PIVOT, PARTICIPANT MEDIA’S NEW TV NETWORK FOR MILLENNIALS, UNVEILS UNPRECEDENTED NETWORK COMMITMENT TO DIGITAL & MEDIA LITERACY
Multi-Platform Campaign Eyes Wide Open Sheds Light On the Power and Pitfalls of Media
Pivot’s New Research Study Reveals Majority of Millennials Lack Confidence in the
Truth and Accuracy of News/Info They Share Online
Pivot (Pivot.tv), Participant Media’s new television network for Millennials (18-34) launching August 1st, announced today the details of a long-term, network-wide social action initiative focusing on digital & media literacy. The announcement was made today by Evan Shapiro, president of Pivot, at a bi-annual gathering of television critics in Los Angeles.
The multi-platform campaign named Eyes Wide Open, continues the tradition of Participant Media, an award-winning global entertainment company that announced plans to expand their footprint into television late last year with Pivot. Taking a cue from the company’s mission to provide “entertainment that inspires social change,” Pivot’s initiative asks its audience to consider their sources of information and media they consume; recognize their role as source when they produce or share content; and explore the trade-offs inherent to giving up personal information online.
“Audiences want content that is credible, accurate and transparent,” said Jim Berk, CEO, Participant Media. “By integrating digital & media literacy into Pivot’s programming and on-air experience, we hope to become a trusted source for our viewers.”
Eyes Wide Open will be anchored by a series of collaborative relationships with well-regarded organizations in the areas of news, policy-making and education including ABC News’ “Nightline”; NAMLE (National Association for Media Literacy Education); University of Southern California and the MacArthur Research Network on Youth and Participatory Politics; BSR (Business for Social Responsibility); and the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tufts University (CIRCLE).
Shapiro said: “The results of this study speak loudly to the need for this initiative. While Millennials are the first digital natives, they are also overwhelmed by the volume of information and misinformation online, and by the absolute loss of privacy that’s come in the digital age. As creators of television for the next generation, we feel responsible to offer tools to help them deal with the challenges they face.”
Components of the campaign on Pivot include the U.S. Television debut of “Terms & Conditions May Apply” on Sunday, August 11th, which The New York Times calls “quietly blistering”; an original half-hour documentary, “Eyes Wide Open,” premiering September 11; the premiere episode of Meghan McCain’s new series “Raising McCain” dedicated to privacy in the digital age; and a series of original short films about digital & media literacy airing throughout the coming year.
Online, today Pivot launched their digital & media literacy hub, www.pivot.tv/eyes, a comprehensive resource for tools and information, including Pivot’s transparent advertising policy; relevant news articles and features, powered by takepart.com; a Twitter aggregator showcasing the latest headlines from leading digital & media literacy organizations; and a quiz to test your knowledge of the subject matter. The site went live with a specific digital & media literacy study of 800 millennials looking at this generation’s behavior which was conducted for Pivot by Miner & Co. Studio in association with Beagle Insight with support for CIRCLE.
Highlights from the study include:
· 80 percent of Millennials say it’s hard to know which media sources you can trust to deliver the truth
· Almost 3 out of 4 Millennials (72%) consider themselves a valuable source of news and information
· More than 1 in 3 (38%) frequently share news or information without checking the source
· More than half (56%) lack confidence in the truth and accuracy of news and information that they share online
· Nearly 1 in 3 (29%) say they have misled friends and family through misinformation they have posted
· 3 out of 4 Millennials (76%) say that online privacy is dead
SOURCE: Eyes Wide Open, Pivot’s Media Literacy Survey, was conducted by Miner & Co. Studios and Beagle Insight with support from CIRCLE online with 800 18-34 year old broadband consumers nationwide July 2-8, 2013 with + /- of 3.5 percentage points
Chad Boettcher, Participant’s EVP, Social Action & Advocacy, said: “The ‘media revolution’ is transforming our world today – in both good and arguably not-so-good ways. Our goal is to demystify some of the stigma around digital & media literacy and give Millennials a trusted resource – one that provides a unique forum for conversation and provides them with tools that will help them protect their personal information and give them insight into how they can help protect those around them.”
Other campaign elements are:
Co-Production Relationships: An ongoing commitment to collaborations with other trusted sources in media covering digital & media literacy issues will launch with ABC News/“Nightline” and Pivot/“TakePart Live,” with both networks jointly airing segments and cross-promoting on-air and online. Six short-form investigative segments will air between August 1, 2013 and July 31, 2014. Talent and/or producers from “Nightline” will appear on “TakePart Live” when the segment airs.
Original Specials: Creation of three 22-minute documentaries covering critical issues in the digital & media literacy landscape – the first special, airing on September 11th in association with NAMLE, will introduce digital & media literacy to the audience by making it relevant, personal and eye-opening.
Education Curriculum: Development of a unique college-level curriculum that will use media to present digital & media literacy fundamentals, developed in association with the MacArthur Research Network on Youth and Participatory Politics, and Henry Jenkins’ Media Activism and Participatory Politics (MAPP) project at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism (available in 2014).
Original Series Integration: In addition to “Raising McCain” dedicating the September 14 premiere episode to exploring the meaning of privacy in the digital age, “TakePart Live” launching August 1 continues the conversation with a forum on a range of issues and experts five nights a week.
Responsible Advertising Policy: To promote a dialogue among Millennials, advertisers, and Pivot about the role of advertising in digital & media literacy, Pivot worked with BSR to develop a unique advertising policy centered around four principles: transparency, free speech and freedom of choice, responsibility, and progress.
About Pivot
Pivot (Pivot.tv), launching August 1st, is a new television network from Participant Media serving passionate Millennials (18-34) with a diverse slate of talent and a mix of original series, acquired programming, films and documentaries. Pivot focuses on entertainment that sparks conversation, inspires change and illuminates issues through engaging content and, through its website TakePart.com, connects audiences to a wealth of content and customizable actions. Pivot is also changing the media landscape, available via traditional Pay TV subscription and integrating a Live and on demand streaming option via its interactive, downloadable Pivot APP. In both content and delivery, Pivot is TV for The New Greatest Generation. Follow Pivot on Twitter at @pivot_tv and on Facebook at facebook.com/pivottelevision.
About Participant Media
Participant is a global entertainment company founded in 2004 by Jeff Skoll to focus on feature film, television, publishing and digital content that inspires social change. Participant’s more than 40 films include GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK, SYRIANA, AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH, FOOD, INC., WAITING FOR ‘SUPERMAN’, THE HELP, CONTAGION and LINCOLN. Through its films, social action campaigns, digital network TakePart.com and Pivot, its new television network for Millennials, Participant seeks to entertain, encourage and empower every individual to take action.
