WASHINGTON LEADERS SPEAK OUT IN SUPPORT OF ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY AT EIC’S PRISM AWARDS CAPITOL HILL SHOWCASE

WASHINGTON, DC (Sept. 13) – Washington may frequently be on the attack when it comes to media content, but tonight, in celebration of National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month, a number of elected and federal agency officials gathered to lend their encouragement to the entertainment industry for its pro-social portrayals at the 2005 PRISM Awards Capitol Hill Showcase. Convened at the Dirksen Senate Office Building, the Showcase, sponsored by the Entertainment Industries Council, Inc. (EIC), The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), News Corporation and the FX Network, featured highlights from the 9th Annual PRISM Awards.

The Capitol Hill Showcase was supported by a bi-partisan Congressional Host Committee comprised of over 75 members of the Senate and House of Representatives, some of whom spoke at the event in support of the entertainment industry’s efforts to shed light on the issue of substance abuse and addiction. The PRISM Awards, which were handed out at a separate Los Angeles event in April (see related release on this year’s recipients and ceremony), honor the accurate depiction of drug, alcohol and tobacco use and addiction in film, television, music, video and comic book entertainment. The awards were presented by EIC in partnership with RWJF, News Corporation, FX and the National Institute on Drug Abuse/National Institutes of Health (NIDA).

Featured speakers at the Capitol Hill Showcase were Senators Ron Wyden and Orrin Hatch; Representatives Mark Foley, Diane Watson, Michael Honda, and Gregory Meeks; EIC President & CEO Brian Dyak; NIDA Director Dr. Nora Volkow; FCC Commissioner Michael Copps; News Corporation Exec.VP of Government Affairs Mike Regan; and Charles Curie, Administrator of the Substance and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). This is the fifth consecutive year the Showcase has taken place on Capitol Hill.

Honorary Co-Chairs include Senators Barbara Boxer, Jon Corzine, Dianne Feinstein, Charles Grassley, Orrin Hatch, Carl Levin, Mel Martinez, Charles Schumer, Olympia Snow, and Ron Wyden; and Representatives Mary Bono, David Dreier, Mark Foley, Michael Honda, Grace Napolitano, Fred Upton, Diane Watson, Melvin Watt, and Henry Waxman.

Featured in addition to the speakers were highlights from this year’s PRISM Award-winning productions and comments from some of the winners and nominees. EIC’s Brian Dyak, announced that an extended version of this tribute will be distributed on DVD, along with a discussion guide, for use in over 11,000 treatment centers nationally as part of National Recovery Month (see side bar release on this special DVD for treatment centers). Support for the distribution is provided by from NIDA and SAMHSA. Recovery Month is an annual observance that takes place during the month of September, highlighting the societal benefits of substance abuse treatment, the contributions of treatment providers, and the message that recovery is possible.

Dyak said, "EIC is pleased to be a part of National Recovery Month efforts through this showcasing of the PRISM Awards and the productions they honor. Entertainment is an important partner in educating the public about drug treatment and recovery, and Recovery Month is an ideal opportunity to highlight that partnership with leaders in the treatment and recovery community."

“Drug abuse is an equal opportunity Killer, regardless of age, race, sex and economic status. I want to encourage the entertainment industry to be conscious of stereotyping and stigmas that can easily be interpreted as blame toward any one group of people,” said Congressman Gregory Meeks (D-NY).

Congressman Michael Honda (D-CA) added, “I would like to encourage the entertainment industry to creatively challenge yourself to reach all facets of families, from children to grandparents, with accurate depictions to reach diverse populations.”

“By blending the world of science with the entertainment industry, billions of people can be educated about the inherent risks and dangers presented by drug, alcohol and tobacco use and addiction,” said Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), who has been a co-chair of the PRISM Awards Capitol Hill Showcase since its inception five years ago.

As Chair of the Congressional Entertainment Industries Caucus, Congresswoman Diane Watson (D-CA) pointed to the important role that entertainment can play in addressing these issues to an increasingly vulnerable public in the Gulf Coast region in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. “Many who are currently in treatment are vulnerable for relapse because services are not available. People who are currently using drugs were forced into unexpected withdrawal.”

FCC Commissioner Mike Copps referenced the potential of the media to educate the public and help change lives. “The FCC is proud to take an active role in this event to acknowledge the positive influence of entertainment programming and its potential to help those struggling with substance abuse and addiction.”

EIC, a non-profit organization, was founded in 1983 by leaders of the entertainment industry to bring the power of the industry to bear on health and social issues. Among the issues EIC addresses are: drug, alcohol, and tobacco use and addiction; firearm safety and injury prevention; sun safety; human trafficking; terrorism and homeland security; mental health, including bi-polar disorder; and HIV/AIDS prevention. EIC’s websites are located at www.eiconline.org and www.prismawards.com.

NIDA, a component of the National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, supports 85% of the world’s research on the health aspects of drug abuse and addiction. The Institute also carries out a variety of programs to ensure the rapid dissemination and implementation of researching findings. NIDA’s website is located at http://www.drugabuse.gov/.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is the nation's largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving health and health care for all Americans. The Foundation invests in initiatives that create meaningful and timely change and that help us lead healthier lives. One of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's four goals is to reduce the personal, social and economic harm caused by substance abuse--tobacco, alcohol and illegal drugs.

News Corporation is a diversified international media and entertainment company with operations in eight industry segments: filmed entertainment; television; cable network programming; direct broadcast satellite television; magazines and inserts; newspapers; book publishing; and other. Its activities are conducted principally in the United States, Continental Europe, the United Kingdom, Australia, Asia, and the Pacific Basin.

FX is the flagship general entertainment basic cable network of the Fox Entertainment Group. Launched in June of 1994, FX is carried in more than 79 million homes. The diverse schedule includes a growing roster of distinctive original series and movies, an impressive roster of acquired hit series, an established film library with box-office hits from 20th Century Fox and other major studios, and marquee sports such as NASCAR.

SAMHSA is a public health agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The agency is responsible for improving the accountability, capacity and effectiveness of the nation’s substance abuse prevention, addiction treatment, and mental health services delivery system.