For Immediate Release:
June 2, 2003

Contact:
Jodi Burack (jburack@giles.com)
Giles Communications
(914) 798-7132

Dianne Milton (Dianne.Milton@teenpeople.com)
TEEN PEOPLE
(212) 522-8530

AMERICAN MUSIC CONFERENCE AND TEEN PEOPLE JOIN FORCES

–New Partnership Promotes Music Education–

CARLSBAD, CA, June 2, 2003—TEEN PEOPLE and the non-profit American Music Conference (AMC) today announced a new alliance aimed at giving more teenagers access to the fun and benefits of making their own music. As part of the initiative, teens across America will get a chance to sign a petition to Congress urging better support for school music education.

AMC will be promoted through various TEEN PEOPLE events and promotions, including the magazine's upcoming Listening Lounge event with Michele Branch and the Rock 'N Shop "Back-to-School" Mall Tour. Teens will also be directed to AMCs website through TEEN PEOPLE's email newsletter, Live Wire, as well as through The Scoop, the magazine's events and promotions page. In addition, the petition to save music education will be available for teens to sign at the TEEN PEOPLE events. The signatures will then be delivered to Capitol Hill by AMC and TEEN PEOPLE.

"AMC and TEEN PEOPLE are giving teens a voice to let the world know they want music in their lives and in their schools," says AMC Associate Executive Director Laura Johnson. "Everyone knows how naturally music and teens go together. Through this new partnership, we're creating an additional resource for teens to find out information about playing music — something more and more of them now don't have access to because of music education budget cuts."

The positive effects that music education and music making have on developing minds are better understood today than ever before. A recent Gallup Poll shows that 95 percent of Americans believe that music is a key component in a child's well-rounded education. Unfortunately, despite Americans' clear support for music education and participation, budget cuts and shifting priorities have placed those programs in more danger than ever. Already, up to 28 million American students do not receive an adequate music education, and cuts in education funding are either pending or have been enacted in more than half the states nationwide.

That, coupled with the emphasis on standardized testing, is preventing many teens from getting the music education they deserve. Through its partnership with TEEN PEOPLE, AMC is reaching out to teenagers so that they can become active participants in music and experience the benefits that it can have in their lives.

"Music plays a crucial role in the lives of our readers," says Paul Caine, TEEN PEOPLE Publisher. "Together with AMC, our goal is to create awareness of the importance of music education in our schools and ultimately, impact music program funding through the petition drive."

Active music making has been shown to correlate with better reading ability and math scores, and lower incidence of drug use and antisocial behavior among teenagers. Students with course work and experience in music performance and music appreciation scored higher on the SAT. Students in music performance scored 57 points higher on the verbal and 41 points higher on the math, and students in music appreciation scored 63 points higher on verbal and 44 points higher on the math, than did students with no arts participation.

About TEEN PEOPLE
TEEN PEOPLE is the first pop culture magazine for teens that focuses on stars, style and substance. With an editorial mix covering celebrities and entertainment, fashion/beauty and real teens and their accomplishments, TEEN PEOPLE has become one of the fastest growing launches in publishing history. TEEN PEOPLE is also a National Magazine Award winner for General Excellence and #2 on Adweek's Hot List for 2002.