LIVE UP is the product of the Caribbean Broadcast Media Partnership on HIV/AIDS (CBMP), an historic coalition that unites over 50 top broadcasters from over 20 countries in the region's first coordinated media response to the pandemic. The CBMP was launched in May 2006 at a regional summit meeting of media executives on HIV/AIDS, organized by the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation, the Caribbean Broadcasting Union, and the Kaiser Family Foundation. Recognizing their unique power as broadcasters to deliver lifesaving information about HIV/AIDS and fight AIDS-related stigma and discrimination, participating executives signed a Partnership Declaration, committing to the following:

• Making HIV/AIDS a business priority;
• Integrating HIV/AIDS communication across program genres;
• Providing for dedicated and substantial broadcast time (at least 30 seconds per hour) for HIV/AIDS-related programming; and,
• Seeking co-production opportunities to extend the reach of HIV/AIDS messages.

The CBMP aims to embrace all Caribbean countries and includes both public and commercial media houses. Member broadcasters deliver HIV/AIDS information across a variety of platforms and formats, including targeted public service announcements (PSAs), entertainment programming, news and public affairs programming, and online resources.

Read the CBMP Newsletter

CBMP Leadership and Support
The CBMP is overseen by a Steering Committee of broadcast executives representing a diverse constituency of media houses and countries from the region, with technical guidance and production support from the Kaiser Family Foundation. The Ford Foundation and the Elton John AIDS Foundation provide additional financial support to underwrite production of campaign materials and informational resources.

About the Global Media AIDS Initiative (GMAI)
In January 2004, executives from around the world gathered at the United Nations headquarters in New York for a meeting hosted by former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, UNAIDS, and the Kaiser Family Foundation to discuss the role of media corporations in addressing the global AIDS pandemic. As a concrete result of the meeting, Secretary General Annan launched the Global Media AIDS Initiative (GMAI), which calls upon the world's media leaders to use their resources to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Since that initial gathering at the U.N., there has been considerable activity around the globe by a number of GMAI media executives, including major new or expanded public education initiatives developed in partnership with media companies in India, Russia, South Africa and the United States. The Caribbean Broadcast Media Partnership on HIV/AIDS is the Caribbean's response to the GMAI's call to action.