Red and Alive 2007

A new BBC survey suggests high levels of ignorance and complacency about HIV among 16 to 24 year olds, and marks the start of a two-month BBC HIV awareness campaign.

* Eighty-nine per cent of 16 to 24 year olds rarely or never think about HIV when making decisions about their sex lives.

* Nearly half (41%) of 16 to 24 year olds consider themselves to be at "no risk" of catching HIV.

The results come despite the fact that young heterosexuals (18-24s) are at increased risk of HIV and other STIs (sexually transmitted infections) – with the number of new diagnoses having continuing to increase in the last ten years (source: Health Protection Agency)*.

The HIV awareness campaign will run across BBC outlets from 1 October 2007 until World AIDS Day on 1 December – launching with the BBC Two documentary series, Stephen Fry: HIV And Me (Tuesday 2 October, 9pm), and featuring GI Jonny, an interactive online campaign aimed at informing teenagers and young adults about HIV – as well as programming across BBC Radio 1, 1Xtra BBC, BBC Radio 2, BBC 6 Music, BBC Asian Network, BBC Nations and Regions, and ending with a special episode of Casualty on BBC One.

Launch of two-month HIV awareness campaign

The HIV awareness campaign has been developed by BBC Learning in partnership with sexual health charity Terrence Higgins Trust to address the high levels of complacency about HIV among 16 to 24 year olds.

Elizabeth McKay, Project Executive at BBC Learning, said: "Levels of ignorance about HIV are at an all-time high among the age group most likely to catch a sexually transmitted infection. Young people told us they needed practical information about HIV that they could share with mates. GI Jonny is fun, always prepared for action, and fully armed with the facts about HIV."

The GI Jonny website, www.gijonny.co.uk, will help people learn the essential facts about HIV while customising their own GI action figure.

They can then build an elite force to help raise awareness of the key facts by sending the character on to their friends through the campaign website or social networking sites.

GI Jonny was designed to appeal to young people and deliver information in an relevant and unique manner.

As well as the GI Jonny website, there will be viral videos produced by BBC Comedy and The Viral Factory on youth sites and blogs, a Facebook application, and GI Jonny events in nine towns and cities across England, Scotland and Wales, as well as events organised by the NUS at university and colleges.