MTV TO PREMIERE "PRESCRIPTION FOR CHANGE: ENDING AMERICA'S OPIOID CRISIS" FEATURING MACKLEMORE AND PRESIDENT OBAMA TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11 AT 9:00 PM ET/PT

Original Documentary Marks Launch of New "MTV Docs" Unit

Tuesday, October 4, 2016 - New York, NY - MTV today announced it will premiere "Prescription For Change: Ending America's Opioid Crisis," a one-hour documentary tackling opioid addiction epidemic, on Tuesday, October 11 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT. The centerpiece of the doc is a frank conversation between Grammy-Award winning artist Macklemore and President Barack Obama, in which the two openly share their own experiences with substance use as they discuss the scourge and stigma of addiction. "Prescription for Change" also highlights the societal forces that have contributed to the opioid crisis, as it follows the journeys of three young women in recovery.

Macklemore, who also serves as the Executive Producer of the documentary said, "I'm one of millions of Americans who has struggled with addiction and abused pain killers, and if it weren't for treatment and recovery I wouldn't be here today. This documentary shines a light on some of the things we need to do to address this epidemic."

The world premiere of "Prescription for Change" will take place today at the White House in conjunction with its South by South Lawn festival (www.whitehouse.gov/sxsl). Immediately following the screening, MTV News Senior Political Correspondent Ana Marie Cox will moderate a conversation on the response to the opioid epidemic with Macklemore, National Drug Control Policy Director Michael Botticelli and other guests. The panel will be streamed live by MTV News and at www.whitehouse.gov/live.

For additional resources on alcohol or drug abuse, visit HalfOfUs.com. For additional information on the opioid epidemic, visit: hhs.gov/opioids.

MTV DOCS

With "Prescription for Change," MTV is launching "MTV Docs," a new unit dedicated to filmmaking that captures the artists and audiences that inspire MTV.

"As we continue to push the boundaries of MTV's storytelling, the importance of providing an open door and blank canvas to creators of all kinds is a top priority," said Michael Klein, Executive Vice President of Original Content. "Macklemore is the first of many we hope to work with to expose real-life struggles and subcultures that impact the audience."

"Prescription for Change" is the first of three documentaries that MTV Docs has in development for release before the end of the year. These include "Transformation," a film on transgender youth in Los Angeles, as well as project executive produced by Diplo that chronicles Major Lazer's historic concert in Havana earlier this year.

"Prescription for Change: Ending America's Opioid Crisis" is a production of MTV Docs and Punched In The Head Productions.

About MTV:

MTV is a global media brand inspired by the creative spirit of music and the freedom and passion of youth. MTV is a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA).