Facebook commerce company Milyoni, which “helps entertainment and lifestyle companies convert Facebook fans into customers,” has teamed up with Ridgeline Entertainment to produce what will be the first ever global pay-per-view broadcast to take place on Facebook.
The event being shown is the Michael Jackson ‘Michael Forever’ tribute concert, which takes place at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, on October 8.
To watch the concert online, viewers will have to pay $3.99 (or 40 Facebook credits) through PayPal in advance, or a dollar more (or 50 Facebook credits) on the day of the show. Compared to the cost of tickets to see the event from inside the stadium, it’s a bargain – prices range from $85 (£55) to an eye-watering $375 (£240).
The show’s line-up includes Christina Aguilera, The Black Eyed Peas, Jennifer Hudson, Smokey Robinson, Cee Lo Green, Leona Lewis, Craig David, and 3T (Tito Jackson’s three sons).
When asked by The Next Web about how showing the Michael Jackson tribute pay-per-view event on Facebook could affect future music concerts, a spokesperson for Milyoni said: “It’s definitely an exciting time and we’re seeing more and more artists wanting to get their music out to the masses on a global scale. Facebook provides a platform to do just that.”
They added: “What used to be a local concert can now reach hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people worldwide. We think that this is just the beginning for the entertainment industry.”
While some of the Jackson family are supporting the concert, others have decided that with the court case involving Jackson’s doctor still in progress, the timing is insensitive.
“While we wholeheartedly support the spirit of a tribute that honors our brother, we find it impossible to support an event that is due to take place during the criminal trial of the doctor accused in Jackson’s death,” Jermaine and Randy Jackson told CNN.
[Source: PC Mag] [Image courtesy of Basheera Designs / Shutterstock]
