PND (4/25/2000) -- Markle Foundation Launches Web White & Blue 2000

The New York City-based Markle Foundation has announced the launch of Web White & Blue 2000, a collaboration with leading Internet sites designed to help voters, journalists, and others use the Net to learn more about the presidential candidates. The program builds on the foundation's successful experience with the Web White & Blue project during the 1998 election cycle.

Charter participants in the nonprofit, non-partisan project include ABCNEWS.com, America Online, CNN's allpolitics.com, FOXNews.com, iVillage.com, Microsoft/MSN, MSNBC.com, MTV.com, NetNoir.com, npr.org (National Public Radio Online), NYTimes.com, Oxygen Media, PBS Online, USATODAY.com, washingtonpost.com, and Yahoo.com.

In addition to each site's own political coverage, Web White & Blue 2000 will offer a number of additional features, including "Rolling Cyber Debate," a section enabling campaigns to expand on their answers in televised debates.

The foundation, which is inviting participation in the project by other dot-com and dot-org entities, hopes to involve a range of academic institutions, nonrofit organizations, and public interest groups interested in how Internet technologies are being used in politics.

FCnote: The John and Mary R. Markle Foundation (NY) had assets of $172,414,903 and made grants totaling $5,952,247 in the fiscal year ending 6/30/97.

"Leading Internet Portals and Markle Foundation Unfurl Web White & Blue 2000; Non-Partisan Project Aims to Heighten Utilization of Online Technology During Campaign 2000." Markle Foundation Press Release 4/25/2000.

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