MySpace gets on board with philanthropy
by Michael HoffmanThursday, October 12th, 2006
Here’s a news piece about how MySpace is seeking to tap their community for philanthropic purposes. All organizations can’t get this treatment from them, but it is nice to see they are doing these things.
MySpace Taps Network on Humanitarian Relief Campaign
MySpace has just announced a humanitarian outreach program for Sudan, a collaborative effort with relief organization Oxfam. The program, called “Rock for Darfur,” will include star-studded endorsements, including a public service announcement from Samuel L. Jackson. A video from George Clooney, which features a recent trip to Darfur, is also part of the effort. Visitors to the special MySpace destination, located at http://myspace.com/RockForDarfur, can also buy campaign t-shirts and contribute to Oxfam. “MySpace’s reach gives us an extraordinary opportunity to spread the word and empower individuals to help address the horrors in Darfur,” said Chris DeWolfe, CEO of MySpace.
The effort could be part of a larger philanthropic push by MySpace, whose influence now stretches beyond the teenager and young adult crowd. That reach is something few other destinations can rival, and lends a new level of awareness to humanitarian concerns like this one. A large number of bands and artists have joined in on the effort, including Alice in Chains, Ziggy Marley, Insane Clown Posse, Amos Lee, Atreyu, and TV on the Radio. That group will collectively stage twenty different Rock for Darfur concerts, all scheduled for October 21st. A percentage of all ticket receipts will be donated to the relief effort.
