Social network pioneer MySpace unveiled a redesign on Wednesday targeting the younger “Generation Y” audience as it seeks to regain ground lost to Facebook.
MySpace, which Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp bought for US$580 million in 2005, said its new Web site and products are intended to “redefine the company as a social entertainment destination for Gen Y.”
“This marks the beginning of an exciting turning point for MySpace,” chief executive Mike Jones said in a statement.
“Our new strategy expands on MySpace’s existing strengths — a deep understanding of social, a wealth of entertainment content and the ability to surface -emerging cultural trends in real-time through our users,” Jones said.
MySpace said the relaunch was aimed at “creating a rich, highly personalized experience for people to discover content and connect with other fans who share similar interests.”
MULTIPLE PLATFORMS
“The entertainment experience will span music, celebrities, movies, television and games and will be available through multiple platforms, including online, mobile devices and offline events,” it said.
MySpace said it would focus on promoting “curators” — members with knowledge around entertainment and cultural topics and back them with “resources, tools and platform to expand their reach within the MySpace community.”
MySpace boasts more than 100 million users worldwide compared with Facebook’s more than 500 million and since being eclipsed by Facebook, the site has positioned itself as a platform for musicians and their fans.
The company said it would release a mobile version of the site later this year along with a new MySpace application for Apple’s iPhone and Android devices.
MySpace said the new site began rolling out Wednesday in beta, or test, mode and would be available to all users worldwide by the end of next month.
YAHOO
Separately, Yahoo has hired a former executive at one of the world’s largest media companies to fill a -major void on its management team.
Ross Levinsohn is joining Yahoo Inc as an executive vice president in charge of the company’s advertising sales, media division and partnerships in North America, Central America and South America.
He replaces Hilary Schneider, who announced her resignation last month along with two other top executives. The defections raised doubts about Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz’s efforts to revive the company’s revenue growth.
Levinsohn is best known for leading an Internet expansion at News Corp, owner of the 20th Century Fox movie studio, Fox television network and the Wall Street Journal. He started an investment fund after leaving News Corp in 2006.
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