award.
During the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling on same-sex marriage,
Logo’s #All50 campaign allowed people to share personal stories and
support for marriage equality. Additionally, the 2015 Logo
Trailblazer Honors, which celebrates pioneers at the forefront of
the fight for equality, was the largest televised Pride month
event; there, it recognized activist Arsham Parsi for his work to
aid LGBT communities in Iran.
- Viacom’s partnership with WITNESS, a
global human rights organization, on a powerful public service
announcement campaign in New York City. “WITNESS the Power of
Story” used video projection and social media at locations across
the city to highlight issues of gender, race, sexuality, among
others, and to call attention to Viacommunity’s biggest campaigns.
Viacom – through its NO MORE partnership with the Joyful Heart
Foundation - also teamed up with Verizon to develop a TV spot that
raised awareness of the 6,000 victims of domestic violence turned
away from shelters every day. Viacom Says NO MORE PSAs also
continue to run across our networks, sparking important discussion
about domestic abuse and sexual assault.
- Nickelodeon’s national summer tour of
its “Worldwide Day of Play,” with health and wellness-themed
activities that encouraged more than 20,000 kids to get out and get
active. The network also launched the first-ever “Get Dirty!
Challenge” called on kids to submit videos showing how they were
doing their part to protect the environment, and featured
eco-themed TV spots with celebrities to demonstrate environmental
stewardship. Nickelodeon Spain hosted of SLIME FEST, a musical
festival to raise money to combat bullying and cyberbullying, in
partnership with Save the Children. And through Nickelodeon’s
Helping and Leading Others (HALO) Awards, 20 charities received
$100,000 to turn kids’ causes into powerful change agents for
good.
- BET’s “Where Do You Do It?” PSA to
educate African-American women about breast cancer and empower them
to take control over their health garnered 57.8 million views.
BET’s What’s At Stake, a powerful weekly web series, continued to
focus on the most critical issues affecting young people of color
in America. BET Youth Experience invited 50 high school students to
learn what it takes to put on a music festival as part of the
network’s commitment to education and career development in the
entertainment industry. And its Next Level website aided some
600,000 students in choosing the right schools and making career
plans.
- SPIKE’s Veterans Operation Wellness
(VOW) Guinness World Records™ Pull-Ups Challenge, which raised
awareness of veterans’ issues including post-traumatic stress
disorder and inspired vets to commit to their health. VOW works
with dozens of veterans organizations to assist veterans lead
healthier lives through training, exercise, better diet and
engagement in their communities.
- VH1 Save the Music Foundation raised
$2.3 million for 2,000 schools across the country in 2015, and put
$1.4 million worth of musical instruments in students’ hands, with
the goal of ensuring that every public school kid in America gets
the benefit of music education.
- The advancement of CMT’s Empowering
Education Community College Initiative, which assists people in
rural communities to build the skills they need to thrive in
today’s changing economy. CMT has hosted 20 free events at
community and technical colleges across the country, using music
and storytelling to encourage attendees to consider higher
education opportunities.
- Paramount’s Got Your 6 Storyteller
Awards, which spotlighted the talents of some of the best and
brightest military veterans, and the studio’s volunteers hosted
more than 400 veterans at a barbeque at the VA Greater Los Angeles
Healthcare System. 250 Paramount volunteers also participated in
the 2015 AIDS Walk to raise money for HIV/AIDS research – its
largest team to date.
- Comedy Central Latin America’s launch
of its Stand Up Mobile campaign that encourages companies and
parents to promote a safer online environment for children. As part
of the award-winning campaign, three stand-up routines featuring
renowned Latin American comedians were broadcasted weekly as PSAs
to shed light on this important topic.
To read the full report, please visit www.viacommunity.com
About Viacom
Viacom is home to premier global media brands that create
compelling television programs, motion pictures, short-form
content, apps, games, consumer products, social media experiences,
and other entertainment content for audiences in 180 countries.
Viacom's media networks, including Nickelodeon, Comedy Central,
MTV, VH1, Spike, BET, CMT, TV Land, Nick at Nite, Nick Jr., Channel
5 (UK), Logo, Nicktoons, TeenNick and Paramount Channel, reach over
3.8 billion cumulative television subscribers worldwide. Paramount
Pictures is a major global producer and distributor of filmed
entertainment.
For more information about Viacom and its businesses, visit
www.viacom.com. Keep up with Viacom news by following Viacom's blog
at blog.viacom.com and Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/viacom.
View source
version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161021005880/en/
Press:David Lieberson,
212-593-5894david.lieberson@finnpartners.com
Viacom (NASDAQ:VIAB)
Historical Stock Chart
From Aug 2024 to Sep 2024
Viacom (NASDAQ:VIAB)
Historical Stock Chart
From Sep 2023 to Sep 2024