MTV News Special 'Facing The Hangover' Sunday 3 April

Mtv Australia to Air Youth Discussion on Binge Drinking
“Facing the Hangover: An MTV News Special”

Facing the Hangover: An MTV News Special, hosted by Tim “Rosso” Ross, premieres on MTV – Channel 124 – Sunday 3 April at 6pm AEDT


www.mtv.com.au

Sydney, Australia, Friday 25 March 2011: Taking an in depth look at binge drinking in today’s society, Facing the Hangover: An MTV News Special hosted by Tim “Rosso” Ross, will premiere on MTV, Sunday 3 April at 6pm.

In the 30-minute news special, representatives from the worlds of music, entertainment and sport discuss binge drinking; are young people in Australia and New Zealand too reliant on alcohol or is it just part of their culture? With the issue of binge drinking amongst young people a constant talking point within society, the half-hour forum also raises the question, “are young people the problem or the solution?” Be it positive or negative, participants share their first-hand experiences sparking a dialogue asking if binge drinking is an issue that needs to be addressed.

"It is clear that young people want to discuss the culture of binge drinking and how it is impacting their lives," said Rebecca Batties, General Manager, Music Brands, MTV Networks Australia and New Zealand. "At MTV, we want to give them a platform where they can have a voice to share their opinions and experiences and possibly learn from each other."

Batties continued, "Peer pressure can dictate how, where and when young people consume alcohol. The stories shared in the special are hard-hitting and very real -- but never preachy or judgmental. Our only goal is to present the issue in a way that resonates with the MTV audience."

Hosted by Tim “Rosso” Ross and featuring MTV Australia’s Erin McNaught and MTV New Zealand’s Sam Kelway, Facing the Hangover: An MTV News Special discussion members include:

Adair Donaldson - Lawyer whose experience with youth in the courts system has seen him develop a program called “Putting Youth in the Picture” which the NRL and other organisations use to educate youth
Afrah Fazli - Young female who does not drink due to religious beliefs
Belinda Stedman - Spokesperson for the Red Cross ‘Save a Mate’ (SAM) campaign. SAM promotes health and well being through education on key youth health issues, particularly related to drugs and alcohol
Cameron Laing - Amy Meredith guitarist
Christian Lo Russo - Amy Meredith lead singer
Chris Wilson - 18 year old from the Northern Beaches who likes to go out and party and classifies himself as a binge drinker
Chris Raine - Reformed binge drinker, creator of the blog, Hello Sunday Morning
Corbin Harris – Professional skateboarder and Television Personality
Daimon Downey – Ex Sneaky Sound System frontman & Ted Noffs Foundation spokesperson
Jason Stevens - Former NRL player, rugby league writer and presenter for The Matty Johns Show
Julian Tobias - Sydney Nightclub owner
Matt Noffs - Spokesperson for the Ted Noffs Foundation, which provides comprehensive life management programs for youth at risk to equip them with the skills to better manage their own lives
Marieke Guehrer - Professional Australian swimmer
Paul Dillon - Drug and Alcohol specialist, ex triple J presenter (Doing Drugs with Paul Dillon), founder of Drug and Alcohol Research and Training Australia (DARTA)

One point of view to emerge from the discussion was that parents needed to take more responsibility to provide the tools and information surrounding consuming alcohol safely.
Matt Noffs, Spokesperson for the Ted Noffs Foundation suggested, “Instead of saying kids should not be drinking or they are to blame, parents should be teaching them how to drink.”

Facing the Hangover: An MTV News Special features three video packages that will act as discussion points for the show:

• MTV cameras follow Chris, a typical 18 year old, on the town with his friends to see what really happens when young people set out to party
• A look at if media and marketing representation of alcohol can be blamed for encouraging a binge drinking culture
• The physical and mental health consequences of excessive alcohol consumption from medical through to those who have experienced its effects first hand

Viewers seeking additional information are encouraged to visit www.mtv.com.au/support or www.mtv.co.nz/support.

ENDS

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