Results tagged “reality television” from Pregnant Pause
Jun 08 2009
MTV's "16 & Pregnant" -- Watch This Show!
There's a new show premiering this week on MTV that is a must-watch for anyone who cares about teen pregnancy or teens in general. "16 and Pregnant" is a 6-part series done in documentary style with one story per episode. It features 6 teen girls, all from different places, backgrounds and circumstances. MTV followed them through their pregnancies and in the time after they gave birth and captured the angst, drama, gossip, worry, heartache, excitement, confusion, pain, love, hope and helplessness that comes with being pregnant as teenager. It is riveting to watch and impossible to forget.
The first episode, which airs Thursday at 10p ET/PT, tells the story of Maci - an over-achiever from Chattanooga, Tennessee who is in the glorious throes of her first love when she finds out she's pregnant. I don't want to give anything away, but suffice it to say there's a big reality check in store for her. And her boyfriend. And anyone else who thinks having a baby at 16 is going to be like a fairy tale.
Not only are we big fans of the show, but we're also involved behind the scenes. We're preparing discussion guides to go along with each episode so that teens and parents and other adults have a place to start when they want to talk about what they're watching. Once the initial on-air run is complete, we'll also be distributing DVDs of the show to groups, classrooms and programs who need compelling content on this important topic to share with teens.
Check out the discussion guides and FAQ at http://www.stayteen.org/tuned/16-and-pregnant/ and don't forget to set your DVRs accordingly.
Apr 02 2009
The Real World, Indeed
Last night, MTV premiered "Pedro," a story about his life and a chronicle of his efforts to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS. President Bill Clinton famously called him to tell him how much his efforts meant and that "the country owed him a lot." His eventual death was probably the first time that many young people actually felt that someone they knew and cared about died from a disease that carried a lot of myths, misperceptions and huge stigma.
Such is the power of TV--especially reality TV. We all know in our heads that reality TV isn't real. We know people exaggerate their behavior to get more air time and that they're all competing for their 15 minutes.
But in our hearts we do get attached to these people. We start to care about them in spite of ourselves, and that's why we keep watching. A lot has changed since 1994, when Pedro and his Real World housemates were early pioneers of the entire reality TV phenomenon. But what he did in his short life, what he meant to viewers and what he taught them about living with HIV continues to mean something to real live teens. He proved that someone on TV really can reach through the screen and change lives.
Today, half of all sexually-active young people will contract an STD by age 25--and most won't know it. That's why last night's premiere of "Pedro" kicked off STD Awareness Month, and GYT: Get Yourself Tested, a new public awareness campaign from MTV, the Kaiser Family Foundation and Planned Parenthood Federation of America. GYT is an extension of MTV and Kaiser's "It's Your (Sex) Life" partnership to promote responsible decision making about sex. Check out their newly revamped web site, watch the movie on MTV, and tell us what you think.
Jun 13 2008
People are Buzzing About "The Baby Borrowers"
Dozens of news organizations are picking up an AP story today with news that readers of this blog already know: NBC's new reality show, "The Baby Borrowers," is a great way for teens (and everyone) to start talking about preventing teen pregnancy.
The show follows five teen couples who think they're ready for parenthood, as they care for babies, toddlers, pre-teens, teens and senior citizens. We urge everyone to check it out on Wednesday, June 25 at 8pm ET/PT.
A discussion guide to help facilitate conversations after watching the show is available from The National Campaign. For the AP story about a National Campaign Youth Leadership Team viewing party, click here.
Watch more clips from the first episodes of "The Baby Borrowers" after the jump.
Jun 03 2008
"It's Not TV, It's Birth Control!"
On June 25th, NBC premieres its riveting new reality show, The Baby Borrowers. Over six intense, heartwarming, and hilarious episodes we see teen couples who think they're ready to have children, care for real, live babies, then toddlers, then tweens, then teenagers and finally senior citizens. It's life in fast forward as they try to negotiate the challenges of parenting along with maintaining their relationships. Unlike other reality shows - no one gets voted off here, no one is competing for a prize - the drama is the journey itself and the rewards are lessons learned about adult life. Learn more about the show at http://www.nbc.com/The_Baby_Borrowers/.
The Campaign has been lucky to work with NBC around the launch of this show, and we've collaborated with them on discussion guides for parents and teens who watch together and want to talk about it. Please take the time to check out The Baby Borrowers on June 25th at 8PM ET/PT. And let us know what you think about it!
Spoiler alert: There wasn't a dry eye in the house when we watched the final episode.
