NBC'S 'THE MORE YOU KNOW' LAUNCHES ITS 16th SEASON OF PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS WITH NEW THEME AND NEW LOOK

"Building Strong Families, Communities & Children" Theme Debuts Monday, Nov. 15

James Caan, Sean Hayes, Jesse Martin, Megan Mullally, Donald Trump & Brian Williams Among NBC Stars Participating in 2004-05 Campaign

NEW YORK -- November 15, 2004 -- NBC's award-winning public service campaign, "The More You Know," officially kicks off its 16th season Monday, Nov. 15 with a new theme: "Building Strong Families, Communities, and Children" and a new look, both on-air and online at NBC.com/tmyk. The new spots, which will reach 64 million viewers per week, make their official debut tonight during Fear Factor at 8 p.m. ET.

The slate of new topics in this year's "The More You Know" campaign places an emphasis on family communication, with specific messages on monitoring kids' television viewing, family emergency planning, and encouraging kids to become physically active. The campaign continues to address other important issues, such as prejudice, mentoring and the benefits of parents reading to their kids and talking to them about substance abuse.

NBC stars participating in this year's campaign are: Sean Hayes and Megan Mullally (Will & Grace), Ming-Na, Goran Visnjic, Mekhi Phifer and Linda Cardellini (ER), Donald Trump (The Apprentice), Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni (Law & Order: SVU), Jesse Martin and S. Epatha Merkerson (Law & Order), Brian Williams (Nightly News), Sarah Chalke (Scrubs), Joshua Malina (The West Wing), James Caan and Josh Duhamel (Las Vegas), Brittany Snow (American Dreams) and Miguel Ferrer (Crossing Jordan).

Ming-Na returns to "The More You Know" for her fifth season. "Having a daughter of my own, I think these important messages serve as constant reminders of the value of family. I really hope viewers get a sense that the network they're watching cares about the families that watch our programs," says ER's Ming-Na.

The PSAs were filmed at the Diamond Walnut Building, which is a unique loft space in Los Angeles, as well as on the streets of New York City. Each talent's message is emphasized by floating layered text in the background and are produced in black and white with subtle color.

In executing "The More You Know" campaign, NBC works closely with a number of national agencies, including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, National Institute on Media and the Family, CDC's VERB Campaign for Physical Activity, SAMSHA's National Mental Health Information Center and National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information. A toll-free number will appear in each PSA, and links to each agency Web site can be found on "The More You Know's" comprehensive website (NBC.com/tmyk).

Each week, "The More You Know" PSAs are incorporated into primetime and late night programming, reaching a vast audience. In addition, "The More You Know" PSAs can be seen every Saturday morning on Discovery Kids on NBC programming, where the messages speak directly to teens. These spots focus on issues related to staying in school, building self-esteem, and coping with bullying, along with anti-substance abuse and anti-smoking messages.

Since its inception in 1989, NBC's "The More You Know" campaign has produced Emmy Award and Peabody Award-winning public service announcements that educate and raise awareness about important societal issues ranging from prejudice to parental involvement. "The More You Know" is the longest-running, most comprehensive network public service campaign in the media landscape.