Media release: STV and mental health charity, SAMH, forge new, three-year partnership

BROADCASTER, STV, and mental health charity, SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health), have joined forces to help increase and improve awareness of mental health and wellbeing in Scotland across a three-year partnership, drawing on SAMH’s expertise and guidance and STV’s reach and connection with communities across Scotland.

SAMH is Scotland’s mental health charity, promoting the importance of good mental health and delivering recovery-focused services across Scotland. STV is a leading commercial public service broadcaster, supporting the mental wellbeing of its audiences through its programming and campaigns, and with key policies and systems in place to support its people.

Through this partnership:

* STV and SAMH will seek to increase awareness and improve mental health and wellbeing across a number of target audiences and platforms by creating strong brand association.

* They’ll work together drawing on the reach, impact and relationships of both organisations – such as the STV advertising Growth Fund and existing corporate partners – to create an even wider network of support for mental health initiatives across Scotland, including commercial partnerships and fundraising.

* SAMH will provide high-level mental health input and guidance for news and production teams, and support STV’s commitments to positive mental wellbeing for its people, production teams, participants in its shows and audiences.

* SAMH is the Scottish charity beneficiary of funds raised via the STV/ITV campaign ‘Britain Get Talking’ which will again feature prominently in the build up to next week’s Britain’s Got Talent live finals.

In 2019, STV and ITV launched the Britain Get Talking campaign, with SAMH being one of three associated mental health charities. The campaign returned in March 2020 and this year it has resulted in 6.4m people across the UK starting a conversation about mental health.

In the run up to World Mental Health Awareness Day on 10th October, STV’s news and current affairs teams will focus on the real threat of a mental health crisis as people live through the very personal impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The news team has worked with charities to help compile a series of special reports on mental health, which will run across the week on the STV News at Six, starting on Monday 5 October; and a special edition of Scotland Tonight, dedicated to mental health, is available on the STV Player.

Billy Watson, chief executive of SAMH, said: “It’s never been more important to do everything we can for Scotland’s mental health. We’re delighted to have the opportunity to work in partnership with STV in the vital task of increasing awareness of the issue and providing our communities with clear and accurate information on how to get help. We’re grateful to STV for recognising the urgent need for us all to do more on mental health.”

Simon Pitts, chief executive of STV, said: “Now, more than ever, we need to look after our mental health and I’m delighted that we’ll be working even more closely with SAMH over the coming years to help increase and improve awareness of mental health issues and the support that is available.

“We reach millions of Scots every day through our broadcast and digital channels and it’s our privilege to use this platform help spread this important message. I’m confident this partnership will
help deliver real impact across Scotland, to our people, our viewers, our partners and our communities.”

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Contact: Kirstin Stevenson

Email: Kirstin.Stevenson@stv.tv