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The Trouble With MySpace Is Michael Jackson

***MEDIA ADVISORY*** MICHAEL JACKSON MEMORIAL SERVICE STREAMING LIVE ON MYSPACE WHAT: MySpace invites Michael Jackson’s fans and friends all over the world to participate in his memorial service via a. Continue reading [https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2009/07/the-trouble-with-myspace-is-michael-jack

,   and  Bruce Houghton
***MEDIA ADVISORY***

MICHAEL JACKSON MEMORIAL SERVICE
STREAMING LIVE ON MYSPACE

WHAT: MySpace invites Michael Jackson’s fans and friends all over the world to participate in his memorial service via a live stream from the Staples Center.  WHEN: Tuesday July 7, 200910 a.m. PT            WHERE: http://myspace.com/michaeljacksonmemorial
That was the "advisory" that arrived via email late yesterday. MySpace had joined the herd of broadcast and online outlets that would offer live coverage of Michael Jackson's "memorial service" today. 

Perhaps they thought that they had to or be accused of being irrelevant. But the fact that they willingly joined this latest mainstream media circus is also a testimony to why MySpace is in trouble and may never recover.


Once the home of afterschool teen social networking accompanied by a soundtrack of cool indie music, MySpace decided a long time ago that it wanted to go mainstream.; and now mainstream media is dieing. Ask an advertiser who wants to reach targeted audiences or fan who wants to hang with like minded fans rather than casual wannabe's. Being all things to all people is irrelevant in a world of infinite choices.

Facebook is growing because, for now at least, it's still a comparatively uncluttered way to connect with firends and peoplke with similar interests.  Twitter offers the same in 140 character bursts.

What does MySpace still stand for?  Some would say music. But iTunes, imeem, iLike, Spotify, We7 and a half dozen others all do music, even mainstream music, better.  And Michael Jackson isn't about music anymore; he's about celebrity.

MySpace could have made a bold statement (and saved some massive bandwidth costs) by leaving today's Michael Jackson memorial broadcast to others. But instead, they're stuck in the big muddy middle of the mainstream and figure out how get to the shore.

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