Jackson memorial to go global
2009-07-07 09:24
San Francisco - Michael Jackson's memorial on Tuesday is poised to be a global internet video-viewing event that eclipses even the inauguration of US President Barack Obama.
Facebook users worldwide will be able to share updates and thoughts while watching free streaming video of the memorial at CNN Live, ABC, and E! Online websites.
"We are preparing for numbers that easily outweigh the inauguration," said Facebook marketing director Randi Zuckerberg.
"There is just so much global reach for this star; something about him or his music has touched people around the world."
The same technology used to stream CNN coverage of Obama's inauguration - Facebook Connect - will be put to work letting people watch the Jackson memorial in CNN Live video players.
Facebook users will be able to stay linked to their social-networking profiles and friends while watching memorial video streamed at CNN Live, ABC, or E! Online, according to Zuckerberg.
"Internet users across the globe can watch (the memorial) live while simultaneously updating their Facebook status and following their friends on Facebook -- and other Jackson fans around the world," Facebook said.
6.5 million fans on Facebook
A Michael Jackson page at Facebook has topped 6.5 million fans, unseating Obama's "fan page" as the most popular at the California-based social networking service, according to Zuckerberg.
Free virtual versions of Jackson's famous glove are the top gifts at Facebook, with more than 800 000 having been sent to members.
"This is a man who has elicited so much emotion from people during his lifetime," Zuckerberg said of Jackson.
"He continues to elicit emotion after death. He is the focus of remarks good and bad at Facebook."
Video of the Jackson memorial will also be streamed at MySpace thanks to collaboration with entertainment titan AEG.
The memorial will be streamed real time, free, and people will be able to comment or link to Michael Jackson's profile, according to MySpace.
MySpace said it is showcasing the memorial because it has a global online platform and its users care about the event.
MySpace Music also lets members of the News Corp-owned service listen to songs from more than 30 of Jackson's digitised albums or view some 20 of the King of Pop's music videos online free due to a partnership with Sony Music.
Stevie Wonder and Mariah Carey
Fox News video of the memorial will stream live online at Hulu, a popular video service owned by NBC Universal, News Corp and Providence Equity Partners.
Hulu is also promising on-demand access to video of the entire memorial service after the event.
Singers Stevie Wonder and Mariah Carey are among a bevy of stars slated to appear at Jackson's memorial service in Los Angeles, organisers said.
Soul legend Wonder and pop diva Carey were included on a provisional list of participants at Tuesday's ceremony, which will also include stars such as John Mayer, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson and Usher.
Organisers say Tuesday's 90-minute event will be a celebration of the life of Jackson, who died on June 25 at age 50 of an apparent cardiac arrest.
In the week following Jackson's death millions of people flocked to the official Michael Jackson channel at YouTube. The rate at which visitors followed "click-to-buy" links to purchase Jackson music at online shops leapt by a multiple of 46, according to YouTube.
- SAPA