Shaw Encourages Canadians to End Bullying With #PinkShirtPromise

CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwired - Feb. 9, 2016) - Shaw Communications Inc. (TSX:SJR.B)(NYSE:SJR) today announced it is teaming up with community partners across the country for #PinkShirtPromise, a national campaign inspiring Canadians to join the movement to end bullying. #PinkShirtPromise launches today and continues through Pink Shirt Day on Wednesday, February 24.

"Bullying is destructive, emotionally damaging, and, in some cases, deadly, and no child should have to suffer from its harmful and negative effects," said Brad Shaw, Chief Executive Officer, Shaw Communications Inc. "Shaw's #PinkShirtPromise campaign is a powerful initiative that gives us the ability to work closely with our partners to create safer environments for children and youth - whether at school, at home, or online."

Starting today, Shaw is asking Canadians to work toward ending bullying by sharing their personal pledges on social media using #PinkShirtPromise. Participants can also post a photo of their pinky or a photo of themselves making a pinky promise with a friend or family member using #PinkyPromise, and then nominate three friends to do the same to promote accountability and maintain commitment to the promise.

Everyone who participates in the campaign will be entered for a chance to win an ET Canada Experience, which includes flights for two to Toronto and two nights hotel accommodation, and a $1,500 dollar shopping spree at a participating shopping centre. Visit www.shaw.ca/pinkshirtpromise to learn more.

Through the Shaw Kids Investment Program (SKIP), #PinkShirtPromise brings together the expertise, knowledge, and resources of community partners from across the country. Key SKIP partners include Youthlink Calgary, Canadian Centre for Child Protection, Kids Help Phone, MediaSmarts, Companies Committed to Kids, and Rock Solid Foundation.

Shaw's #PinkShirtPromise campaign starts on Safer Internet Day, which is supported by the Canadian Centre for Child Protection and encourages people to raise awareness about the importance of online safety by tweeting and posting using the hashtags #SID2016 and #Up2Us. For more information on Safer Internet Day, visit www.saferinternetday.org.

To support #PinkShirtPromise and enable participants to more easily post and share their promises, Shaw will open up its Shaw Go WiFi Guest Network, with access to 75,000 active hotspots across the country, on Pink Shirt Day. Shaw Internet subscribers already have access to the Shaw Go WiFi service; others can access the Guest Network by searching for available WiFi connections on their devices and selecting 'ShawGuest' from the list of available options. A full list of locations is available at www.shaw.ca/wifi or by downloading the Shaw Go WiFi Finder app.

Quotes:

"YouthLink Calgary is very proud to partner with Shaw to stand up against bullying. At YouthLink Calgary Police Interpretive Centre, we believe education is the key to prevention and every day our educators teach youth that whenever one person takes a stand, it helps other people to do the same. We applaud Shaw and the #PinkShirtPromise campaign for encouraging people to take action. We stand shoulder to shoulder to help empower kids and make our communities and schools a safer place for kids to be."

Tara Robinson, Executive Director, Youthlink Calgary

"The Canadian Centre for Child Protection plays an active part in supporting youth in crisis who have been affected by a sexual picture or video shared online, often in tandem with cyberbullying. We share Shaw's #PinkShirtPromise campaign goals in encouraging youth to stand up for someone who is being mistreated or bullied both online and offline."

Lianna McDonald, Executive Director, Canadian Centre for Child Protection

"Bullying is one of the most common concerns we hear about at Kids Help Phone, and the effect that is had on young people-both emotionally and physically-is significant, regardless of whether they are being bullied or doing the bullying. We're proud to stand in partnership with Shaw Communications to make a #PinkShirtPromise, and create safer and friendlier communities for all kids in Canada."

Sharon Wood, President and Chief Executive Officer, Kids Help Phone

"Our research shows that three-quarters of Canadian students say it's important to speak out against bullying, racism and sexism online. Unfortunately, almost half of them don't feel that it's their place to do so, and older kids are more likely than younger ones to feel this way. Shaw's #PinkShirtPromise is a vital step in showing kids that they have a right to safe and respectful online spaces and the power to create them."

Cathy Wing, Co-Executive Director, MediaSmarts

"As a champion of kids' social, mental, and physical well-being issues, Companies Committed to Kids is proud to play an active role in ending bullying. Our recent national research, Taking the Pulse of Canada's Kids, indicates 80 per cent of Canadian parents feel bullying prevention is important to their child's well-being. Shaw's #PinkShirtPromise campaign challenges all of us - as parents, advocates, and citizens - to stand together to stop bullying at school, online, and in our communities."

Bev Deeth, President, Companies Committed to Kids

"As a leader in violence prevention programs for children and youth we know all too well the issues facing our communities when it comes to bullying. Shaw has been a great supporter of our award-winning WITS Program and we are excited to partner with them on the #PinkShirtPromise campaign to engage Canadians in lending their voice and support to end bullying."

Dorian Brown, Executive Director, Rock Solid Foundation

About Shaw Communications

Shaw Communications Inc. is a diversified communications and media company, providing consumers with broadband cable television, High-Speed Internet, Home Phone, telecommunications services (through Shaw Business), satellite direct-to-home services (through Shaw Direct) and engaging programming content (through Shaw Media). Shaw serves 3.2 million customers, through a reliable and extensive fibre network. Shaw Media operates one of the largest conventional television networks in Canada, Global Television, and 19 specialty networks including HGTV Canada, Food Network Canada, HISTORY® and Showcase. Shaw is traded on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges and is included in the S&P/TSX 60 Index (TSX:SJR.B)(NYSE:SJR). For more information, please visit www.shaw.ca.