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LIVE
8
written by: Roy Opochiski
The biggest names in the music business, more than 150
of them, performed at 10 different locations July 2 as part
of Live 8, the concerts Bob Geldof and Bono arranged
to raise awareness of the socio-economic crisis in Africa.
The hype during the run-up to the shows has been impossible
to miss. A global event, the organizers arranged with AOL,
ABC, and a number of Viacom’s music networks (including MTV
and VH1) to provide coverage of this monumental series of
concerts. It’s just a shame that, if you lived in the United
States and wanted to see the shows, you were most likely
left unsatisfied at best and angry at worst.
In the spirit of fair play, before we eviscerate the Viacom
networks, words of praise go out to AOL and ABC. ABC’s two-hour
program was a highlight show. Accordingly, little was expected
of them and they achieved those expectations. AOL’s coverage
was much more ambitious; the company gave people the opportunity
to view any of the shows as they were happening live. Unfortunately,
AOL’s system was often overwhelmed; however, when it worked,
it worked as advertised. |
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