Family Channel encourages students to Stand UP! with annual Bullying Awareness Week campaign

Network teams up with Canadian band Eleven Past One and stars from The Next Step to promote bullying prevention

TORONTO, Sept. 2, 2014 /CNW/ - Family Channel is ready to challenge bullying behaviour as its 12^th annual Stand UP! campaign launches today in advance of Bullying Awareness Week. Partnering with Bowmanville, ON natives Eleven Past One on a new anthem and set to visit schools across Canada to see what students do to prevent bullying, Family aims to empower kids to stand up, not stand by, when they see bullying happen. Bullying Awareness Week runs from November 17 to 23.

"Each year I am impressed and overwhelmed by the support and response our Stand UP! campaign receives from Family stars, Canadian musicians and kids who are dedicated to preventing bullying and helping their peers," said Joe Tedesco, Senior Vice President and General Manager, DHX Television. "Recognizing that our actions, even the smallest gesture, can make a difference is an important message to impart on Canadian youth. Working with our experienced partners at PREVNet to continue to motivate both kids and adults alike to address the issue is a step in the right direction to achieving our ultimate goal of putting an end to bullying." 

Debuting today is the campaign's anthem "I'm Ready (Stand Up Edit)" from Canadian pop-rock band Eleven Past One. Speaking to the support bystanders and friends can offer to victims of bullying, the song aims to create a community environment emphasizing the importance of facing and overcoming the issue together. The audio version of the song is being released exclusively on Family.ca and will be followed by a lyric video coming to the network on Monday, September 15 to assist fans in learning the words to this motivational song.

"It's important for us to be part of Family's Stand UP! campaign, especially for me, because I was bullied in high school," said Daniel Richter, lead singer of Eleven Past One. "I felt alienated and can relate to what some of Family's audience is experiencing because I've been there before. We always want to encourage fans to consider others' feelings and to stand up for people who are bullied and, when you can, for yourself."

Knowing the best way to connect with fans is in person, Family is travelling coast-to-coast to bring Stand UP! rallies to four schools across Canada. Featuring Alexandra Beaton and Jennie Pappas from Family's hit series The Next Step as the rally hosts, the interactive event includes a discussion led by a representative from national research organization PREVNet and a multimedia presentation designed to educate students on how to prevent bullying in their community. Students can enter to win a rally for their school by visiting Family.ca and explaining how they Stand UP! to bullying. The contest runs until 5:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, October 1.

An integral part of the Bullying Awareness Week campaign, Family will stock the network with programming dedicated to spreading the Stand UP! message throughout November. New bullying-themed episodes from top-rated Family series will be accompanied by special messages from musicians and stars depicting their own experiences and offering advice to fans. During Bullying Awareness Week itself, Family will debut exclusive footage from the 2014 Rally Tour.

Those interested in Family's 12^th annual Stand UP! campaign can visit Family.ca/StandUp to listen to the Stand UP! anthem, learn about bullying prevention and enter for a chance to win a Stand UP! rally. Bilingual resources for students, parents and educators are also available for download, including printable tip sheets and activities from an extensive Teacher's Guide prepared by PREVNet for Family.

Family Channel co-founded Bullying Awareness Week in 2003 and developed the Stand UP! campaign in association with PREVNet (Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence Network), a national network of Canadian researchers, community organizations and governments committed to ending bullying and promoting positive relationships. 

About PREVNet
Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence Network (PREVNet) is a national network comprised of 126 leading Canadian research scientists and their students from 27 universities, and 61 national youth-serving organizations. Launched in 2006 with the Networks of Centres of Excellence, PREVNet's mission is to stop bullying in Canada and to promote safe and healthy relationships for all Canadian children and youth. Led by Scientific Co-Directors, Dr. Debra Pepler of York University and Dr. Wendy Craig of Queen's University, this national knowledge mobilization network is the first of its kind in Canada, providing an unprecedented opportunity for social-cultural change. For more information, please visit www.prevnet.ca.

Family Channel is a premium, commercial-free network offering the best in family television entertainment in approximately 6 million homes across Canada. Dedicated to celebrating family life and providing a fun experience for all, Family airs a unique mix of series, movies and specials, with a large portion of programming supplied by Disney. Family Channel also offers Family OnDemand, a television-based Subscription Video on Demand (SVOD) service and Family OnLine, an internet-based, streaming service, these services, available at no additional cost, present hit Disney movies and series, plus top-rated Canadian series to subscribers when they want it, where they want it. Visit us at Family.ca.

About DHX Television
DHX Television is comprised of Family Channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior (English & French) and is part of DHX Media Ltd. (www.dhxmedia.com), a leading broadcaster, creator, producer and marketer of family entertainment. The Company markets and distributes its library of more than 10,000 episodes of entertainment programming worldwide, and licenses its owned properties through its dedicated consumer products business. DHX Media Ltd.'s full-service international licensing agency, Copyright Promotions Licensing Group Ltd. (CPLG), represents numerous entertainment, sport and design brands. DHX Media Ltd. has offices in Toronto, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Halifax, London, Paris, Barcelona, Milan, Munich and Amsterdam, and is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker DHX.

SOURCE: Family Channel

For interview requests, photos or additional information please contact: Joanna Landsberg, Publicist - DHX Television, [email protected], 416.956.8547; Jaime Werby, Director, Communications - DHX Television, [email protected], 416.956.8584