Pubdate: Fri, 12 Feb 1999 Source: PR Newswire Copyright: 1999 PR Newswire PUBLIC EDUCATION WITH A TWIST: OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY REACHES YOUTH IN UNCONVENTIONAL WAYS ONDCP's National Media Campaign Sponsors Live Webcast Of Silverchair Concert WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to reach America's young people with important anti-drug messages, the Office of National Drug Control Policy's (ONDCP) National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign today announced its sponsorship of seven online concerts on the World Wide Web, scheduled to take place over the next several months. The first concert, featuring popular Australian rock band Silverchair, will be held on Monday, February 15th at 8:00 p.m. EST. All of the concerts will be broadcast at http://www.sonicnet.com. "In order to truly be successful in reducing youth drug use in America, we realize that we have to reach children and teens in new and unexpected ways," said John Hale, Deputy Director of ONDCP's Media Campaign. "We recognize that many of the old ways of conducting public education campaigns are no longer effective, and that the Internet is an invaluable tool for reaching people. Today's sponsorship is representative not only of the media campaign's larger interactive strategy but also of our overall dedication to delivering positive messages through all effective mediums. Sponsoring online concerts is just one way we are creatively engaging America's young people and helping them to understand the realities of drug use." In order to maximize the effectiveness of the sponsorship, a online mechanism has been developed exclusively for ONDCP. The mechanism opens a new browser window and serves as the gateway to the concert. It delivers eight different anti-drug messages on a rotating basis. This area also provides a link to ProjectkNOw, ONDCP's teen targeted site, as well as band information and a link to ONDCP's online celebrity musician public service announcements. Once they have passed through the ONDCP gateway, concert goers will be able to watch the band perform live on their computer screens. SOURCE Office of National Drug Control Policy - --- MAP posted-by: Patrick Henry