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Common Sense Media, PTA, and Fox Interactive Media Partner On Multi-Million Dollar Internet Safety Campaign Featuring Kiefer Sutherland Star Of Fox Hit "24"
San Francisco, July 13, 2006 - Common Sense Media, an organization dedicated to improving the media and entertainment lives of kids and families, the PTA, and Fox Interactive Media (FIM) today announced a major national Internet safety campaign designed to reach millions of parents. The goal of the campaign, which includes an Internet Survival Guide for Parents independently created and distributed by Common Sense Media (with an accompanying website at www.commonsense.com), as well as online advertisements running across the Fox Interactive Media network, is to help parents keep their kids Internet safe and smart.
The centerpiece of the campaign is a PSA starring Kiefer Sutherland of the hit Fox television show "24". News Corporation is backing the campaign with millions of dollars of air time and ad space across its properties including FOX, and Fox Interactive Media's network of websites including MySpace.com, FoxSports.com, IGN.com, Fox.com, AmericanIdol.com, Rotten Tomatoes and AskMen. The PSAs will also air on Fox�s cable networks FX, National Geographic channel, Fox Movie Channel, Fox Reality, FUEL TV, FSN, SPEED, Fox College Sports Atlantic, Fox College Sports Central, Fox College Sports Pacific, Fox Soccer Channel and (in Spanish) on Fox Sports en Espanol. All Fox-owned-and-operated regional sports networks likewise will televise the PSAs. The guidebook and other Internet safety materials will be distributed by Common Sense Media.
"As part of our commitment to Internet safety, we have a responsibility to help parents and their teens to work together to engage in safe online practices," said Hemanshu Nigam, chief security officer at MySpace.com and FIM. "Kiefer Sutherland carries our Internet safety message to families in a compelling way, and the more informed parents are, the safer families will be online. We're grateful to Kiefer and to Common Sense Media and the National PTA for their help on this important project."
In a recent national poll released by Common Sense Media, 85% of parents considered the Internet the most risky form of media for their kids. At the same time, the poll showed that 77% of parents surveyed think the Internet is an important tool to help their kids learn and 91% said they thought the Internet helps their kids explore subjects they are passionate about.
"In order to protect children from running into trouble on the Internet, parents need to know where their kids live on line and need simple, practical information to help keep their kids safe," said James P. Steyer, CEO of Common Sense Media. "We want to empower parents with Internet safety tools so that they can confidently embrace the online world their kids study and play in."
�For decades PTA members have been dedicated to the safety of all children and students. We feel that the Internet can be a very useful tool for education and that the Common Sense Media resources will educate parents on how to keep their children safe online. The goal is for parents to make informed decisions about technology to help their children succeed while keeping them safe in the process,� said Anna Weselak, national president of PTA.
The campaign includes:
� National television PSA campaign with the PTA featuring "24" star Kiefer Sutherland
� National online banner advertising campaign across Fox Interactive Media�s network of Internet properties
� A website dedicated to Internet safety and resources located at commonsense.com, featuring:
o A downloadable guidebook to Internet safety for parents
o A downloadable Internet safety tip card for parents and teens
� Links to the commonsense.com site from PTA.org and Fox Interactive Media�s network of sites
The campaign announced today is part of a broad effort at Fox Interactive Media to help protect the safety and privacy of consumers on the Internet. Other recent developments include the enhancement of safety features on social networking site MySpace.com as well as another series of national PSAs distributed in partnership with National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and the Advertising Council.
More details about the Common Sense, Fox Interactive Media and PTA campaign, including the transcript of the Kiefer Sutherland spot and a link to it can be found at http://www.commonsense.com and www.myspace.com/commonsensemedia.
About Common Sense Media:
Common Sense Media is the nation�s leading non-partisan organization dedicated to improving the media lives of kids and families. Common Sense Media provides trustworthy ratings and reviews of media and entertainment based on child development criteria created by leading national experts. For more information, visit www.commonsensemedia.org.
About PTA:
With nearly 6 million members, PTA is the largest volunteer parent organization in the United States. Since its founding in 1897, PTA has prided itself on being a powerful voice for children, a relevant resource for parents, and a strong advocate for public education. Membership in PTA is open to anyone who is concerned with the education, health, and welfare of children and youth. For more information about PTA, visit pta.org.
About Fox Interactive Media:
A division of News Corp. (NWS), Fox Interactive Media (FIM) is an integrated network of sites offering socially rich media experiences centered on entertainment, news, information and self-expression. The company's network includes Internet assets from News Corp. divisions, including the highly trafficked Foxsports.com, Americanidol.com and Fox.com. FIM also owns and operates such category leaders as MySpace.com, the number one social networking site on the Web; IGN, a leading gaming and entertainment site; Scout.com, a dynamic collegiate and pro sports network; AskMen, a leading men's lifestyle site, and Rotten Tomatoes, the premier destination for movie-goers, among others.
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