MS NOW has a plan for its new subscribers: a shot at free tickets to the Power to the People Festival, plus a pop-up lounge at the venue itself. The Versant-backed news outlet is running a contest that lets members enter for a chance to attend the first Power to the People Festival at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Md., on Saturday, Oct. 3.
To enter, people need to answer a prompt: “What song from the past feels newly meaningful in America today, and why?” The contest runs from Thursday, Sept. 24, until Saturday, Sept. 26, at 11:59 p.m. eastern. Winners will be announced Monday, Sept. 28, on “The Beat with Ari Melber,” which airs at 6 p.m. eastern on MS NOW, ms.now, or on the MS NOW app.
The Ticket Giveaway
The festival is sold out, and it is curated by Rock & Roll Hall of Fame guitarist and songwriter Tom Morello. The lineup reads like a mix of rock, punk, hip-hop and folk acts, with something for nearly every taste across the genres. It is a broad list, stretching from established veterans to newer names, and it reflects the festival’s goal of bringing together different musical traditions under one roof.
- Foo Fighters
- Dave Matthews
- Joan Baez
- Public Enemy
- Brittany Howard
- Killer Mike
- Cypress Hill
- The Linda Lindas
- Dropkick Murphys
- Serj Tankian
- Jack Black
- Darryl “DMC” McDaniels
- Taylor Momsen
- Matt Cameron
- Bruce Springsteen
MS NOW will stream the whole event live on its YouTube channel, with production handled by Tenth Planet Productions and direction by Joel Gallen. Ari Melber will be on the grounds throughout the day, connecting audiences with the artists across MS NOW’s television, digital and social platforms.
How the Contest Works
The contest is open to anyone who answers the prompt at ms.now/power-to-the-people-contest. Terms and conditions apply, as usual. Winners get tickets to the festival.
The question is a simple one: a song from the past that feels newly meaningful in America today. It is a question that asks people to think about what music carries from one generation to the next. It is also a question that ties directly into the festival’s title and theme, since “Power to the People” itself is a song with a long history in popular culture.
What MS NOW Is Offering
MS NOW launched its subscription app recently, and the “Membership” tier comes with perks. This contest is one of them. The festival is exclusive to MS NOW as the livestream destination, which means the platform is the only place to watch the show online.
The Members Lounge is another perk. It is a pop-up space at Merriweather Post Pavilion where members can meet others and recharge between performances. The Lounge recently debuted alongside a live telecast of the MS NOW program “The Weeknight” in Dallas.
Comparing Streaming Perks
Streaming services often offer off-screen benefits beyond the content itself. Disney’s Disney+ occasionally makes available access to products and services tied to its broader entertainment portfolio. MS NOW is following that model with its own exclusive offerings.
The difference here is that MS NOW is doing something more interactive. The contest asks for participation, not just consumption. Subscribers have to engage with the question to enter, and the question itself is about cultural memory and relevance.
The Value Proposition
MS NOW is offering a clear package to its subscribers. Here is what the deal includes, in order of what arrives first:
- The chance to enter the contest by answering the prompt.
- A shot at winning tickets to the Power to the People Festival.
- Access to the Members Lounge at Merriweather Post Pavilion.
- The livestream of the festival on MS NOW’s YouTube channel.
Each item builds on the last, starting with engagement and ending with the festival itself.
Source material: “MS NOW Offers ‘Membership’ Subscribers Chance for Tickets to ‘Power to the People’ Festival,” Variety.
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