First Time Broadcast of the 14th Annual Essence Music Festival Expands the Festival's Footprint Online
NEW ORLEANS, (PRNewswire) -- Essence Communications, Inc. and
iClips Network, L.L.C. today announced a partnership to present live
video streaming of the 2008 Essence Music Festival on essence.com and
iclips.net. The live video stream will be comprised of musical
performances from the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans this Fourth
of July Weekend, as well as interstitial programming including
celebrity interviews and behind-the-scenes footage.
This first-time broadcast of the 14th Annual Essence Music Festival
inaugurates a three-year deal with iClips to expand the Festival's
footprint online. In addition, select performances will be available
on-demand on essence.com and iclips.net at the conclusion of the
Festival. Viewers can register at Essence.com and iClips.net from July
4-6 to access the iClips player and launch the video streaming event.
"Essence Communications is pleased to partner with iClips to smartly
extend the Essence Music Festival footprint to the Web," said Michelle
Ebanks, President, Essence Communications, Inc., "By creating a live
streaming experience, the Essence Music Festival -- already the
nation's largest annual celebration of Black music and culture - is
poised to reach fans all over the world with fantastic performances and
backstage highlights."
"iClips has always been a huge fan of this event and the Essence
brand. We are ecstatic about the opportunity in bringing the Essence
Music Festival to a worldwide audience over the Internet. Furthermore,
the stellar line-up, the great city of New Orleans, and the fantastic
backdrop that the Superdome Venue creates could not be any more
spectacular," Nate Parienti, Co-Founder of iClips was quoted as saying.
The 14th annual Essence Music Festival will celebrate another
momentous year in New Orleans this July 4, 5 and 6 with the biggest
names in entertainment. Performing on the mainstage at the Louisiana
Superdome: Kanye West; Mary J. Blige; Chris Brown; Rihanna; Chris Rock;
Keyshia Cole; Jill Scott; Maze featuring Frankie Beverly; Morris Day
& The Time; LL Cool J; J. Holiday; Musiq; plus, a star-studded
celebration of living legend Patti LaBelle featuring original LaBelle
members Sarah Dash and Nona Hendryx; Angie Stone; Ledisi; Chrisette
Michele; Ruby Amanfu; and more!
Running concurrently with the mainstage performances in the
Superdome's four Superlounges are shows by some of today's rising
stars, living legends and New Orleans hometown favorites: Bamboula
2000; Big Sam's Funky Nation and the New Orleans Funk Soul Explosion;
Terence Blanchard; Peabo Bryson; Mint Condition; Cupid; Raheem
Devaughn; Estelle; Grandmaster Flash; Gil Scott-Heron; Lyfe Jennings;
Karina; Kermit Ruffin's Tribute to Louis Armstrong; Ledisi; Irma Thomas
and the Professionals; Irvin Mayfield and the New Orleans Jazz
Orchestra; Chrisette Michelle; Nicholas Payton Quintet; Preservation
Hall Jazz Band's Gospel Revival; Purple Disrespect; Rebirth Brass Band;
Christian Scott; Solange; Angie Stone and Marva Wright.
Sponsors of the 2008 Essence Music Festival include presenting
sponsor, Coca-Cola; major sponsors Chevrolet, CoverGirl Queen
Collection, McDonald's, Pantene, U.S. Army, and Wal-Mart; and official
sponsors Budweiser, My Black is Beautiful, Southwest Airlines, TBS,
TVOne, Vaseline and VH1 Soul.
About Essence Communications Inc.:
Essence Communications Inc. (ECI) is the leading media and
communications company dedicated to African-American women. With a
multi-platform presence in publishing, live events, and online, the
Essence brand is "Where Black Women Come First". The company's flagship
publication, ESSENCE magazine, is the preeminent lifestyle magazine for
African-American women; generating brand extensions such as the Essence
Music Festival, Women Who Are Shaping the World Leadership Summit,
Window on Our Women (WOW I, II & III) and Smart Beauty I, II &
III consumer insights, the Essence Book Club, Essence.com, and ventures
in digital media (mobile, television and VOD) via Essence Studios. For
38 years, ESSENCE magazine, which has a readership of 8.5 million, has
been the leading source of cutting-edge information relating to every
area of African-American women's lives.