mtvU Announces Search for Student Correspondent to Cover Crisis in Sudan

mtvU Announces Search for Student Correspondent to Cover Crisis in Sudan

Plus, mtvU Partners With 'STAND - Students Taking Action Now: Darfur' For National Day of Fasting on April 7th to Raise Money & Awareness to Stop Crisis in Sudan

mtvU Debuts PSA Campaign Produced With Amnesty International Featuring Don Cheadle and Wyclef Jean

NEW YORK, Feb. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- mtvU, the 24-hour college network, today unveiled plans for the second phase of the "mtvU Sudan" campaign working to educate, inform and mobilize college students nationwide to help stop the current humanitarian crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan. As part of this effort, mtvU has announced the "mtvU Sudan Correspondent Search" -- a national search for a college student correspondent to cover the crisis in Sudan. In conjunction with the United Nations, the selected student will travel with the mtvU production team headed to the region to bear witness to the crisis firsthand, connecting with refugees, aid workers, college-age Darfurians and others. The student correspondent will share their thoughts, encounters and experiences on camera throughout their trip for the college audience to witness. mtvU's coverage in Sudan will begin airing on the network in April. Students interested in applying for the "mtvU Sudan Correspondent Search" are invited to visit http://www.mtvu.com/ before Friday, February 18th.

mtvU has also announced its partnership with the student-run organization, "STAND - Students Taking Action Now: Darfur." Co-founded by Nate Wright, a Junior at Georgetown University, mtvU has partnered with STAND for "STANDFast" -- a national day for the college community to forgo life as usual, and fast by giving up everyday purchases and activities to generate money and awareness to stop the crisis. mtvU's "STANDFast" will take place on college campuses across the country on April 7th, in remembrance of the start of the Rwandan genocide. The mtvU/STAND partnership was formally announced to hundreds of student activists representing 92 different universities on Sunday, February 6th during the "Call To Action: Darfur, Sudan" conference at Georgetown University. Students and colleges interested in taking part in mtvU's "STANDFast" are invited to visit http://www.mtvu.com/ for complete details on how to get their respective campus involved.

"College students are the engine of social change," said Stephen Friedman, GM of mtvU. "As they did with the Anti-Apartheid movement in the early nineties, we believe Nate and his peers at colleges around the country can mobilize the world to prevent another Rwanda in Darfur."

"The atrocities perpetuated inside of Darfur show the very worst of humanity and the indifference of the international community is nothing short of a moral catastrophe," said Nate Wright, STAND Co-Founder. "The world should have a better answer for the people of Darfur, and we are working toward giving them that answer with the help of mtvU."

Beginning in March, mtvU will also air its latest series of public service announcements filmed in conjunction with Amnesty International addressing the crisis. They feature renowned actor and activist Don Cheadle, who was recently nominated for an Academy Award for his lead role in the feature film "Hotel Rwanda." Also appearing is acclaimed musician and humanitarian Wyclef Jean. Together, the two convey a powerful message of urgency, compassion and hope, encouraging students to become involved and put an end to the Darfur crisis.

Originally launched in September 2004, the "mtvU Sudan" campaign has gained momentum with students nationwide. The initiative featured compelling on-air programming including PSAs telling the story of Francis Bok -- a 25 year old native of Sudan whose personal accounts of slavery and abuse illuminate the many severe human rights abuses happening in Sudan. Additionally, the launch of mtvU.com's Sudan crisis online hub has armed countless students with the resources and concrete tools to help put an end to the crisis.

For complete information on all of the "mtvU Sudan" activities including the "Sudan Correspondent Search," "STANDFast" event, plus specific and dedicated resources on how to get involved and help, visit http://www.mtvu.com/.

Broadcasting to over 700 colleges across the country, with a combined enrollment of close to 6.4 million, mtvU is the largest, most comprehensive television network just for college students. 24hrs a day, seven days a week, mtvU can be seen in the dining areas, fitness centers, student lounges and dorm rooms of campuses throughout the U.S. For more information about mtvU, and for a complete programming schedule, visit http://www.mtvu.com/.

mtvU is part of the Viacom International Inc. family which also owns the MTV Networks programming services MTV, MTV2, VH1, Nickelodeon/Nick at Nite, TV Land, Spike TV, CMT and others.


Source: mtvU

CONTACT: David French, MTV/MTV2/mtvU, +1-212-846-6698,
david.french@mtvstaff.com, or Jenni Runyan, MTVN, +1-310-752-8796,
jenni.runyan@mtvstaff.com

Web site: http://www.mtvu.com/


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