The social network Lady Gaga launched last month -- Littlemonsters.com, a place for tour tickets and Gaga worship -- isn't just where "Mother Monster" connects with her fans.

As the first public showpiece for Backplane, a Gaga-funded startup, it also represents another music-industry trend: the ongoing diversification of revenue streams.

Gone are the days when album sales provided a firehose of cash, alongside the occasional licensing deals and tour revenue. Instead, fragmentation rules.

Artists and labels have scrambled to cultivate new cash streams, from investing in tech startups to e-merchandising to doing what everyone else does online: advertising. (Licensing, recording sales, and live tickets haven't gone anywhere, though, and some investors even believe those revenue sources could get bigger than ever.)

So what's the future of music? Who will profit in a splintered world? And what will it mean for consumers?

Find out at Business Insider's IGNITION: Future of Digital conference this November 27-28, 2012, in New York. Industry heavyweights will share with us the future of music, including:

• Rio Caraeff, CEO, VEVO

Three major labels, EMI, Universal, and Sony, banded together in 2009 to created VEVO, an online video portal for their musicians, which would capture ad revenue and fight piracy. VEVO has since expanded to selling live-streaming concert tickets and creating custom promotions with artists.

VEVO is now the third-biggest video site behind Google and Yahoo, ahead of Facebook and nearly double the size of Hulu. It's also the top channel on YouTube, with just under 50 million viewers consuming about 675 million videos, according to ComScore.

How will music and the music business model continue to evolve? Hear from Caraeff at IGNITION. Reserve your ticket here.

• Bob Pittman, CEO, Clear Channel

Do you want your MTV? Pittman helped create the original music video channel, and now runs the US' biggest radio outlet, which reaches 237 million listeners monthly. For his work on MTV, Pittman was dubbed one of the top 10 marketers who transformed American culture by AdAge in 2010. Pittman also has serious CEO chops prior to Clear Channel and in addition to MTV, including AOL, Six Flags, and Century 21 Real Estate.

You can get his insight on the future of radio and music at IGNITION in November.

 In addition to the above music innovators, industry heavyweights and executives speaking include:

• Jeff Weiner, CEO, LinkedIn
• Jill Abramson, Executive Editor, New York Times
• Jeff Bewkes, CEO & Chairman, Time Warner Inc
• Carolyn Everson, VP, Facebook
• Bradley Horowitz, VP Product Management, Google
• Check out the full roster here.

Check out the agenda, and follow @BI_Events on Twitter for IGNITION updates. See you in November!

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Raphael Brion at Eater observes that the new Newsweek cover looks quite familiar.

There's apparently something about that phallic asparagus that magazine designers can't resist.

Click for Eater's list of many more instances in which this photo has been used.

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Jennifer Lawrence, the 21-year-old actress who brought "The Hunger Games" protagonist Katniss Everdeen to life in the book series' first film, is now negotiating a $10 million paycheck for the sequel "Catching Fire," The Hollywood Reporter is reporting exclusively.

Lawrence, who was reportedly paid just $500,000 (plus bonuses based on box-office performance) for the first "Hunger Games," helped the film gross $683.8 million worldwide this spring.

But now the Oscar-nominated, barely of drinking age actress wants 20 times more money to shoot the sequel.

According to THR:

The actress is in the final stages of negotiating a rich deal to return for 'Catching Fire' that will pay her somewhere in the $10 million range, according to sources close to the deal. The figure is a combination of salary, bonuses and escalators. Depending on the box-office performance of the film, she could earn much more ...

Lawrence’s co-stars Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth also are said to have renegotiated their contracts, but each will receive far smaller raises, according to sources. Lawrence, whose gritty performance was central to the film, is seen as the marquee star.

But these kind of renegotiations are common for major film franchises, such as "Twilight," in which the cast received significant salary increases in subsequent movies.

In June, "Twilight" star Kristen Stewart earned the number one spot on Forbes' list of highest-paid actresses, after being paid an estimated $12.5 million per film for the last two in the franchise.

22-year-old Stewart was the youngest actress on this year's list, followed by 16-years-older Kristen Wiig.

But now Lawrence and her pay raise aren't too far behind, despite reportedly just losing out to Stewart for the coveted lead role of Peyton Loftis—a young woman in 1950s Virginia desperate to escape the confines of her dysfunctional home life—in "Lie Down in Darkness," an adaptation of William Styron's gritty 1951 novel of the same name.

Not that Lawrence or the "Hunger Games" franchise are hurting for cash.

Target recently announced they too will join on Katniss' bandwagon and sell and start to sell upscale collectors items to coincide with the first film's DVD and Blu-ray release on August 21.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, items will include a $999, 14-K gold Mockingjay pin, a $349 leather hunting jacket that resembles one worn by Katniss, and a lithograph autographed by 10 of the cast members for $699.

It's a departure for the retailer, who are known for their competitively low prices—but only 100 of each item will be available for purchase, and they will only be available on Target.com.

But not to exclude their regular customers, Target will also sell a range of "Hunger Games" memorabilia, from jewelry to picture frames, at more reasonable prices ranging of $6.99 to $37.99.

SEE ALSO: Universal sets record for fastest climb to $1B in studio's history >

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Last week, Apple revealed one of its biggest marketing secrets in federal court: The company relies heavily on free product placement in television shows and movies.

And Apple has a fascinating history of product placement, which it doesn't like to talk about.

Bloomberg reports that Apple's marketing chief, Phil Schiller, said that "One of Apple's employees works closely with Hollywood on so-called product placement so its gadgets are used in movies and television shows."

That one employee needs a raise.

Even though Apple has announced again and again that it doesn't pay for spots, Apple products appeared in 891 TV shows in 2011 alone. According to Brandchannel, iDevices were in 40 percent of movie box office hits.

“Apple won’t pay to have their products featured, but they are more than willing to hand out an endless amount of computers, iPads, and iPhones,” Gavin Polone, who produced Zombieland, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and more, told Businessweek.  “It’s kind of a graft situation.”

From when Apple was more open with its movie tie-ins (Mission: Impossible was very public) to seemingly random placements (the iPad starred in a Modern Family episode the day before its release with supposedly no prompting from Apple), here are Apple's most interesting product placements.

 Did we miss something cool? Let us know in the comments.

Mission: Impossible

Apple's product placement wasn't always so hush-hush. When the company was struggling in 1996, Jon Holtzman, Apple's marketing manager, made a major deal in which the PowerMac had a starring role in the first Mission: Impossible film. Although Apple didn't pay for the placement, the film and tech company made an arrangement: In exchange for PowerMac's prominent role, Apple would strongly promote the movie in its ads. (See the commercial below). This worked out pretty well for both parties involved.

"We saved almost $500,000 in production costs—and got Brian De Palma to direct and Tom Cruise to act in it," Holtzman told Bloomberg.

Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol

Fifteen years later, the Mission: Impossible series still couldn't get enough of Apple products. But this time, there was no quid pro quo. Even though the film had three official brand partners (Toshiba, BMW, and Coke Zero) and it partnered with the NHL and Facebook, Apple's iPads, iPhones, etc. had eight minutes of free screen time.

Legally Blonde

Legally Blonde's protagonist, Elle Woods, didn't only stand out for being supposedly the only attractive blonde female in all of Harvard Law, but her sherbet iBook did anything but blend into a sea of black PCs.

One should note that this was in the era in which the Apple logo appeared upside down when it was opened. Joe Holtzman had fought for the change to make things easier for product placement opportunities: In the 1990s, filmmakers would resort to making special stickers so that the logo would appear upright.

Former Apple employee Joe Moreno explained that Steve Jobs had opted for this design choice so that consumers would see the apple sign right side up when it was closed.

"Why was it upside down from the user's perspective an issue? Because the design group noticed that users constantly tried to open the laptop from the wrong end. Steve Jobs always focuses on providing the best possible user experience and believed that it was more important to satisfy the user than the onlooker ... Obviously, after a few years, Steve reversed his decision."

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The notorious group that runs the Olympics earned an estimated $8 billion revenue from 2009 to 2012, according to Sportcal.

Formed to promote "Olympism," the International Olympic Committee doesn't get rich off the Games, but they do enjoy themselves.

The 109-member Committee gets wined and dined by cities and corporations bidding for contracts, and they get treated like royalty at the Games. Several times they've been caught taking bribes, but generally what happens in Switzerland stays in Switzerland.

Olympic revenue increased 47% in the latest quadrennial.

Source: Sportcal

The Committee is conveniently located in tax haven Switzerland.

Calling Switzerland home allows the non-profit IOC to avoid a 20% income tax, and that's just the start, according to Play The Game's Lars Jørgensen.

"The tax exemption is very important. I have no concrete figures on how much we save in dollars and cents. But the tax exemption means that we can spend even more money on our Olympic solidarity work," said IOC member Gerhard Heiberg in an interview with Danish newspaper Information.

What's more, bribery was basically legal in Switzerland until recently. Stronger anti-corruption laws are finally coming into place after another bribery scandal at the IOC and FIFA resulted in almost no convictions.

Count Jacques Rogge leads a group of 109.

A doctor, a knight, a count and a three-time Olympian in yachting, Belgian Jacques Rogge, 70, is the ideal president of the IOC.

The Committee, which can hold up to 115 members, is composed of royals, nobles, CEOs and Olympians. Since Rogge took the helm in 2001, it has opened up to a larger number of Olympians. Still the IOC's co-option method of selecting members ensures that it remains an elite group.

Royals include Prince Faisal bin Al Hussein, Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark, Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, Prince Nawaf Faisal Fahd Abdulaziz, Prince Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, Anne, Princess Royal, Prince Albert II and Princess Nora of Liechtenstein.

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Add it to the list of things NBC could have done better during their Olympics coverage.

During Sunday's coverage of the USA vs. Spain gold medal basketball game, NBC cameras found actor Jesse Eisenberg sitting in the audience and commentators quickly made note of his presence.

The only problem?

They mistook Eisenberg for Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg—the character he played (and received an Oscar nomination for) in 2010's "The Social Network."

One com mentor then stated, “Every executive of note it seems worldwide is attending these games.”

Don't worry NBC (or Numbskull Broadcasting Company, as some call the network) only 215 million people have been watching the Olympics coverage.

Watch video of the snafu HERE.

SEE ALSO: Here's Everything You Missed From The Crazy Olympic Closing Ceremony >

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Marilyn Hagerty, the 86-year-old newspaper columnist whose review of the opening of an Olive Garden in Grand Forks, North Dakota, became an ironic global sensation in March, has won the Al Neuharth Award for Excellence, for lifetime achievement.

A typical line from her review: "My first visit to Olive Garden was during midafternoon, so I could be sure to get in."

Neuharth is the founder of USA Today, and Hagerty was his first editor—65 years ago.

Hagerty got the award for being "a model journalist dedicated to serving local communities through consistently fair, truthful and relevant coverage."

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Well that didn't take long.

Just days after revealing that late Beastie Boys rapper Adam Yauch's will forbid use of his music in any advertisements, the Beastie Boys are suing Monster Energy Drink for just that

Monster used the Beastie Boys' music and images without permission in a web ad for their "Ruckus in the Rockies" event which occurred on May 5. Yauch died of Cancer on May 4.

The suit, which was filed in U.S. District Court in New York on Tuesday, says:

Monster caused a link to a downloadable audio recording (the "MP3") embodying a 23-minute medley of excerpts from the Beastie Boys Sound Recordings, the Beastie Boys Musical Compositions and the sound recordings and musical compositions comprising the additional Beastie Boys MP3 Copyrights … in conjunction with the Video, together with an offer that the MP3 was available for free download.

The songs in the "medley" included "Pass the Mic" and "So Whatcha Want."

The suit says that Yauch's estate, as well as remaining Boys Mike Diamond and Adam Horovitz, are suing for copyright infringement and violation of the Latham act—which protects trademark and endorsement, seeking a preliminary and permanent injunction. 

They are also seeking damages of $150,000 for each individual infringement, which could end up being very costly since Monster allegedly sampled a mix tape. 

SEE ALSO: Yauch's will forbids use of his music and image in ads > 

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Need another reason besides the price and calories to skip the popcorn next time you head to the multiplex?

How about this: The artificial butter you've been putting on your popcorn may be linked to Alzheimer's disease, according to a University of Minnesota study.

The study says diacetyl, the flavoring that produces the buttery flavor and smell, increases the level of beta-amyloid protein clumping, "a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease."

Diacetyl also easily passes through the blood-brain barrier, which is supposed to keep harmful substances away from the brain. 

"In light of the chronic exposure of industry workers to diacetyl, this study raises the troubling possibility of long-term neurological toxicity mediated by diacetyl," said the researchers in a statement. 

In 2007 and 2008, several microwave popcorn brands removed dactyl from their products. 

So maybe stick to the Mild Duds and large soda this weekend.

SEE ALSO: Movie ticket prices reach all time high >

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Video game giant Electronic Arts (EA) is collaborating with Microsoft to bring EA's popular mobile games, including Medal of Honor, The Sims Free-to-Play, and World Series of Poker, to Windows 8 (scheduled to come out October 26), Bloomberg reports. 

This potential partnership comes after shares in EA dropped 37 percent this year.

EA hopes to target not only Microsoft's PC platform but its phone and tablet platforms as well. In exchange, Microsoft hopes to boost its mobile operating system. Windows Phone currently has approximately 100,000 apps for their products, while Apple and Android each have over 600,000 apps, Bloomberg reports.

According to NielsenWire, the most popular gaming platform in the USA is now mobile, where 93 percent of mobile consumers are willing to pay for a video game app.

SEE ALSO: Look inside "Video Games New York," an old school gamer's paradise >

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Send in the clowns … to court. 

Hip hop duo the Insane Clown Posse announced Friday they're suing the FBI for their fans. 

Joseph Bruce and Joseph Utsler, better known as Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope of Detroit's Insane Clown Posse (ICP), took the stage at their fan event, the 13th Annual Gathering Of The Juggalos–and Juggalettes–to tell the "most hated band in the world" would fight the FBI. 

This comes after their fans made the FBI's 2011 National Gang Threat Assessment List being described as "a loosely-organized hybrid gang ... rapidly expanding into many US communities."

Let’s get this straight, a Juggalo is not a gang member," Violent J told vice.com. "Consider a Juggalo that, 15 years ago, got a hatchet man tattoo or something. Now they’ve got a family, they’re working in real estate or something, and they’re driving home and get a speeding ticket. Next thing you know, he’s in the gang file, and that will be taken into consideration in any trial.

The group has also set up a site, juggalosfightback.com, where victims of anti-Juggalo discrimination can share their experiences and get their claims reviewed by ICP's legal team for free.

The majority of ICP's music is rather violent, with top songs including, "F--- the World," "My Axe," and "Boogie Woogie Wu." 

Their song "What Is A Juggalo" includes the following lyrics: 

What is a juggalo?
He drinks like a fish
And then he starts huggin people
Like a drunk b----
Next thing, he's pickin fights
With his best friends
Then he starts with the huggin again

… What is a juggalo?
He ain't a b----boy
He'll walk through the hills
And beat down a rich boy
Walks right in the house
When you're having supper 

In the past, people who claim themselves to be Juggalos have been associated with a string of violence.  

In September 2011, two Pennsylvania men were convicted of first degree murder against a 21-year-old Army veteran who was found with multiple stab wounds in the neck and stomach in 2009.  

Another man was arrested for firing a shot, scaring children while donning clown makeup while another was convicted of helping her boyfriend murder his mother. 

ICP's Violent J told site noisecreep last year it's not easy being a Juggalo, a fan of the "most hated band in the world."

"They are totally misunderstood," said Violent J. "People think Juggalos are a gang and they are on the FBI gang list. That is funny. Gangs do crime, sell dope, take over areas, run neighborhoods. Juggalos don't do any of that s---. ICP is ICP."

SEE ALSO: Meet Deborah Ann Woll: The Sexy Red-Headed Vampire on "True Blood" >

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Ryan Seacrest wants to acquire Dick Clark Productions, the Golden Globes producers, according to Reuters.  

The "Idol" host is among bidders that have moved on to a second round including Colony Capital (Miramax owners), Guggenheim Partners, Core Media Group, and reportedly, CBS Corp.  

In addition to the Golden Globes, DCP also produces the American Music Awards, the Miss Universe Pageant, Fox's reality series, "So You Think You Can Dance," and the "Dick Clarks' New Year's Rockin' Eve."

It's no surprise the "American Idol" veteran wants in on DC Productions; after all, he cites the late Clark as a great source of inspiration. 

Seacrest joined the "New Year's Rockin' Eve" broadcast in 2006, working with Clark for six years and speaking fondly of his mentor after his passing.  

"I learned a great deal from him, and I’ll always be indebted to him for his faith and support of me," said Seacrest. "He was a remarkable host and businessman and left a rich legacy to television audiences around the world." 

Bidders have until August 31 to make an offer. 

SEE ALSO: The Insane Clown Posse is suing the FBI >

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Michael Bay's next "Transformers" movie can't come soon enough for studio Paramount.

Universal, Disney, Sony, and Warner Bros. all passed $1 billion at the domestic box office already this year. But Paramount is far behind. The studio has released six films so far this year, to varying degrees of success.

So far, the studio's 2012 domestic total gross is $581 million, though roughly $150 million of that is due to holiday 2011 holdovers like "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" and "The Adventures of Tintin."

Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted made $211 million, and is the Paramount's only successful movie so far. The studio can still rely on its kiddie franchise to post big numbers for them, as the third film in the franchise actually made more than the previous installments, all but guaranteeing a fourth.  

The rest of Paramount's slate, however, stunk up the multiplex:

1. The Dictator - $60 million. The Sacha Baron Cohen comedy didn't reach its production budget stateside, but is likely saved by more than $100 million in foreign grosses. 
2. Titanic 3D - $58 million. Even if the studio expected more for this 3D re-release, they can't be too upset after only paying for the 3D conversion, prints, and advertising. 
3. The Devil Inside - $53 million. With a budget around $1 million, this one is pure profit for the studio after opening in January with a stunning $34 million opening weekend.
4. Katy Perry: Part of Me - $25 million. The gross may not be too high when compared to a movie like "Madagascar," but concert movies are cheap to make, and with a $12 million budget, this one should finish in the green.  
5. A Thousand Words - $18 million. The only "bomb" on this list is the latest from Eddie Murphy, and the studio seems to have seen it coming. They moved the movie's release date several times before settling on March 2012.

There are a few reasons for why Paramount is nowhere near the $1 billion mark, but the biggest one is it simply hasn't released enough movies. Compare the studio's modest six films to Warner Bros.' 11. 

This wasn't by design though. Two major releases were pushed back to 2013 for various reasons. "Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters" was moved to January 2013 where it could benefit from Jeremy Renner being better established as an action star, and "G.I. Joe: Retaliation" was pulled just weeks before its expected release for a 3D conversion and to expand rising star Channing Tatum's role. 

This should set the studio up for a bigger 2013, which will also feature Brad Pitt's "World War Z," J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek" sequel, and "Anchorman 2." 

Posting a $1 billion 2012 is still possible, though. With seven films still to be released, including "Paranormal Activity 4," Tom Cruise's "Jack Reacher," Dreamworks' holiday pic "Rise of the Guardians" and Denzel Washington's Oscar buzz-y "Flight," the second half of the year could be stronger than the first. 

SEE ALSO: Universal fastest to $1B in studio history >

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After seeing ratings plummet this year, CNN has begun looking to get into the reality television and late night talk show business, reports the New York Post's Michael Shain.

The news network has been looking around for reality TV ideas, going to outside production companies for the first time, and is in the process of developing a late night talk show

CNN has even gone as far as to begin contacting Hollywood agents in the hopes of attracting politically minded celebrities to these programs.

A few months ago, it was announced that Anthony Bourdain will be getting his own Sunday show on CNN and will also be serving as a guest contributor on other CNN shows. Now it appears that the network is using Bourdain as a paradigm for the new kind of television personalities that it wants on its programs.

It's still very early on, but according to the Post, CNN's new lineup will include a late night panel-esque talk show and four or five reality shows to create a new block of programming around Bourdain on Sundays.

As sad as all of this may be for what it says about the state of cable news, a huge shakeup at CNN hardly comes as a surprise.

This year CNN suffered its lowest ratings in 21 years, causing Jim Walton to step down as the network's president after almost 10 years on the job. And just this week CNN suspended one of its biggest anchors, Fareed Zakaria after plagiarism allegations

CNN certainly would not be the first network to use non-news personalities in news programs, comedian Dennis Miller's regular appearances on Fox News are testament to that. However, if CNN does indeed go through with these new additions, it would certainly serve as a change in direction for the network, away from the strictly news focus of its past.

At the time of his departure, Walton said that "CNN needs new thinking." It's unclear if this is what he meant.

SEE ALSO: Meet Deborah Ann Woll: The sexy, red-headed vampire on "True Blood" >

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Former Cosmopolitan editor, Helen Gurley Brown passed away today at a New York City hospital at the age of 90, according to a press release from Hearst.

An American author and publisher, Brown published the 1962 best-selling book "Sex and the Single Girl" before taking over at Cosmo, owned by Hearst, three years later in 1965.  

Brown remained editor for more than 30 years until 1997. She was married to the late David Brown, producer of "Jaws," "The Sting," and "Driving Miss Daisy."  

In 1995, Brown received the Henry Johnston Fisher Award from the Magazine Publishers of America and the ASME (American Society of Magazine Editors) Hall of Fame Award the following year in 1996. 

This past January, Brown donated $30m to Columbia and Stanford to create the David and Helen Gurley Brown Institute for Media Innovation that will connect journalism programs on both coasts.  

The funds will be used to improve upon journalism technology available to both schools, with $6m going toward updates that will include a "state-of-the-art high-tech newsroom." 

"David and I have long supported and encouraged bright young people to follow their passions and to create original content,” said Brown in an announcement at the end of January. “Great content needs useable technology. Sharing a language is where the magic happens. It’s time for two great American institutions on the East and West Coasts to build a bridge. 

CEO of Hearst, Fran Bennack released the following statement:  

“Helen Gurley Brown was an icon. Her formula for honest and straightforward advice about relationships, career and beauty revolutionized the magazine industry. She lived every day of her life to the fullest and will always be remembered as the quintessential ‘Cosmo girl.’ She will be greatly missed.”

SEE ALSO: How the Beastie Boys Will Honor Adam Yauch's Will >

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Taylor Swift loved hanging out with her new beau Conor Kennedy and his family so much that she decided to purchase a $4.9 million home across the street from Kennedy's grandmother in Hyannis Port, Mass, People reports.

Swift, 22, was recently spotted in Hyannis Port with Conor, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s son. Kennedy is four years her junior.

The house, which was originally priced at $14 million, is across the street from the Kennedy Compound, where Kennedy's grandmother Ethel currently lives.

The house has 13 rooms with seven bedrooms and five bathrooms. It overlooks Nantucket Sound.

Welcome to Hyannis Port, Mass.

The home sits on 1.1 acres of land.

This is Swift's first real estate purchase on the east coast.

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Martha Stewart travels with three iPads, reports Mashable in an interview with the domestic icon.

What is each one for? The context is a little unclear from the interview, but it sounds like one is just for magazines, one is for watching movies, and one is for writing and emailing.

We're unsure why she wouldn't use a single iPad for all of these activities.

Also in her electronics arsenal:

• Two BlackBerrys -- one for phone calls, one for emails and Twitter

• An iPhone for taking pictures when she's forgotten her camera

• Two Canon cameras for taking pictures for her blog

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For the next week, it's all sharks all the time on Discovery. 

Yes, Shark Week is back. 

From August 12-16 the cable network will dedicate its programming to non-stop footage of America's favorite animal predator.  

In honor of Shark Week's 25th anniversary, we compiled 25 facts about sharks and the event from Discovery and National Geographic.

While enjoying shows "Sharkzilla," "25 Best Bites," and "How Jaws Changed the World," see how much do you know about the ocean's deadliest creature and the event that takes place every year on Discovery.

Do you know the largest shark, the rarest sharks, and the odds that you'll be eaten by one? 

Before sitting down to enjoy Shark Week, test your shark knowledge. 

Starting in 1988, Shark Week is the longest-running cable TV programming event in history.

1988: The first Shark Week included ten programs including "The Shark Takes a Siesta."

Sharks are older than dinosaurs! They were swimming around the earth more than 400 million years ago–200 million years before dinos.

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A group of nine Nobel Peace Prize winners have published an open letter to NBC over its new reality show "Stars Earn Stripes."

The show pairs up celebrities and American military members for military-related challenges.

The protesters, who include Archbishop Desmond Tutu, say that the show treats military maneuvers like athletic events, and that it "glorifies war."

NBC has yet to comment on the matter.

Here's the full letter, from Nobel Women's Initiative:

WAR ISN’T ENTERTAINMENT—

AND SHOULDN’T BE TREATED LIKE IT IS

August 13, 2012

An Open Letter to Mr. Robert Greenblatt, Chairman of NBC Entertainment, General Wesley Clark (ret.), Producer Mark Burnett and others involved in “Stars Earn Stripes”:

During the Olympics, touted as a time for comity and peace among nations, millions first learned that NBC would be premiering a new “reality” TV show.  The commercials announcing “Stars Earn Stripes” were shown seemingly endlessly throughout the athletic competition, noting that its premier would be Monday, August 13, following the end of the Olympic games.

That might seem innocuous since spectacular, high budget sporting events of all types are regular venues for airing new products, televisions shows and movies.  But “Stars Earn Stripes” is not just another reality show.  Hosted by retired four-star general Wesley Clark, the program pairs minor celebrities with US military personnel and puts them through simulated military training, including some live fire drills and helicopter drops.  The official NBC website for the show touts “the fast-paced competition” as “pay[ing] homage to the men and women who serve in the U.S. Armed Forces and our first-responder services.”

It is our belief that this program pays homage to no one anywhere and continues and expands on an inglorious tradition of glorifying war and armed violence. Military training is not to be compared, subtly or otherwise, with athletic competition by showing commercials throughout the Olympics. Preparing for war is neither amusing nor entertaining.

Real war is down in the dirt deadly.  People—military and civilians—die in ways that are anything but entertaining.  Communities and societies are ripped apart in armed conflict and the aftermath can be as deadly as the war itself as simmering animosities are unleashed in horrific spirals of violence.  War, whether relatively short-lived or going on for decades as in too many parts of the world, leaves deep scars that can take generations to overcome – if ever.

Trying to somehow sanitize war by likening it to an athletic competition further calls into question the morality and ethics of linking the military anywhere with the entertainment industry in barely veiled efforts to make war and its multitudinous costs more palatable to the public.

The long history of collaboration between militaries and civilian media and entertainment—and not just in the United States—appears to be getting murkier and in many ways more threatening to efforts to resolve our common problems through nonviolent means.  Active-duty soldiers already perform in Hollywood movies, “embedded” media ride with soldier in combat situations, and now NBC is working with the military to attempt to turn deadly military training into a sanitized “reality” TV show that reveals absolutely nothing of the reality of being a soldier in war or the consequences of war.  What is next?

As people who have seen too many faces of armed conflict and violence and who have worked for decades to try to stop the seemingly unending march toward the increased militarization of societies and the desensitization of people to the realities and consequences of war, we add our voices and our support to those protesting “Stars Earn Stripes.”  We too call upon NBC stop airing this program that pays homage to no one, and is a massive disservice to those who live and die in armed conflict and suffer its consequences long after the guns of war fall silent.

Sincerely,

Jody Williams, Nobel Peace Prize, 1997

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize, 1984

Mairead Maguire, Nobel Peace Prize, 1977

Dr. Shirin Ebadi, Nobel Peace Prize, 2003

President José Ramos-Horta, Nobel Peace Prize, 1996

Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, Nobel Peace Prize, 1980

President Oscar Arias Sanchez, Nobel Peace Prize, 1987

Rigoberta Menchú Tum, 1992

Betty Williams, Nobel Peace Prize, 1977

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