P. Diddy Joins AIDS Fight

Hip hop superstar Sean "P. Diddy" Combs has warned millions of teenagers around the world that AIDS knows no frontiers and can kill anywhere. "HIV and AIDS touches everyone. It kills without conscience, rich or poor, black or white, young or old," he said, launching a documentary on the perils of AIDS that will be beamed to almost 600 million people by the pop music channel MTV. "More than ever before, we need to focus on what unites us, not divides us," the singer said in a statement about the "Staying Alive" documentary that will be aired on Dec. 1, World AIDS Day.

The documentary tours the world -- from Stockholm to Goa, from Buenos Aires to Phnom Penh -- pinpointing the plight of HIV/AIDS patients battling the disease, ignorance and intolerance. The hedonistic world of pop may be the ultimate symbol of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll, but MTV believes it can still educate its audience in between the sexy videos. For its AIDS campaign every year, the international cable network tries to pick a star kids can relate to. Latin heartthrob Ricky Martin may epitomize raw sex in his music video performances, but MTV believed the hip-swiveling superstar was the perfect choice last year to preach safe sex to teenagers around the world.

This year MTV picked Combs, and Bill Roedy, president of MTV Networks International, urged stations around the world to pick up and broadcast the documentary the star is fronting. "With young people accounting for 50 percent of new HIV infections, MTV will continue to dedicate its airwaves . . . to communicating prevention, anti-discrimination and awareness messages to help them avoid infection," Roedy said. MTV is airing the documentary to more than 365 million households in 139 countries. Other broadcasters have pledged to bring the program to more than 200 million households.

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