MTV and CNN are teaming up on a concert event to honor armed forces veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts in New York City next week, and launching a petition campaign for veterans’ rights.
“A Night for Vets: An MTV Concert for the Brave,” will be staged on Oct. 23 and taped to air on MTV in primetime on Oct. 24. The concert will include live performances from 50 Cent, Ludacris and Saving Abel, and taped performances from Kanye West, Kid Rock, Angels + Airwaves, Fall Out Boy, Juanes, Nelly and Taylor Swift. Other artists will appear in taped testimonials.
The special will include an interview with CNN international correspondent Michael Ware via satellite from Baghdad, and Headline News anchor Robin Meade will conduct interviews with veterans in the audience during the show, which will subsequently be screened on MTV2, mtvU and MTV Tr3s. The concert will also be streamed.
An Oct. 25 CNN special, “Anderson Cooper 360: Back from the Battle,” will feature Cooper reporting on the challenges young veterans of the current wars face at home.
The objective is to attune public awareness to the returning veterans’ issues, including employment, healthcare, education and homelessness. As part of the initiative, MTV’s Choose or Lose voter awareness drive has started circulating cyberspace petition to encourage support for a Bill of Rights for American Veterans (BRAVE), to push for fast Congressional action on behalf of armed forces veterans. People can also sign the petition by texting ‘Brave’ to 66333.
A micro-site dedicated to the effort enables visitors to send letters to veterans, organize a local event in support of veterans or make a connection to volunteer their time to the United Service Organizations, the umbrella veterans support group. Visitors to the site can also use a BRAVE widget to post on personal blogs or Web sites to further promote the cause among friends and family.
“It doesn’t matter where you stand on the war—we can all agree that young veterans serving our country must receive the benefits they’ve earned for their sacrifices,” said Van Toffler, president of MTV Networks, in a statement.
Recent MTV research indicates that 74% of people in the U.S. aged 18 to 29 personally know someone who has served in the armed forces in Iraq or Afghanistan. That demographic comprises MTV’s core audience.
Veterans groups, including Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, AMVETS and Veterans for America and Wounded Warrior Project, are collaborated with MTV to frame the issues outlined in the petition.
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