(RED) to Launch New Way for People to Get Music in Their Lives; Weekly Delivery of Great Music Helps to Save Lives in Africa

(RED) to Launch New Way for People to Get Music in Their Lives; Weekly Delivery of Great Music Helps to Save Lives in Africa

Led by Don MacKinnon, Founder of HEAR Music

NEW YORK, June 30 /PRNewswire/ -- In the fall of 2008, (RED) will unveil a simple, seamless way for people to receive music from artists they love and artists they will discover through (RED). By applying the (RED) idea to music this new model will create a new revenue stream for artists and labels and buy life-saving medicine for those living with AIDS in Africa.

Don MacKinnon, founder of HEAR Music and former Vice President of Music & Entertainment of Starbucks Coffee Company, conceived this concept.

"(RED) is such a powerful model," said Don MacKinnon, President of (RED) Content. "The world's best brands created (RED) products that have generated over $110 million. What we are doing now is applying the (RED) model to music. Every week you will receive great music from amazing artists and people living with AIDS in Africa will receive lifesaving antiretroviral medicine."

For five dollars a month, members will receive weekly issues containing a selection of four elements:

   -- A (RED) SONG -- an exclusive song from one of the world's best artists.   -- A Discovery -- a great song by an emerging talent, selected by (RED).  

-- A "Crackerjack surprise" -- a fun piece of non-music content (audio, video, text, images).

-- Stories describing details of (RED) dollars being put to work in Africa.

All the songs are permanent downloads in unprotected MP3 format. The content is delivered via a small application that the user downloads to their computer's desktop. The application was designed and developed in collaboration with IDEO -- recently named by Fast Company as the #5 most innovative company in the world. It was built by PassAlong Networks, a media services company that powers over 200 digital content stores.

Half of each month's membership fee will be contributed directly to the Global Fund. Just five subscribers will generate enough money annually to provide a person living with HIV with antiretroviral treatment for one year.

"Don MacKinnon just might be the penicillin the ailing music business needs. He is an innovator by nature and I have no doubt that some of the music software we are working on at (RED) will help change the way music is received, as well as changing the lives of Africans who will die without the AIDS drug that (RED) can provide," said Bono.

This is the first (RED) proprietary initiative that allows for a direct link to customers. This digital platform provides an opportunity for delivering curated content along with stories describing the impact (RED) dollars are having in Africa. (RED) aims to build a large network of members, which will in turn create a sustainable flow of money to African AIDS programs. This idea lives at the core of the (RED) mission.

"This new direct link to customers is very important to (RED). Not only because it creates an annuity to buy lifesaving medicine for those living with AIDS in Africa, but also because it gives us a direct relationship with (RED) consumers, creating a new platform to communicate the impact (RED) purchases are having on people's lives," said Susan Smith Ellis, CEO, (RED).

   To pre-register please visit WWW.JOINRED.COM.    Background on (RED)  

(RED)(TM) and (PRODUCT) RED's primary objective is to engage the private sector in raising awareness and money for the Global Fund, to help eliminate AIDS in Africa. Companies whose products take on the (PRODUCT) RED mark contribute a significant percentage of the sales or portion of the profits from that product to the Global Fund, to finance AIDS programs in Africa, with an emphasis on the health of women and children. Current partners are: American Express (U.K. only), Apple, Converse, Gap, Emporio Armani, Motorola and Hallmark, Dell and Microsoft. Since its launch in the spring of 2006, more than $110 million has been generated by (RED) partners and events for the Global Fund. (RED) money is already at work in Swaziland, Rwanda, Ghana and Lesotho. For more information, visit www.joinred.com.

About The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria

Since its creation in 2002, the Global Fund has become the dominant financer of programs to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, with approved funding of US$10.8 billion for programs in 136 countries. The Global Fund supports programs based on agreed performance targets and disburses money in response to proven results. So far, programs supported by the Global Fund have averted more than 2.5 million deaths by providing AIDS treatment for 1.75 million people, TB treatment for 3.9 million people, and by the distribution of 59 million insecticide-treated bed nets for the prevention of malaria worldwide. (RED)(TM) is the Global Fund's largest private sector contributor.

Source: (RED)(TM)

CONTACT: Carla Sacks of Sacks & Co., +1-212-741-1000,
Carla@Sacksco.com

Web site: http://www.joinred.com/
http://www.sacksco.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment