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Boys & Girls Clubs of America and PTA Launch Digital Video
Service for Families
New online video stores powered by HP
PALO ALTO, Calif., May 21, 2008 – Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) and
Parent Teacher Association (PTA) in conjunction with HP today launched a
first-of-its-kind
national digital video service program that
allows families to access and purchase age-appropriate digital content in a safe
and secure online environment.
Created and managed by Harmony
Digital Media Consortium with the support of the Motion Picture Association of
America (MPAA), this initiative encourages families to make informed media
choices by serving as a tool for parents to help them manage their children’s
exposure to electronic media. Additionally, the program helps raise funds for
two child-focused non-profit organizations, BGCA, which serves 4.8 million youth
through Club membership and community outreach, and PTA with more than 5.5
million members.
“Boys & Girls Clubs of America
provides a safe place for young people to learn and grow, helping them develop
into caring, responsible citizens,” said Cyndi Court, senior vice president,
Resource Development, Boys & Girls Clubs of America. “This program extends our
vision by providing a secure environment for youth to enjoy entertainment that
is appropriate for them, while raising funds for important programs that benefit
youth in cities across the country.”
One of BGCA’s programs to benefit
from this collaboration is the Family PLUS (Parents Leading, Uniting, Serving)
initiative, which serves as a model for Boys & Girls Clubs wanting to implement
family support activities into their programming.
 The digital video service program
also supports PTA’s mission, which is to help children reach their full
potential by providing tools for parents to get involved and manage their
children’s health, education and safety.
“As the largest volunteer child
advocacy organization in the country, PTA believes that it is the responsibility
of parents, teachers and caregivers to influence children’s exposure to
electronic media,” said Jan Harp Domene, national president, PTA. “The resources
offered through this program help parents fulfill this responsibility by
bringing educational and age-appropriate entertainment and technology to
children and families.”
Beginning today, consumers can
browse and purchase content on one of the two online video stores powered by HP
–
www.ptavideostore.com and
www.bgcavideostore.com.
Video gift cards also are available on these
sites.
BGCA cards will also be available at
Circuit City stores nationwide and PTA video gift cards will be available at
Office Depot stores nationwide later this year. Additionally, this program will
be available as a fundraising tool for local PTA units beginning in the fall.
Proceeds from the purchases on these sites will support the child-focused work
undertaken by both organizations.
Gift cards can be redeemed at one of
the two online video stores. Collectively, these sites offer more than 10,000
movie and TV titles from all major studios, including all MPAA member companies
and most independent studios, as well as numerous specialty content providers.
Movie titles include Alvin & The Chipmunks, Bee Movie, Enchanted, Nancy Drew
and National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets; TV titles include Avatar: Last
Airbender Book 3: Fire Volume, Sponge Bob Square Pants: Pest of the West
and Speed Racer the Next Generation: The Beginning.
In addition to age-appropriate TV
titles, the BGCA online video store will carry movie titles with a G or PG
rating from the MPAA. The PTA video store also will offer movies rated PG-13 by
the MPAA. Movie and TV titles will be offered in a variety of formats, including
DVD, Blu-ray and as digital downloads.
With a variety of appropriate G, PG
and PG-13 titles available, the video gift card program is supported by the MPAA,
which, through the film ratings system, plays an important role in providing
information to parents about the content of films so that they can make informed
viewing decisions for their children.
“For 40 years, the MPAA’s film
ratings system has helped millions of parents make informed decisions about
appropriate film content for their children,” said Joan Graves, chairman,
Classification and Ratings Administration, Motion Picture Association of
America. “This effort further arms parents and with the information they need to
make more educated choices for their children.”
Development of the online video
stores for this fundraising program is made possible through HP Digital Content
Services, which created a platform that enables consumers to acquire video
content in various forms, such as digital downloads, traditional-packaged DVDs
and Blu-ray discs.
“HP is providing the technological
backbone of a program that offers digital content, such as movies and TV shows,
in both familiar and emerging formats for the whole family to enjoy,” said
Willem de Zoete, vice president and general manager, Digital Content Services,
HP. “This program provides busy parents with a simple, secure solution for
ordering age-appropriate video entertainment, while also benefiting the
child-focused missions of these important nonprofit organizations.”
About HP
HP focuses on simplifying technology experiences for all of its customers – from
individual consumers to the largest businesses. With a portfolio that spans
printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure, HP is
among the world’s largest IT companies, with revenue totaling $110.4 billion for
the four fiscal quarters ended April 30, 2008. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at www.hp.com.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of
America
For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (www.bgca.org) has been
changing and saving young lives, providing hope and opportunity for kids who
need them most. Today, some 4,300 Clubs serve some 4.8 million young people
through Club membership and community outreach. Known as The Positive Place for
Kids, Boys & Girls Clubs can be found all across the country and on U.S.
military bases throughout the world. Clubs provide young people 6-18 years old
with guidance-oriented character development programs conducted by trained,
professional staff. In communities large and small, Clubs positively impact
lives and help young people reach their full potential as productive, caring
citizens. Key Boys & Girls Club programs emphasize leadership development;
education and career exploration, community service; financial literacy; health
and life skills; the arts; sports, fitness and recreation; and family outreach.
In a recent Harris Survey of Club alumni, 57 percent said the Club saved their
life. National headquarters is located in Atlanta.
About PTA
PTA comprises more than 5 million parents and other concerned adults devoted to
the educational success of children and the promotion of parent involvement in
schools. PTA is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that prides itself
on being a powerful voice for children, a relevant resource for parents, and a
strong advocate for public education. Membership in PTA is open to anyone who is
concerned about the education, health and welfare of children and youth.
About Harmony Digital Media
Consortium
Harmony Digital Media Consortium develops fundraising initiatives in support of
the strategic objectives of its nonprofit partner organizations. Harmony members
include educators, technologists and media executives focused on creating useful
new tools for families confronting both the great potential and challenges of
the digital age.
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© 2008 Hewlett-Packard Development
Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change
without notice. The only warranties for HP products and services are
set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such
products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as
constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for
technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.
5/2008
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