Lifetime Networks Launches its Largest Multi-Platform 'Every Woman Counts'

Campaign, Forming First-Ever Coalition with 'REDBOOK,' 'CosmoGIRL!,' 'Marie Claire' and Leading Nonprofit Organizations, Representing Millions of Women to Engage and Empower Women to Vote and Run for Office in 2008 and Beyond

-- Year-Long, Nonpartisan Campaign Features Extensive On-Air and Digital Programming, Including a Presidential Candidate Forum Focused on Issues Important to Women, Polling, Political Convention Events, Voter Registration and Candidate Trainings --

-- 2008 Marks the Network's Fifth 'Every Woman Counts' Campaign Uniting Women and Organizations of Diverse Political Persuasions and Demographics --

NEW YORK, Oct. 15 -- Lifetime Networks today announced the launch of its fifth, award-winning, nonpartisan, multi-platform Every Woman Counts campaign to engage women in the political process as voters and future candidates. As a centerpiece of the initiative, Lifetime has formed the first-ever Every Woman Counts Coalition of women's media and advocacy groups, in partnership with Hearst Magazines REDBOOK, CosmoGIRL!, Marie Claire and leading national nonprofit organizations representing more than 10 million women. The unprecedented Coalition will reach and connect millions of women nationwide in efforts to get a record number of women to register and vote, to ensure that issues important to women are central to the national dialogue and to encourage women to run for elected office at all levels.

First launched in 1992 and now entering its fifth presidential election cycle, the 2008 Every Woman Counts campaign will encompass the Network's most extensive on-air programming, digital content and grassroots initiatives to date, including a town hall and a televised forum with presidential candidates focused on all of the issues critical to women and rarely discussed elsewhere, such as child care and early learning, domestic abuse, pay equity and women's health.

As a central feature of the campaign, Lifetime is going cross-country asking women, celebrities and candidates what issue tops their agenda by completing the statement: "If I Were President, I would..." The wide array of responses -- collected on-camera, online and on postcards at grassroots events -- will be highlighted in monthly on-air, broadband and Video-on-Demand (VOD) vignettes and will be shared with candidates throughout the campaign to get their responses to these issues, and ultimately will be delivered to the newly elected leaders in the White House and the Capitol in January 2009.

Throughout the 2008 election season, Lifetime will conduct national polls, hold trainings for women to learn how to run for elected office at all levels, host special events at both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions and kick off an unprecedented voter registration and turnout drive including an on-air, bilingual Public Service Announcement campaign.

"We know that 35 million eligible women did not vote in 2004, and, despite the fact that women are the majority of the population, they are significantly lacking in political representation at home, where women hold only 16 percent of the seats in Congress, and internationally, where the U.S. ranks 67th in the world. By mounting our largest Every Woman Counts campaign to date, forming the first-ever nonpartisan women's media and nonprofit Coalition, and working with our distribution partners and sponsors, Lifetime hopes to change these statistics and ensure that women are heard on the campaign trail, in the media and in the halls of power. With our new CEO Andrea Wong on board and so invested in this effort, Lifetime is now expanding its important work of advocacy for women to make it more resonant than ever before," said Meredith Wagner, Executive Vice President, Public Affairs, Lifetime Networks.

"The goal of the Coalition is to re-ignite women's connection to politics by gathering our collective strength to get the political conversation firmly focused on the daily truths of women's lives in America. I know from talking with the readers of REDBOOK that women feel that politics isn't about their lives, and we aim to change that by helping women raise their voices," said Stacy Morrison, Editor-in-Chief, REDBOOK.

"Business and Professional Women/USA is excited to work with Lifetime on the Every Woman Counts campaign and to join this groundbreaking Coalition to increase women's political participation and raise awareness of the issues women care about most, such as equity in the workplace, an issue very important to our members," said Deborah Frett, Chief Executive Officer, Business and Professional Women/USA.

"This coming year will be historic for both women in politics and The White House Project. As we work to expand our signature Vote, Run, Lead program into 10 states, we look forward to being part of the Every Woman Counts campaign and this powerful Coalition," added Marie Wilson, President and Founder, The White House Project.

The 2008 Every Woman Counts Campaign will include:

-- Every Woman Counts Coalition -- In partnership with Hearst Magazines REDBOOK, CosmoGIRL! and Marie Claire, and comprised of independent publications, industry and entertainment groups, websites, radio, celebrities, thought leaders and every leading nonprofit women's organization, the nonpartisan coalition will unite a record number of women in 2008. Women can sign up to join the coalition at specially dedicated web site, http://www.everywomancounts08.com.

-- "If I Were President..." Initiative -- Candid interviews with A-list celebrities, candidates, advocates and women nationwide sharing their top election priorities will run on-air, at LifetimeTV.com and on VOD, beginning in January. Lifetime will focus on one major issue per month, identified through a nationally representative poll of women.

-- Candidate Forums -- Celebrities, candidates, elected officials, advocates and real women will join for forums focused on all issues important to women, including many rarely raised elsewhere such as ending violence against women, pay equity and women's health research.

-- Public Service Announcements (PSAs) -- Lifetime Networks will air English and Spanish PSAs, urging women to register, vote and get involved in the political process.

-- Extensive Digital Content -- Reaching women 24/7 where they work, play and live, the initiative will include online, mobile and VOD elements including voter registration and information, live chats, blogs, candidate pages, networking and links to additional resources including a wide range of nonprofit organizations.

-- National Political Convention Women's Events -- The Coalition will host premier women's leadership events and star-studded celebrations at the Democratic National Convention (August 25-28, Denver) and the Republican National Convention (September 1-4, Minneapolis).

-- Future Frontrunners Essay Contest -- Investing in the next generation of women leaders, the winners of Lifetime's essay contest among high school girls will go to the national conventions and meet top women elected officials, party leaders and journalists.

-- National and Local Polling -- Lifetime and the Coalition will conduct polls on women's issues, stances and voting behavior throughout the election season.

-- Candidate Trainings -- Local market sessions to train tomorrow's leaders to run for school board, state assembly, on up to President.

-- Registration and Voter Turnout Drive -- Through PSAs, digital content and grassroots events, the Coalition will amass a record-breaking number of women to register and go to the polls.

Lifetime's nonprofit partners in the campaign have included: American Association of University Women, Girls Inc., League of Women Voters, National Council of Women's Organizations, National Organization for Women, RightNOW!, The White House Project, Women's Voices Women Vote, and many others.

Dedicated to using the power of the media to make a positive difference in women's lives, Lifetime has created a series of public awareness and advocacy campaigns -- on-air, online and in communities around the country -- in partnership with more than 200 leading nonprofit organizations, corporations and key, bipartisan political leaders. Initiatives include providing helpful resources through the Network's programming to ensure that Every Woman Counts in the halls of power, to Stop Breast Cancer for Life, to promote Living Healthy, and to work to End Violence Against Women, which was recognized with the prestigious Governor's Award Emmy(R) from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. These campaigns have been instrumental in getting five pieces of legislation passed: Advancing Justice Through DNA Technology Act of 2004; Video Voyeurism Protection Act of 2004; Violence Against Women Act of 2005 (VAWA); International Marriage Broker Regulation Act (IMBRA); and Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA - H.R. 972). Currently, more than 20 million signatures have been collected on LifetimeTV.com to urge Congress to pass the bipartisan Breast Cancer Protection Act of 2007, which would end the practice of "drive-through" mastectomies, where women are sometimes forced to leave the hospital within hours following their surgeries even if they and their doctors feel they are not ready to go home.

LIFETIME is the leader in women's television and one of the top-rated basic cable television networks. A diverse, multi-media company, LIFETIME is committed to offering the highest quality entertainment and information programming, and advocating a wide range of issues affecting women and their families. LIFETIME Television, LMN, Lifetime Real Women and Lifetime Digital (including LifetimeTV.com) are part of LIFETIME Entertainment Services, a 50/50 joint venture of The Hearst Corporation and The Walt Disney Company.

SOURCE Lifetime Networks
http://www.lifetimetv.com/ http://www.everywomancounts08.com