Sting News

(10/7/99, 4 p.m. PDT) - Sting, Phil Collins, 'N Sync, Santana, Jean Michele Jarre, Maxi Priest, and Mike Oldfield are among the artists set to appear in a star-studded year-end television special dubbed Millennium Live...Humanity's Broadcast.

The show--produced by PAX TV and Millennium Television Network (MTN), and the producers of Live Aid--will be the first 24-hour live interactive, convergent global telecast. It will showcase New Year's Eve celebrations from the world's 24 time zones. It will be broadcast in the United States on New Year's Eve starting at 6 a.m. (ET) on PAX TV.

Several international hosts will guide viewers through the 24 hours as the world rings in the New Year. Millennium Live will begin at the Pacific Dateline in Fiji and travel west across the globe. It will take people of all nations on an interactive journey that will capture the highlights of international celebrations and festivities. Each hour of the show will feature celebrities, musical acts, interviews, and visions for the future presented by well-known international figures and average people.

15 host cities will be primary providers of the live events, activities, and interviews from their regions. The host cities include: Berlin, Bombay, Paris, Sydney, Tokyo, Beijing, Capetown, Istanbul, Rome, London, Toronto, New York City, Rio de Janeiro, Mexico City, and Moscow.

Additionally, more than 1,000 countries will participate by providing programming content for the broadcast.

MTN is reportedly in final discussions with artists such as Bryan Adams, Simply Red, and the Spice Girls, who were all hoping to get that evening off.

"Sporty Spice" Melanie C. tells LAUNCH that she's a bit torn about performing on New Year's Eve. "I'd like to, but maybe I'll just go and see somebody else perform and have a night off. In fact, we're all having a holiday, and I'm going to be somewhere in the States," she adds. "I'm gonna seek the sun."

If the Spice Girls should change their minds about performing, they, in addition to several other acts, will be announced as they are confirmed. It is anticipated that the broadcast will attract more than 3.5 billion worldwide participants.

Features on Bryan Adams and the Spice Girls are available on LAUNCH.com. Look for a Mel C. feature soon.

-- Jason Gelman, New York

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