Network Ten's environmental initiative "Marking Your Mark".

MEDIA RELEASE

Network Ten marks World Environment Day with “Green” programming line-up

4 June 2009 - Network Ten today announced plans for its second annual Making Your Mark long weekend of environmental programming, kicking off with World Environment Day celebrations on Friday June 5.

Starting on Friday, and continuing over the June long weekend, Network Ten will support World Environment Day with a green-themed programming line-up. It will feature environmental segments in 9am With David and Kim, TEN News At Five, Ready Steady Cook, Toasted TV, Good News Week, Video Hits and Test Drive, as well as environmental story-lines in Neighbours and The Simpsons.

Network Ten chief executive officer, Grant Blackley said: “Network Ten has a significant opportunity and, we think, responsibility to educate, influence and inform people about one of the most important issues facing Australians.”

“On average the Network reaches six million Australians every day. If we inspire even a fraction of our viewers to make a small change in their daily lives, we will have made an enormously positive impact on the environment,” Mr Blackley said. The long weekend of programming kicks off with an environmentally themed episode of 9am with

David and Kim on Friday, featuring a live cross to the Australian launch of World Environment Day at Melbourne Zoo.

Viewers will also have the chance to see TEN’s new on-air environmental education campaign. Featuring environmental campaigners Ian Kiernan and Aaron Wood, musicians Diesel and Old Man River, Network Ten personalities and members of the community who are each making their own environmental mark, the campaign will be broadcast on the Network’s channels TEN and ONE-HD over the next 12 months.

On Saturday, TEN will broadcast the first-run screening of the Australian Conservation Foundation’s environmental documentary, Telling The Truth. This follow-up to the Academy Award-winning An Inconvenient Truth tells the story of seven Australians who joined Al Gore’s Climate Project and embarked on a mission to educate communities about climate change.

The long weekend of environmental programming is part of Making Your Mark, TEN’s broader environmental initiative. Making Your Mark is based on the principle that everyone can make a difference to the environment and that, as a media entity, Network Ten can positively influence others to take action on climate change.

“Network Ten is committed to reducing its energy consumption, minimising water usage and significantly cutting waste sent to landfill, as well as educating viewers to do their bit. Since announcing our environmental goals in April 2008, Network Ten has set an industry-first milestone by reducing its carbon footprint by 18 per cent in the first year, more than any other commercial free-to-air television network,” Mr Blackley said.

“Network Ten has positioned itself as an industry leader on environmental issues. This year, the Network is again included in the FTSE4Good Index, the leading global responsibility investment index and our News Unit’s environmental reporter, Emily Rice, is a finalist in the media category of the United Nations’ World Environment Day Awards,” Mr Blackley said.

Viewers who want to take action on climate change can visit www.ten.com.au/makingyourmark for more information.

Gabrielle Crittenden
Corporate Communications
02 9650 1471

Catherine Donovan
TEN publicity
02 9650 1254