Viacom, Kaiser Have Something in Common

Hip-hop artist Common will appear in a new set of public-service advertisements from Viacom Inc. and the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation as part of their Emmy Award- and Peabody Award-winning “KNOW HIV/AIDS” public-education initiative, the company and the foundation said Monday.

The television, radio and outdoor messages will mark the second wave of their groundbreaking "Knowing Is Beautiful" series, which launched in June, aimed at redefining how young people think about HIV testing and eliminating the associated stigma.

In addition to the new PSAs, HIV/AIDS-themed shows and specials will air across Viacom properties in the weeks leading up to World AIDS Day, Dec. 1.

“The unique combination of public-service messages, HIV story lines in popular TV shows and special in-depth programming makes KNOW HIV/AIDS a powerful force in informing people about HIV testing and other ways they can protect themselves,” Kaiser Family Foundation CEO Drew E. Altman said in a prepared statement.

Viacom chairman and CEO Sumner Redstone added, “This newest evolution of the campaign draws on an icon of hip-hop culture to powerfully communicate the initiative's life-saving messages and ensure that they resonate with communities that are most adversely affected.”