New Media

M E R C H A N T S & M A R K E T I N G

NetAid Uses Internet To Fight Global Poverty Protect Concerts, Webcasts, TV & Radio Shows To Raise Funds For Relief Efforts This week's column was prepared by duction costs of the effort, with guest columnist Susan Nunziata $10 million for I another earmarked SITES the NetAid Foundation, which is being established to disburse net pro- your gold WE ARE THE WEB: Move over, SOUNDS ceeds from the initiative on an ongo- We Are the World. A global fund- ing basis to fight poverty worldwide. raising effort to end poverty, spon- Tax- deductible contributions can be sored by the United Nations Devel- with its technology and expertise, made to the foundation via the Web opment Programme (UNDP) and including 300 RealVideo G2 splitters site. The UNDP has a network of Cisco Systems, will make use of that will be used to carry the live offices in 134 countries and helps Webeasting, television, and radio to Web streaming of the concerts. people in 174 countries. and platinum bring aid to countries worldwide. Content for the site will be devel- Cisco VP of marketing Larry The NetAid Web site (www. oped by the UNDP with information Lang says the company expects to netaid.org) was launched Sept. 8 in from U.N. agencies and nongovern- continue donating to the effort on an anticipation of a three- pronged live mental organizations. ongoing basis. Lang says the NetAid concert event slated to take place Akamai Technologies is serving Foundation's board will consist of U.N. Oct. 9 at Giants Stadium in East the site content using its Internet- representatives , as well as executives Rutherford, N.J.; Wembley Stadium content delivery system. NetAid will from the technology arena and mem- from pirates. in ; and the Palais des employ a distributed network of bers of the entertainment industry. Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. more than 1,500 servers in more than The lineup of producers for the Proceeds from the overlapping 90 locations worldwide. events reads like a who's who of fund- events will be donated to aid the The Web site tie -in will be empha- raising veterans, including David refugees of Kosovo and African coun- sized throughout the events, with Goldberg, Harvey Goldsmith, Ken tries. artists encouraging viewers to go Kragen, Don Mischer, and Jeff Pol- Millions of consumers are ready for A fund -raiser single titled "New online. The Web site will provide lack. The producers' collective expe- Day" was recorded by information about certain efforts to rience includes such efforts as Live digital distribution of music on the and and will be released by address poverty and inform visitors Aid, We Are the World, and Hands Internet. But venturing Into uncharted Columbia Records Tuesday (14), with how to take action or join with lead- Across America. a portion of the proceeds going to the ing U.N. agencies and nongovern- "This is a real experimentation in waters can be a cangerous undertaking. Kosovo relief efforts and to the mental organizations. how to integrate a TV and radio Wyclef Jean Foundation (Billboard, The cost of NetAid is being under- broadcast event with Internet No one can help you reach your full Sept. 11). The single and its accom- written by Cisco, which is managing media," says Lang. "One of the things the Internet panying videoclip were made avail- the program along with the UNDP we've enjoyed is hearing from some economic potential on as able for preview on the NetAid Web Cisco is donating an initial $10 mil- of the best producers of live events as safely as Reciprocal!" site Sept. 8. lion to cover the start -up and pro- far as what they'd like to see." The Giants Stadium lineup Many of the artists involved with includes Mary J. Blige, Bon Jovi, NetAid will also contribute to seven Reciprocai's music sclution prevents Busta Rhymes, Counting Crows, TRAFFIC TICKER documentary packages about suc- Jean with Bono, Jimmy Page, Puff cessful anti-poverty programs. unauthorized copying and creates a Daddy, with Cheb Mami, and Top Music Info Sites In addition to building the site, Zucchero. consulting firm KPMG is developing secure, robust environment that can The Wembley show will feature Unique Visitors (in 000s) the E-commerce capability that will , , Bush, be hosted on two secure servers and drive new business opportunities and Catatonia, the Corrs, the Euryth- ...¡t managed by Cisco at its San Jose, track customer usage. Get complete mics, , Stereo - Calif., operations center. The site will 1. mp3.com 1,928 phonics, and . 2. .com 1,864 be designed to handle 60 million hits control over your digitav music assets The Geneva concert will feature 3. ubl.com 1,157 per hour, according to NetAid orga- Des'ree, Bryan Ferry, Michael 4. launch.com 1,023 nizers. with a fully- customized solution that Kamen & Orchestra, and Texas. 5. rollingstone.com 766 Initially designed to handle large The organizers 6. peeps.com 749 meets your specific needs. are awaiting confir- 7. tunes.com 678 volumes of traffic driven by the con- mation on whether Jewel or Sheryl 8. sonicnet.com 577 certs, the site will evolve to include Crow will also perform. 9. pollstar.com 560 more diverse content, including chat The concerts are to be Webcast 10. imusic.com 501 rooms, classified ads that match So, when it's time for your business live on two channels, one carrying the resources and needs, and portal func- AT-HOME VISITORS concert and the second showing tions that will link people with anti- to become part of the digital content backstage scenes. For the un -wired, 1. mtv.com 1,617 poverty organizations worldwide. mp3.com economy, Reciprocal can watch your booty. the events will also be broadcast on 2. 1,385 3. ubl.com 942 Both KPMG and Akamai are VH1 and MTV in the U.S. and the 4. Iaunch.com 775 donating their technical expertise U.K.'s BBC radio and TV 5. peeps.com 642 and technology to the NetAid effort, U.S.-based Radio Express will dis- 6. rollingstone.com 549 according to Lang. The services of For more nformetion tribute a radio feed of the concerts 7. tunes.com 460 Real Networks and Radio Express 8. sonicnet.com 445 contact Reciprocal M.asic worldwide; Westwood One will offer 9. backstreetboys.com 442 have been contracted by Cisco for a the program in the U.S., and Sound 10. imusic.com 419 fee, he says. at 212.983.8200 Source will offer it in Canada. Tom Rounds, owner and founder A total of 110,000 tickets are slat- AT -WORK VISITORS of Radio Express, which syndicates ed to be sold for the Wembley and 1. mp3.com 685 American radio programming to Giants Stadium events. Tickets for 2. mtv.com 345 worldwide markets, says the compa- the Wembley Arena event went on 3. ubl-com 313 ny has 60 countries signed up to 4. rollingstone.com 276 carry sale Aug. 24, and ticket sales were in 5. Iaunch.com 273 its syndicated live broadcast of the the "tens of thousands" at press time, 6. pollstar.com 235 event. The goal, he says, is to sign up according to a NetAid spokesman; 7. bmg.com 221 160 countries to carry the broadcast. the Giants Stadium tickets went on 8. tunas.com 219 The radio broadcast, which will be 9. sonlcnetcom 190 sale Sept. 10. The Geneva concert is 10. vhl.com 164 made available via satellite or ISDN by invitation only. lines, will also take full advantage of The Web site, which is expected to Source: Media Metrix, July Internet capabilities, according to continue indefinitely after the con- 1999. Sites categorized by Rounds. "What we are going to do is Billboard. Medía Metrix de- certs, is designed to serve 125,000 fines unique visitors as the deliver an unhosted feed of all three simultaneous viewers, which the actual number of users concerts that will run 12 -14 hours on organizers claim is 10 times the scale who visited each site, without duplication, once in a [Oct.] 9th starting at 5 p.m. London of any other Real given month. More than 40,000 individuals through- streaming site. out the U.S. participate in the Media Metrix sample. time. We're going to provide the sta- Networks is supporting the Webcast (Continued on next page)

BILLBOARD SEPTEMBER 18, 1999 www.billboard.com 105 www.americanradiohistory.com