MTV'S NEW DOCU-SERIES "VIRGIN TERRITORY" GIVES AN
UNEXPECTED LOOK AT MODERN-DAY VIRGINS STRUGGLING WITH
THE EMOTIONAL DECISION TO WAIT... OR NOT
Series Premieres on Wednesday, July 16 at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT
NEW YORK, NY (June 2, 2014) - MTV will debut the compelling new docu-series "Virgin Territory" on Wednesday, July 16 at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT. Each hour-long episode will explore the real-life stories of 15 young adults from across the country as they navigate the complexities of relationships and one of the most complicated and emotional decisions of their young adult lives: whether to have sex or remain a virgin. "Virgin Territory" will delve into the mindset of four young people each week - some who are hanging on to their v-card for as long as possible and others who are desperately hoping to lose it.
"MTV has a legacy of documenting the lives of young adults and openly talking about sex with thought-provoking programming such as 'True Life,' '16 and Pregnant' and 'Teen Mom,'" said Lauren Dolgen, EVP Series Development & Head West Coast Unscripted for MTV. "Through our ongoing partnership with the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, MTV will continue this tradition by elevating the discussion of responsible sexual health to include the topic of virginity in a way that our audience might find surprising."
According to the CDC, on average, teens are waiting longer to have sex. And, studies show that less than half of American high school students have had sex - which is down nearly 15 percent vs. two decades ago.** According to new research being released soon by MTV's It's (Your) Sex Life campaign and the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, nearly 75 percent of young adults say they wish movies and TV "did a better job of exploring why people are virgins." Additionally, nearly nine out of ten young adults (86 percent) "wish popular media like movies and TV shows portrayed virginity in a more realistic way." Complete findings from the study will be released next month.*
"This research on the attitudes and feelings young adults have about virginity and the first time will be surprising to many," said Amy Kramer, the Senior Director of Entertainment Media at The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. "We hope 'Virgin Territory' will help young people think and talk about waiting so they can make the best decisions for themselves."
In the series premiere episode, viewers will meet Dominque, Kyle, Lisa and Mikaela. Dominique is determined to keep her heart on lockdown until the right man comes along and plans to remain a virgin until after she's married. Kyle has been keeping his virginity a secret from his hard-partying friends for fear of losing their respect, but he is determined to lose his virginity to someone special and not just by having a one-night stand. Lisa was raised in a religious family and firmly believes in not having sex before marriage. Now that she is engaged, Lisa is ready to fully commit to her fiancé and she can't wait for their wedding night. Harassed by all of her friends as the lone virgin and getting shut down by a crush of hers, Mikaela finally musters up the courage to chase the guys she is interested in and is on a mission to find a man and lose her virginity.
For more, go to Facebook or follow the show on Twitter.
"Virgin Territory" will air across MTV's international channels beginning in September 2014 (check local listings).
"Virgin Territory" is produced by Endemol USA and is based on the hit format from Endemol's Tiger Aspect Productions. Cat Rodriguez, Dena Waxman and R. Greg Johnston are executive producers. Lauren Dolgen, Colin Nash, James DeSimas and Julie Schwachenwald are Executives in charge for MTV.
More information about sexual health issues affecting young people is available at www.itsyoursexlife.com, a public information resource developed by MTV and the Kaiser Family Foundation. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy is working with the show to provide additional information.
*The survey took place January 7 to January 16, 2014. The study was conducted using GfK's KnowledgePanel, which assures representative samples that are statistically valid and projectable to the population of adults 18 to 24. The margin of error for this study is +/- 4.4%.
**The Alan Guttmacher Institute. (2013). In Brief: Fact Sheet. Facts on American Teens' Sexual and Reproductive Health.
About The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy:
The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy is a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization that seeks to improve the lives and future prospects of children and families. Our specific strategy is to prevent teen pregnancy and unplanned pregnancy so that a higher proportion of babies are born into wanted and welcoming circumstances. The National Campaign supports a combination of responsible behavior by men and women and responsible policies in the public and private sectors. Find out more at www.thenationalcampaign.org or www.stayteen.org.
ABOUT MTV
MTV is the world's premier youth entertainment brand. With a global reach of more than a half-billion households, MTV is the cultural home of the millennial generation, music fans and artists, and a pioneer in creating innovative programming for young people. MTV reflects and creates pop culture with its Emmy(R), Grammy(R) and Peabody(R) award-winning content built around compelling storytelling, music discovery and activism across TV, online and mobile. MTV's sibling networks MTV2 and mtvU each deliver unparalleled customized content for young males, music fans and college students, and its online hub MTV.com is a leading destination for music, news and pop culture. MTV is a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.
ABOUT ENDEMOL
Endemol is the largest independent television and digital studio in the world, comprised of a global network of around 90 companies in more than 30 countries. It is a leading producer of television programming, specializing in unscripted and scripted genres for network and cable television. Endemol USA produces hit series, including "Big Brother" (CBS); "Wipeout" (ABC); "Freakshow" (AMC); and the syndicated daytime show, "Steve Harvey." Endemol USA is also known for some of the most popular non-scripted primetime programming in North America, including "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" and "Fear Factor." Endemol Studios is the scripted television studio operation for Endemol North America. Scripted series include "Hell on Wheels" (AMC) and "Navy St." (DirecTV). Endemol Beyond USA is a premium content network, featuring exclusive digital content with mainstream, YouTube and web-native talent, ranging from Michelle Phan to Matty B., Brittany Furlan and Drea de Matteo. Endemol USA's subsidiary production companies include Authentic Entertainment ("Here Comes Honey Boo Boo"), 51 Minds ("Flavor of Love"), Original Media ("Comic Book Men") and True Entertainment ("Real Housewives of Atlanta"). Endemol USA is a division of the Endemol Group, a leading international content developer, producer and distributor of television and online programming. The company, headquartered in the Netherlands, has over 80 subsidiaries and joint ventures in over 30 countries, including the major European markets, the U.S., Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa. Endemol is a privately held company. For more information, please visit www.endemolusa.tv.
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