STAR India Extends Partnership with HIV/AIDS Campaign

TORONTO/MUMBAI, August 15: At the XVI International AIDS
Conference in Canada, STAR India announced a two-year extension of its
relationship with the Heroes Project, a non-governmental public service
campaign in India that promotes HIV/AIDS awareness.

The extension of the campaign through 2009 will provide the
project with $9.26 million worth of airtime, bringing STAR India’s five-year
commitment to a total of $23.16 million.

Richard Gere, the co-chair of the Heroes Project, noted,
“Our partnership with STAR demonstrates the strength of collaboration and the
distinct leadership role media can play in dismantling stigma associated with
HIV/AIDS. We are honored STAR has supported us in creating a great model of
guidance we feel will prove invaluable to the prevention of HIV and AIDS, a
model that also puts us in a position to directly alter the impact of the
disease in Asia.”

The relationship with STAR India, conducted in partnership
with Avahan—the India AIDS Initiative of the Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation—and the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation has helped the
Heroes Project reach an estimated 70 million viewers. The Project’s PSAs have aired over 11,500 times in three
languages across STAR India properties. The collaboration has also incorporated
HIV/AIDS messaging into several prime-time shows such as Kaun Banega
Crorepati.

Peter Mukerjea, CEO of the STAR Group in India, noted, “As
one of India’s leading media companies, STAR takes its corporate social
responsibilities very seriously and we hope that our efforts will help make
positive changes in the lives of citizens throughout the country.”