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Gates Foundation and BBC distribute free condom ringtone

By Tim Conneally, BetaNews

August 15, 2008, 1:37 PM

Though redolent of dogs barking jingle bells, the "Condom a Capella" ringtone -- sponsored by the BBC World Service and the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation -- seeks to break social taboos regarding the prophylactic.

The ringtone (available here) is part of an ongoing campaign to prevent the transmission of HIV in India by making the discussion of condoms more socially acceptable.

Creative Director of the BBC World Service Trust India, Radharani Mitra, said, "This downloadable ringtone provides an opportunity for our audience to translate a message into an action. The idea is to tackle the inhibitions and taboos that can be associated with condoms."

Included in the media campaign have been radio and television advertisements with the slogan "Jo Samjha Wohi Sikander," which roughly translates to "He who understands, wins."

The BBC Trust has similar programs in place in Angola, Nigeria, Ethopia, and Vietnam. In Cambodia, the trust runs a commercial that depicts an anthropomorphic condom doing martial arts with Hong Kong action star Jackie Chan.

Add a Comment (25 Comments)

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By AMITANAND

edited Sep 16, 2008 - 4:34 AM

It's a good effort for awayerness on HIV/AIDS in India & Indian people. Thank's to all of you.

Score: 0

By Glass

edited Aug 20, 2008 - 11:11 AM

Yeah companies like Condomafia actually distribute free condoms. Ringtones...Condoms? Condoms are way more effective

www.condomafia.com

Score: 0

By rascojet

edited Aug 17, 2008 - 1:50 PM

They should distribute the ringtone to young Americans and stop facing only Africans and Asians.
Asians and Africans don't expose themselves to early sex like the Americans.
Let Gates and BBC start serious work from America before reaching out to the outside world.

Score: 0

By Chris***

edited Aug 26, 2008 - 9:26 AM

Do not worry about the American, we will take care of ourselves. India is doing what they can to protect their country and people from the AIDS virus. All countries have this problem, we all need to not worry about the neighbor and deal with what is going on in our own home. If there was not a AIDs problem in Africa or Asia then the need for more education would not be necessary. Hey rascojet, when you look in the mirror you only see yourself not young Americans.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Aug 18, 2008 - 1:31 PM

*laughing*

Yeah, because kids here don't already know about condoms by the time they're 10 (or younger).

Think. Then post.

Score: 0

By CyberDoc999

posted Aug 16, 2008 - 10:25 PM

Flame Proof Suit is the only sub-human here.... he needs to have HIV....

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Aug 18, 2008 - 9:14 AM

Ouch.

I wouldn't go that far....but I'm glad you did! :)

Score: 0

By billweh

posted Aug 16, 2008 - 9:36 AM

Hmm, instead of distributing condom ringtones, you'd think they'd be doing something to prevent HIV in the first place.

Like, I don't know, maybe trying to educate people about not doing drugs and helping them to get off if they're hooked.

Or perhaps to stop homosexual activity?

Look at any of the statistics and you'll see that the top two carriers/spreaders of HIV are those listed above - you may not like it, but it's the sad truth.

Instead - they're basically sanctioning this and trying to give an "out" to people to allow them to continue to live a destructive life style.

I honestly am begining to wonder if it's not really the agenda behind things like this B&M Gates foundation. By keeping these poor people in their horrible situation - they prevent them from taking making something of their lives.

It strikes brutally close to Nixon setting up policy to keep poor nations poor so that they would never compete with the US for resources.

With as many people as there are in India and China - it's no wonder that they are doing things to keep these people in the gutter - can't have them taking up resources and possibly competing with Bill and friends for the good life.

Score: 0

By nic77

edited Sep 2, 2008 - 9:48 PM

Homosexuals are not one of the 2 top carriers/spreaders of HIV because they lead a "destructive lifestyle" by being gay. It's because condom usage among this group is lower than among heterosexuals- often due to lack of information or the repressed nature of their encounters. Much like teenage Christians who get pregnant/get someone pregnant because they didn't know it "could happen the first time." Campaigns like this help everyone, no matter what their "lifestyle" choice is to be aware that condom usage is normal and necessary if one is going to be sexually active.

Score: 0

By Mecanoroid

edited Aug 18, 2008 - 6:45 AM

billweh ,
You should deal with your homosexual tendencies and drugs issues. The later being much more a problem than the former.

Not assuming what you are shamed to be (wrongfully) makes you angry, stupid, pissed off, aggressive, prevent you to think clearly and have access to facts.

None of this would be a problem if you were not expressing yourself.

But you are.

So please seek counsel in all matter of life, you need it.

Thanks

Score: 0

By tazandpig

edited Aug 16, 2008 - 6:00 PM

Stop homosexual activity?

What planet are you living on? The vast majority of HIV cases are present within the heterosexual population - the vast majority of whom are NOT drug users.

Oh and of course, heterosexuals always wear condoms except when breeding, don't they?

And let's not touch at all on the wildly rising numbers of sexually transmitted infections amongst the heterosexual population either.

The sad truth (as you put it) is that being homosexual is NOT a destructive lifestyle, nor is becoming HIV positive an eventual outcome for being so. To assume so shows nothing but your ignorance.

A fact worth remembering is that it wasn't that long ago that we - in the so-called civilised countries - were embarrassed by and avoided discussion of condoms. Anything that helps and encourages the discussion of condoms, in countries or populations not yet comfortable with them as a discussion topic should be applauded - however laughable we may find the method.

To say that some of the comments on this article disgust me would be the understatement of the year. Although it doesn't surprise me one tiny bit that there are so many bigoted twats in 2008, I just didn't expect to find them on here.

Score: 0

By Flame Proof Suit

posted Aug 16, 2008 - 10:19 AM

Who da fook cares! They are sub human, unless of course there is a political point to be scored, or perhaps a distro for tainted drugs.
Ah, what irony! One Georgia W Bush is opening wars on all fronts and declaring the "Sanctity of Life"!
Fook' em again, we're over populated anyway! And, if Georgia W & d***y C had any real guts, they'd be releasing some of the more esoteric little buggers from Fort Dix with a laissez faire distro, then see where the chips fall, so to speak!
Ah, one problem but, when those chinks become even more bourgeois, we'll need another serf population to manufacture our indispensables.

Score: 0

By dvferret

posted Aug 17, 2008 - 10:33 AM

lol

Score: 0

By smokingbeagle

posted Aug 16, 2008 - 3:45 AM

The video should be a cartoon p**** singing "Johnny, come home"

Score: 0

By rsx508

posted Aug 15, 2008 - 9:11 PM

I thought they would write a song for "Where do you want to go today?"

Score: 0

By dibis60

edited Aug 15, 2008 - 3:48 PM

That's Sad

Score: 0

By DatabaseBen

posted Aug 15, 2008 - 4:27 PM

hard-rock, maybe?

Score: 0

By Sarg

posted Aug 15, 2008 - 5:20 PM

Or maybe some johnny cash...

Score: 0

By imafurby

posted Aug 15, 2008 - 8:38 PM

"Ring of Fire" comes to mind.

Score: 0

By PC_Troll

posted Aug 16, 2008 - 10:00 AM

If the "Cap Fits", dummy!

Score: 0

By alanpalmer

posted Aug 15, 2008 - 3:04 PM

The mind boggles.

Score: 0

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