Mumbai: MySpace together with NBC News and msnbc.com, two of the most globally-respected names in news, announced an exclusive partnership to launch Decision ’08 (http://myspace.com/decision08), a comprehensive online center for in-depth 2008 election-related news, analysis and discussion.
 
Available to more than 100 million active MySpace users worldwide, Decision ’08 will be an essential component of MySpace’s IMPACT Channel, the site’s popular hub for civic and social engagement. Decision ’08 will also roll out innovative features and new, interactive opportunities for the online community to actively engage with NBC News and msnbc.com content, anchors and reporters in the upcoming months of the election season.
 
Decision ’08 presents up-to-the-minute election coverage, news feeds and daily videos from NBC News and msnbc.com, user-generated content from the MySpace community, and will link to profiles of NBC News and MSNBC anchors and reporters, including Brian Williams (http://myspace.com/nbcbrianwilliams), Tim Russert (http://myspace.com/nbctimrussert), and Chris Matthews (http://myspace.com/nbcchrismatthews). In addition to offering its content via MySpace, msnbc.com will also link to and integrate Decision ’08 into its own Politics home page (www.politics.msnbc.com).
 
"The 2008 election is proving to be the most youth- and technology-driven race in history, and MySpace is a significant forum for political discussion today," said MySpace director of IMPACT and executive producer of political programming Lee Brenner. "We are privileged today to be partnering with such revered news organizations as NBC News and msnbc.com, and to be taking our first steps in what will be a unique and engaging collaboration for the MySpace community."
 
"NBC News has never been more committed to delivering quality news and information where and when our users and viewers want it," said NBC News Vice president of digital media Mark Lukasiewicz. "The Decision ’08 hub at MySpace will give everyone in the vast MySpace community access to the information and tools they need to engage in this crucial election."
 
"Msnbc.com’s best-in-the-business politics coverage and the power of the MySpace community are a perfect pair in this epic election season," said msnbc.com vice president and editor-in-chief Jennifer Sizemore. "Users will be able to drive their own experiences with the best political tools, news and analysis."
 
The Decision ’08 hub will also introduce new resources for users, such as RSS feeds delivering news on all the major presidential candidates, the latest political news from msnbc.com’s exclusive political news blog, "First Read" (www.firstread.msnbc.com), as well as online voter registration, an interactive map with election statistics, and featured videos and photos from past MySpace IMPACT events. Additionally, Decision ’08 will give users the opportunity to participate in reporting from significant political events later this year, as well as contribute to online polls.
 
Decision ’08 is a key component of the MySpace IMPACT Channel http://impact.myspace.com, which empowers MySpace users to make a difference in the world and allows politicians, non-profits, and civic organizations to connect with MySpace’s global audience. The IMPACT Channel houses the official MySpace profiles for the 2008 Presidential candidates, as well as tools to enable voter registration, fundraising, and volunteering. On January 1 and 2, 2008 the IMPACT Channel hosted the first presidential primary in the nation with more than 150,000 MySpace users voicing their choice for the nation’s highest office.
 
Politics.msnbc.com, powered by NBC News/MSNBC Cable and National Journal, is one of the web’s most popular destinations for political news, analysis and video. The site features comprehensive insight on the political landscape with original reporting, news, commentary, live blog updates, on-the-scene observations and web-exclusive analysis from leading sources, including The New York Times.