Comcast Commits $55 Million in Multiplatform Exposure With the Partnership for a Drug-Free America(R)

Comcast Commits $55 Million in Multiplatform Exposure With the Partnership for a Drug-Free America(R)

Nation's Leading Cable Company Joins New Effort to Support & Educate Parents

NEW YORK, June 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With an unprecedented commitment of $55 million, Comcast and the Partnership for a Drug-Free America today announced a new three year initiative to create a resource for parents to help their children live healthy, drug-free lives. The joint initiative will leverage a mix of Comcast's assets, including cross-channel advertising, the company's signature ON DEMAND service and its leading broadband Internet portal, www.comcast.net, to build much needed tools and support services for parents.

"Our ongoing collaboration with Comcast sets the stage for a new era in transforming the lives of families by equipping parents with the tools and support they have been asking for to tackle the health issues facing their kids, particularly around drugs and alcohol," said Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of the Partnership.

As part of the commitment, the Partnership and Comcast will be launching a series of parent-focused initiatives over the course of the year that will employ a number of innovative new programs, promoting awareness and education about drug and alcohol abuse and how to achieve healthy, drug-free living for their children. The first of those initiatives will be the Time to Talk(R) cause marketing platform public service announcements, which are due to begin airing in July.

"We are pleased to continue our collaboration with the Partnership for a Drug-Free America and look forward to providing a variety of new Comcast technologies to help engage parents in a dialogue with their children," said Steve Burke, chief operating officer of Comcast Corporation. "Comcast's 90,000 employees are committed to helping the Partnership for a Drug-Free America make a difference in our communities."

In 2003, Comcast announced a $50 million cross-channel advertising commitment with the Partnership for a Drug-Free America that was the largest single upfront commitment of advertising from a major media company to the Partnership in the organization's history.

As parents navigate the issue of substance abuse and their children, they are often at a loss for practical tools and resources and the ability to connect with other parents and experts on how best to approach the subject. They are the point of greatest leverage in preventing and stopping alcohol and drug abuse during their kids' teen years, when the vast majority of experimentation begins, as research conducted by the Partnership reports that kids who learn about the risks of drugs from their parents are up to 50 percent less likely to use drugs. However, only 31 percent of teens report that their parents talk with them about drugs.

"One of the key advantages of our relationship with Comcast will be the ability to reach parents in their homes and direct them to a permanent resource with practical tools and support services," Pasierb said. "As today's parents are faced with a constantly changing drug landscape that includes teen abuse of prescription and over-the-counter medications, inhalants and the spread of methamphetamine through many regions of the country, we are poised to be a valuable partner as they strive to raise healthy, drug-free children."

About Comcast

Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA)(NASDAQ:CMCSK) (http://www.comcast.com/) is the nation's leading provider of cable, entertainment and communications products and services. With 24.2 million cable customers, 12.1 million high-speed Internet customers, and 3.0 million voice customers, Comcast is principally involved in the development, management and operation of broadband cable systems and in the delivery of programming content.

Comcast's content networks and investments include E! Entertainment Television, Style Network, The Golf Channel, VERSUS, G4, AZN Television, PBS KIDS Sprout, TV One, four regional Comcast SportsNets and Comcast Interactive Media, which develops and operates Comcast's Internet business. Comcast also has a majority ownership in Comcast-Spectacor, whose major holdings include the Philadelphia Flyers NHL hockey team, the Philadelphia 76ers NBA basketball team and two large multipurpose arenas in Philadelphia.

About the Partnership for a Drug-Free America

The Partnership for a Drug-Free America is a nonprofit coalition of communications professionals, leading scientists and parents. Best known for its national drug-education campaign, the Partnership's mission is to reduce illicit drug use in America. The Partnership's nationwide network of alliance and affiliate partners bring the campaign to life at the community level. In its 20th year, the Partnership is evolving to enable all parents and caregivers to effectively address the issue of drug and alcohol abuse with their children to help them lead healthy drug-free lives. A major new initiative is now unfolding that integrates the latest science and research with the most effective communication techniques to give parents the tools, resources and support they need. This effort will include a web-based information center, parent-to-parent support network, 800# call center and user-friendly online/offline tools. We thank SAG, AFTRA and their member actors for their ongoing generosity.

Source: Comcast

CONTACT: Paul Costiglio of the Partnership for a Drug-Free America,
+1-212-973-3530; Jenni Moyer of Comcast, +1-215-851-3311

Web site:

http://www.comcast.com/
http://www.comcast.net/
http://www.drugfree.org/

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