About Us
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History / Stats

In 1994, an expert panel was convened by the HIV program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to consider CDC's role working with the entertainment industry in order to reach the public with health information about HIV. Members of entertainment, public health, academic and advocacy organizations came together and discussed the issues involved in this type of collaboration for two days. The panel's final report urged the CDC to work with the entertainment industry to inform writers about HIV and all other health issues that CDC was addressing.

In 1997, the director's office of CDC launched a pilot project that provided information and expert consultants to writers in Hollywood. The pilot project was successful, so in 2001, the CDC awarded the USC Annenberg School's Norman Lear Center a five-year cooperative agreement grant to lead this project in Hollywood. Since then, Hollywood, Health & Society has turned into a full-blown program, with funding from over federal agencies, partner organizations and private foundations.

Vital Statistics Since Inception

• Worked with over 150 TV series on 6 broadcast and 30 cable networks
• Worked with shows that have as many as 20 million viewers
• Received over 1350 inquiries from television writers
• Conducted over 250 briefings
• Covered over 700 topics in inquiries and briefings
• Worked with over 650 experts in inquiries and briefings
• Monitored over 2600 hours of media
• Analyzed over 180 shows for health content
• Evaluated 33 storylines for audience
• Provided more than 800 links to public health information on show websites
• Worked with 13 shows to broadcast PSAs, info spots, toll-free numbers
• Published over 20 peer-reviewed journal articles
• Presented at over 40 professional conferences
• Presented over 62 Sentinel for Health Awards
• For a $3 million federal investment, over $100 million worth
of public health communication messaging