Prime Time Replay:
Betsy Apple
on WebStock 96
MsgId: *emedia(1)
Date: Mon Oct 21 21:01:12 EDT 1996
From: Betsy_Apple At: 168.100.204.58
Hi, Betsy Apple from Do Something online and ready to go!
MsgId: *emedia(2)
Date: Mon Oct 21 21:03:30 EDT 1996
From: Paulette At: 152.163.233.33
Hi, Betsy! Welcome to Omnimag's "e-media!" I'm the moderator, Paulette Hodge. Tonight's discussion is a two-parter on that interactive lovefest, Webstock96. Betsy Apple is the director of Webstock96. After 9:30 EST, this room will switch to an open chat--so you can question Betsy yourself.
MsgId: *emedia(4)
Date: Mon Oct 21 21:04:49 EDT 1996
From: Paulette At: 152.163.233.17
First question is: What is Webstock96? Second question: How did the idea for the show come about?
MsgId: *emedia(6)
Date: Mon Oct 21 21:07:39 EDT 1996
From: Betsy_Apple At: 168.100.204.58
Do Something is a national non-profit organization dedicated to providing training and resources to young people interested in improving their communities. WebStock is Do Something's latest project --a virtual community for young people who want to see themselves as powerful agents of positive social change.The idea for Webstock came about when three people, Andrew Shue and Michael Sanchez, co-founders of do something, got together with Tom Hayes, a silicon Valley Executive from applied materials. They began to discuss how Do Something could reach out to young people on the Internet, and recogized that young people under 39 are extremely interested in the Internet. They saw it as a communications vehicle.
MsgId: *emedia(8)
Date: Mon Oct 21 21:09:39 EDT 1996
From: Paulette At: 152.163.233.9
How did you get involved with DO Something, Betsy?
MsgId: *emedia(9)
Date: Mon Oct 21 21:12:17 EDT 1996
From: Betsy_Apple At: 168.100.204.58
I was a legal aid lawyer for several years and then I ran a fellowship program at a small foundation in New York, where we provided funding and technical assistance to young people starting new, non-profit organizations. I became interested in Do Something because I believe that young people have an important role to play in improving our communities, and Do Something gives them the chance.
MsgId: *emedia(10)
Date: Mon Oct 21 21:12:55 EDT 1996
From: Paulette At: 152.163.233.9
How did you become director of Webstock96?
MsgId: *emedia(12)
Date: Mon Oct 21 21:15:49 EDT 1996
From: Betsy_Apple At: 168.100.204.58
I became director of Webstock because the world of young people and social change is small, and I met Michael Sanchez of Do Something through friends in related organization. I'm not an Internet person, but I was interested in how the Internet might be used as a tool for organization.
MsgId: *emedia(13)
Date: Mon Oct 21 21:16:15 EDT 1996
From: Paulette At: 152.163.233.9
What other projects has DO Something initiated or been involved in, besides "Webstock96?" How large DO Something, at this point?
MsgId: *emedia(14)
Date: Mon Oct 21 21:19:08 EDT 1996
From: Betsy_Apple At: 168.100.204.58
Do Something gives small, $500 grants to young people who start public service projects in their neighborhood. For example, a young man in Newark decided that he wanted to help train and employ homeless people. So, with his Do Something grant, he created a small business that made tee-shirts with positive messages, and employed homeless people to manufacture the tee-shirts. Do Something has a national office in NYC, and three local ones -- in Boston, Newark, NJ, and Washington, DC, and we expect to expand to several more cities in 1997.
MsgId: *emedia(16)
Date: Mon Oct 21 21:22:22 EDT 1996
From: Paulette At: 152.163.233.17
In terms of Webstock96, how have you gone about making sure that your targeted audience has gotten word of it? I know you have ads online, but have you been using other methods, too?
MsgId: *emedia(17)
Date: Mon Oct 21 21:24:33 EDT 1996
From: Betsy_Apple At: 168.100.204.58
We've done tons to get the word out. We have done a huge outreach effort on college campuses, public schools, and other non-profits. Let me also explain what the Webstock festival is. From November 1 through November 4, we're going to have a four-day, live online festival with over 40 chat sessions, interactive workshops, celebrities, young leaders, online concerts, and an online party that we're hosting with MTV. The point is to get young people excited --to get them off the Internet and work to improve their real communities. But during the four day festival, young leaders can meet each other, and figure out how they can do something positive in their communties, off-line.
MsgId: *emedia(19)
Date: Mon Oct 21 21:28:43 EDT 1996
From: Paulette At: 152.163.233.33
Now, it's obvious how Andrew Shue got Elizabeth Shue involved with DO Something. But how did you get the other celebrities--Cindy Crawford, Michael Stipe, Ken Griffey, Jr.-- to join in? How will they participate in Webstock96, specifically--hosting live chats or a concert? Or directing participants to particular organizations in their communities?
MsgId: *emedia(21)
Date: Mon Oct 21 21:34:23 EDT 1996
From: Betsty_Apple At: 168.100.204.58
Do Something is really lucky to be connected to a lot of young celebrities through Andrew. A lot of actors and musicians are excited, because of their own commitment to issues, to work with Do Something. We'll have at least a dozen chat sessions hosted by actors, musicians, artists and athletes, including Michael Stipe, Andrew Shue, and Elizabeth Shue. We'll also have politicians, including George Stephanopolis and Sen. Bill Bradley, hosting chats. We'll also be hosting a big voter party on November 2 with MTV and Rock the Vote.I want to add that since Webstock is happening right before the national election, we decided to get together with these groups that will be televised and online. The goal is to get young people excited about the election. A lot of celebrities will show up at the party unannounced, so in the end there will be a couple of dozen celebrities who come to Webstock and host chat sessions there.
MsgId: *emedia(25)
Date: Mon Oct 21 21:38:47 EDT 1996
From: Paulette At: 152.163.233.17
I'd like you to break down, I guess, what's going during the first day of Webstock96. Who's scheduled to do which events? What activities are planned? And, is Webstock96 an all-day interactive lovefest?
MsgId: *emedia(26)
Date: Mon Oct 21 21:41:47 EDT 1996
From: Betsty_Apple At: 168.100.204.58
I'm reluctant to set forth the schedule because it isn't finalized yet. We're still recruiting people to do chat sessions because we've had so much interest. There will be at least 12 sessions each day, from 9 am to 9 pm. We will cybercast a concert on Friday night and one on Saturday afternoon, and possibly one Sunday evening. During the 96 hours of the festival, people can play interactive games, and there will be open chat rooms as well as topical chats. People can also enter the webstock buildings and check out what's going on.Some of the buildings include a town hall, a college, a health center, an arcade, an ampitheater for concerts and celebrity chats, a public library. And in each building you can learn about what's going on in the field, meet people who have started programs, and engage in other interactive activites. There's another important point I want to make. At webstock, people will actually have a chance to take specific action. For example, there's a tool where you can design your own petition and get other people to sign, right online, and then actually send the petition. There are also several environmental actions where you can, by clicking a box, actually fax a letter to a legislator or polluter. The idea is that you not only come to learn and talk to people, but you can also do something concrete.
MsgId: *emedia(31)
Date: Mon Oct 21 21:51:37 EDT 1996
From: Paulette At: 152.163.233.9
How many participants do you expect to "see" at Webstock96? And, are you making plans for another interactive festival during the next year?
MsgId: *emedia(32)
Date: Mon Oct 21 21:51:58 EDT 1996
From: Betsty_Apple At: 168.100.204.58
We put this event together quickly, despite its magnitude. Webstock is a monumental effort, but Do Something is a group of young people with lots of energy. The festival is just the beginning of our virtual community. After the festival, the site will remain up, and there will be lots of ongoing activity.We expect over half a million people to come to the live festival from Nov 1-4. But the activity will continue, and we will have another Festival next year.
MsgId: *emedia(34)
Date: Mon Oct 21 21:54:31 EDT 1996
From: Paulette At: 152.163.233.33
One (next to) last question: Will you be hosting any events online during Webstock96?
MsgId: *emedia(35)
Date: Mon Oct 21 21:55:11 EDT 1996
From: Betsty_Apple At: 168.100.204.58
I hadn't planned to host any --do you think I should?
MsgId: *emedia(36)
Date: Mon Oct 21 21:57:59 EDT 1996
From: Paulette At: 152.163.233.9
Yes! Perhaps on how members of the legal profession can help young activists better understand the laws, and work with them to change any specific wrongs within their communities :-> You'd certainly give lawyers a good name!
MsgId: *emedia(37)
Date: Mon Oct 21 21:58:52 EDT 1996
From: Betsty_Apple At: 168.100.204.58
Thank you!!
MsgId: *emedia(38)
Date: Mon Oct 21 22:00:05 EDT 1996
From: Paulette At: 152.163.233.9
Thank you, Betsy, for discussing DO Something and Webstock96 from the exterior. In a few minutes, we will have the creators of the website for DO Something--Lightspeed--on to discuss the more technical, "inside" activities going into the interactive festival.Lightspeed Media, who's handling the website tech for "Webstock96," is a California-based company created by Scott Zakarin--who's speaking on behalf of the company tonight. Lightspeed's best-known product so far was "The Spot," which was a "cybersoap"--the first and most popular one of its kind online.
First, Scott, how did you get involved with the creation of Webstock96?
MsgId: *emedia(43)
Date: Mon Oct 21 22:09:24 EDT 1996
From: Scott_Zakarin_LSM At: 206.124.251.169
I'm here. But I'd love to be referred to as the Creator of GrapeJam! And the creative Producer of ta ta dah. WEBSTOCKI was brought in by Tom Hays of Applied Materials. John Barnhill from Silicon Reef thought we would be a good match for this project. They came to us with the idea for an online Woodstock for the 90's. A virtual community seemed like a natch.
MsgId: *emedia(46)
Date: Mon Oct 21 22:12:42 EDT 1996
From: Paulette At: 152.163.233.9
Then "Creator of Grapejam" it is. Which you'll have to explain after a few questions about Webstock96--such as, how is Lightspeed handling some of the problems which have hurt other interactive festivals--like brown-outs, losing text, etc.?
MsgId: *emedia(50)
Date: Mon Oct 21 22:15:40 EDT 1996
From: Scott_Zakarin_LSM At: 206.124.251.169
Just like producers and native americans, you do a dance and pray for clear skies. We are mirroring the site and loading up with plenty of band width.
MsgId: *emedia(53)
Date: Mon Oct 21 22:20:17 EDT 1996
From: Paulette At: 152.163.233.17
Where, specifically, do you have your sites for Webstock96? And would you consider this to be one of your more difficult jobs?
MsgId: *emedia(54)
Date: Mon Oct 21 22:21:18 EDT 1996
From: Scott_Zakarin_LSM At: 206.124.251.169
www.webstock.com is served in San Fran. at our technology partners Silicon Reef. They have a really cool office space in the old Mission Police station.
MsgId: *emedia(56)
Date: Mon Oct 21 22:23:29 EDT 1996
From: Paulette At: 152.163.233.17
Now, to get back to "The Spot" and your latest cyber-story, "Grapejam:" How did you come up with the idea for "Spot"? And what's "Grapejam" about?
MsgId: *emedia(57)
Date: Mon Oct 21 22:24:19 EDT 1996
From: Scott_Zakarin_LSM At: 206.124.251.169
I came up with The Spot by surfing the internet and chatting in character. I was inventing stories to stir things up and then i realized their must be a new form of story telling here. I was sure the night i thought of it that somebody else had to already be doing it, but discovered happily that there was a wide open playing field.Then with Grapejam the invention thing got good to me -- so i decided we'd try a comedy. The internet was about interaction so we figured let's do a show about improvisationial players and let them improvise online.
Webstock is going to incorporate LSM's expertize on making the internet into a compelling adventure. And now we have real stars as a center piece. This festival is going to be non stop fun.
MsgId: *emedia(65)
Date: Mon Oct 21 22:31:04 EDT 1996
From: Paulette At: 152.163.233.17
Thank you, Scott Zakarin! Again, Zakarin is the creator of Lightspeed Media, who are creating the website pages for "Webstock96." Those who really want to change the world from both within and without the cyber-community can check out Webstock96 at www.webstock96.com.
MsgId: *emedia(66)
Date: Mon Oct 21 22:31:11 EDT 1996
From: Scott_Zakarin_LSM At: 206.124.251.169
You'll be learning while your playing. The way education ought to be.
MsgId: *emedia(67)
Date: Mon Oct 21 22:31:29 EDT 1996
From: guest At: 129.1.32.185
tupac is dead everybody!!!!!
MsgId: *emedia(68)
Date: Mon Oct 21 22:33:53 EDT 1996
From: Paulette At: 152.163.233.17
You can also find more information about Lightspeed Media at the site for "Webstock96," as well as about DO Something, and some of the celebrities, politicians, and other activists involved with the festival, as well as about Webstock96's sponsors.That's it for tonight's program--and yes, "E-Media" is closing out a few minutes ahead of time. Next week's guest will be Carla Sinclair, whose book, "Net Chick: A Smart Girl Guide to the Wired World," will be discussed. A second guest may be added for the second hour. Good night!
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