MySpace Launched in China

"Hi, welcome to Myspace. Please allow me to introduce you to your first Chinese friend." Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation is taking Myspace to China. The western MySpace.com invites newcomers to meet their first friend. That friend is company founder, Tom Anderson. Myspace China, the name of the new Myspace company will invite users to meet a Chinese friend. The site's new logo is translated as "Friend You. Friend Me."

Myspace is a social network that allows users to share pictures, videos, and blogs. In March, the site attracted over 100 million unique users. Currently, Myspace is embarking on an aggressive global expansion, and by the middle of this year, it will operate in 20 global regions. These regions will include Spain, Germany, and Japan.

Myspace is coming in late to China, one of the most entrepreneurial countries in the world. With the acquisition of Myspace, China hopes to overcome some of the handicaps westerners have had with the website. A local manager is coming in to lead the company. Therefore, China can have a chance with the new program. At least 100 companies are competing for the same space that Myspace has come into. Therefore, the company is up against many homegrown internet companies such as Baidu, Tencent, Sina, and 51.com. There are also many other startups in China that are very similar to Myspace.

However, analysts have mentioned that internet entrepreneurs such as Ma Huateng of Tencent and Jack Ma of Alibaba.com have outdone their western opponents. Perhaps the internet savyiness found in China will shock the US, and China will be able to teach Westerners something about one of the most popular social networks around.

In spite of a good performance in some Chinese internet markets, China has failed to produce in other markets that have exploded in the US. For instance, Amazon.com, eBay, Yahoo, and Google have all either gone belly up or been handed over to local rivals. Some hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent on these failed ventures.

The group responsible for heading up the Myspace China project has not revealed how much it is going to invest in Myspace China. However, people who are in close connection with the project have said that the financial amount is a significant one.

The chief executive of the company will be Luo Chuan, 38. In the past, Chuan ran Microsoft's MSN portal in China. Chuan said, "We want to create a site that allows people to find serious relationships and to share something with new friends. To share pain and loneliness."

"Murdock is Taking Myspace to China" Barboza, David nytimes.com url(http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/27/business/worldbusiness/27myspace.html?em&ex=1177732800&en=ec265dff1102b97c&ei=5087%0A)