archives

o Atom Films Syndicates Shorts to TiVo, iN DEMAND and Cisneros Television
o Streaming Media Ad Firm Lightningcast Raises $15.5 Million
o Online Casting Site IAM.com Suspends Operations, Lays Off 49 Employees
o Game Site Flipside.com Closes Seattle Office, Lays Off 39 Employees
o Digital Photography Services Site PhotoPoint Raises $16 Million
o British Games Site BarrysWorld.com to Shut Down
> Tuesday: Digital Media Wire Networking Event: New York City
o Briefly Noted: Microsoft - MediaWave, Highspeed.MSNBC.com, WEB Corp. -
ARUSH Entertainment, Music.com France SA, Media Metrix, Digital World
Services - Zoomzic.com, TheThreshold.com - Ozzy Osbourne, PowerTV
_____________________________________________

> Job Postings: VP Biz Dev/Sales, Senior Web Designer, Tech Writer, Account
Exec./Sr. Account Exec.

> Events: "Interactive Gaming on the Internet"

Full Job/Event descriptions listed below "Briefly Noted" section or at
http://www.digitalmediawire.com/postings.html

To Post a Job: http://www.digitalmediawire.com/jobs.html
To Post an Event: http://www.digitalmediawire.com/events.html
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o Atom Films Syndicates Shorts to TiVo, iN DEMAND and Cisneros Television

Las Vegas -- Short film entertainment site Atom Films announced on Tuesday
that it has signed syndication deals with a number of off-line media
companies. Personal video recorder manufacturer TiVo, pay-per-view
television provider iN DEMAND and Latin American television company
Cisneros Television Group (CTG) have all agreed to syndicate Atom's films.
Alviso, Calif.-based TiVo will feature Atom Films' content in a weekly
interactive TV show as well as on the homepage that users see when they
access the device. The two companies will also jointly produce content.
Beginning in March, CTG will broadcast over 100 short films on its show
"Cortos" and on its animation channel Locomotion, both of which reach
viewers in Ibero America. Seattle-based Atom Films said that it saw a
1,200 percent increase in revenues during the year 2000, citing its
variety of distribution channels and quality of content. The company
recently announced that it was acquired by entertainment site
Shockwave.com.
http://www.atomfilms.com/about/press/01-01-23.asp
http://www.tivo.com
http://www.indemand.com
http://www.cisnerostv.com
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o Streaming Media Ad Firm Lightningcast Raises $15.5 Million

Alexandria, Va. -- Lightningcast, a provider of rich media advertising for
streaming media, announced that it has raised $15.5 million in its second
round of venture capital financing. Nokia Venture Partners led the
investment round; Redleaf Group and Birchmere Ventures also participated.
Virginia-based Lightningcast inserts audio and video advertising into
streaming media for webcasters, online publishers and advertisers. The
company previously raised $4.7 million in March of 2000.
http://www.lightningcast.com/news/searchdetail.cfm?AID=41
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o Online Casting Site IAM.com Suspends Operations, Lays Off 49 Employees

Los Angeles -- IAM.com, a site that provides online casting services for
actors, models and musicians, has suspended its operations, according to a
note on the company's website. "While financial circumstances have made it
necessary for IAM.com to suspend its services at this time, we wish you
all the very best," the note reads. The company has also laid off 49 of
its employees, and is maintaining small staffs in its offices while it
seeks emergency funding, Inside.com reported. The company ran a number of
ads during last year's Academy Awards broadcast, and has been airing ads
on MTV recently that were directed by Spike Lee, who sits on the company's
board of advisors. IAM.com cited the weak market for online advertising
and its inability to grow its subscription-based services as reasons for
its current situation.
http://www.iam.com
http://www.inside.com/jcs/Story?article_id=21498&pod_id=10&uiFiller=N
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o Game Site Flipside.com Closes Seattle Office, Lays Off 39 Employees

New York -- Advertising-driven online games site Flipside.com, a division
of Vivendi Universal, will close its Seattle office and lay off 39
employees, according to a CNET report. A company spokesperson told CNET
that 30 percent of Flipside.com's 37 staffers in Seattle will be moved to
Vivendi Universal Sierra Online's Bellevue, Wash., offices. The company
will also lay off several employees from its Berkeley headquarters.
Flipside.com offers cash prizes to users of its site, which was formed by
the merger of Won.net and PrizeCentral.com.
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-4560517.html
http://www.flipside.com
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o Digital Photography Services Site PhotoPoint Raises $16 Million

San Francisco -- PhotoPoint, a provider of online digital photography
products and services, announced that it has raised $16 million in its
second round of funding. Investors in the round included Softbank Venture
Capital, U.S. Venture Partners, Sun Microsystems and Epson America. Sun
Microsystems said that it will contribute an additional $15 million of
equipment financing if certain requirements are met. San Francisco-based
PhotoPoint provides a free online photo-sharing community and offers a
digital picture printing and framing service. The company will use the
funds to focus more on business clients and to expand its event
photography service.
http://www.photopoint.com/press/01-22-01.html
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o British Games Site BarrysWorld.com to Shut Down

London -- Due to its inability to raise additional funding, online games
and game news site BarrysWorld.com will shut down as of January 31,
according to a statement on the company's website. "BarrysWorld has gone
into voluntary liquidation as we’re running out of money and with the
market in its current state we’ve not found anyone prepared to fund our
2nd round of investment," wrote TedtheDog of BarrysWorld.com. "Someday
online gaming will be financially feasible, but that will entail the
consumer paying directly for the services he or she receives." The company
told its users who paid for services such as privately hosted game servers
that they would have to seek refunds from their credit card companies or
through BarrysWorld.com's liquidators, Fisher Partners of London.
http://www.barrysworld.com/content/pr_ted.htm
http://www.barrysworld.com/content/pr_official.htm
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> Tuesday: Digital Media Wire Networking Event: New York City

Digital Media Wire will host its next networking event in New York City on
Tuesday, January 23, 2001 for subscribers and those interested in the
convergence of entertainment, technology and the Internet. Light hors
d'oeuvres will be served and there will be a cash bar. There is no charge
for the event and registration is not necessary.

Date: Tuesday, January 23, 2001
Time: 7:00 - 9:30 pm
Location: Bar 13
35 E 13th St. - New York City

For additional details: http://www.digitalmediawire.com/dmw_event1.html
_____________________________________________

o Briefly Noted:

(Redmond, Wash.) Microsoft said that it will deploy 3,100 of its streaming
media servers across Europe. The company has partnered with London-based
MediaWave, a provider of webcasting services, which will install the
servers into its content delivery network. Microsoft said that the network
will have the capacity to eventually deliver millions of concurrent
streams of audio and video in Germany, France, The Netherlands, Sweden and
the United Kingdom.
http://www.mediawave.com

(Redmond, Wash.) News site MSNBC.com announced the launch of a new version of its website tailored for broadband users. Highspeed.MSNBC.com will
offer 60 on-demand video segments daily from NBC News, MSNBC Cable, CNBC and NBC Sports. The company said the upgrade is a result of a fourfold
increase in the number of streams accessed from the site in the past year.
http://www.highspeed.msnbc.com

(Scottsdale, Ariz.) WEB Corp., an online publisher of interactive games,
announced that it has changed the name of the company to ARUSH
Entertainment. The company has signed to develop games for Sunstorm
Interactive and Yorbo Productions, and will publish its first titles in
January. Arizona-based ARUSH publishes games that users download different
levels in segments, and pay a fee to access more advanced levels.
http://www.arushgames.com

(New York) Music entertainment and industry resource site Music.com
announced the launch of Music.com France SA, a site offering French
language music information and services. New York-based Music.com gives
users local music information and offers individual artists and record
labels with marketing and promotion for co-branded websites it creates.
"Along with Music.com Asia, the creation of Music.com France allows us to
provide localized content and services in the world's three most important
markets, North America, Europe and Asia," Philippe Bellosguardo, CEO of
Music.com.
http://france.music.com

(New York) A recent report published by Internet measurement firm Media
Metrix said that media players -- that play files both off-line and online
-- as well as streaming media players are now installed on 99 percent of
home PCs in the U.S. The report also showed that in November 2000, 47
percent of U.S. households used a media player, while 40 percent used a
streaming media player. Among streaming media players, the report found
that RealNetworks' RealPlayer maintained the largest share of users with
28 percent; Microsoft's Windows Media Player held 20 percent of users, and
Apple's QuickTime garnered 4 percent.
http://www.jmm.com

(New York) Digital World Services, a digital rights management provider
and subsidiary of Bertelsmann AG, announced that it has partnered with
online retailer Zoomzic.com to launch a subscription-based music download
in France. The project will launch with 1,500 albums, but says it will
implement the catalogs of "several major music companies" and offer 10,000
by the end of 2001. Subscription fees will range from $9 - $42 per month,
depending on the amount of music downloaded. Prepaid cards will also be
offered and cost about $10 for 5 albums, and $18 for 10 albums.
http://www.zoomzic.com
http://www.dwsco.com

(Santa Monica, Calif.) Entertainment site TheThreshold.com announced that
it has acquired the exclusive rights to the Ozzy Osbourne brand. Santa
Monica-based TheThreshold.com will develop original live action and
animated programming for the web based around the former singer of metal
band Black Sabbath, and also create and manage the website for OzzFest, a
concert tour featuring Osbourne and other metal acts.
http://www.thethreshold.com
http://www.ozzfest.com

(Cupertino, Calif.) PowerTV, a developer of software for interactive
television, announced that it has partnered with several printer
manufacturers to develop software that allows users to print emails and
other Internet content accessed through their televisions.
http://www.powertv.com

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Job Postings:
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To Post Jobs: http://www.digitalmediawire.com/jobs.html

> Sonata, Director/VP Biz. Dev./Sales - Wireless Internet - New York City

Venture-backed wireless company specializing in the next generation of
location-based applications and wireless advertising seeks executive to
initiate, negotiate and close deals. Cultivation of business contacts,
structuring deals, negotiation of contracts and being part of an effective
business development team will be essential. Familiarity with advertising,
high-tech software or Internet products. Must have a passion for
emergingtechnology. Send resumes to hr@sonatainc.com
http://www.sonata.com
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> Lucid Designs, Senior Web Designer - Los Angeles

This is an opportunity to join a young, growing company with established
high-profile clients. Should have a minimum of two years design
experience, and a thorough knowledge of web standard design software such
as Photoshop, Illustrator and Flash. Experience with Dreamweaver, DHTML,
CD-ROM or print production are pluses, but not required. Position includes
benefits and generous salary. Send resumes and examples of on-line work to
jobs@luciddesigns.com
http://www.luciddesigns.com
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> Static, Tech Writer - Los Angeles

Software company that transforms the desktop into a peer-to-peer
distributed network for businesses and consumers seeks writer to document
cool software. Needs to have moderate programming/coding skills
(especially C/C++), as well as clear, concise and creative writing skills.
Experience with some sort of document layout software is needed. Send
resumes and tech-writing samples to cooljobs@static.com
http://www.static.com
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> Ruder Finn, TECHNOLOGY-Account Exec./Sr. Account Exec. - San Francisco

Global independent public relations agency seeks executives to help handle
explosive new business growth in dynamic and fast-moving office. Requires
excellent written/oral communication, organizational and problem-solving
skills, as well as a passion for client service. Sr. level positions
require strong program planning, client counseling and staff mentoring
skills. Great accounts, smart programs, competitive compensation and
benefits. Send resumes to careers@ruderfinn.com
http://www.ruderfinn.com

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Event Postings:
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To Post Events: http://www.digitalmediawire.com/events.html

> DMW Panel: "Interactive Gaming on the Internet"

Interactive gaming is a $6.5 billion market with sales rivaling those of
the motion picture box offices. Forrester Research forecasts that
interactive gaming will be a $26 billion market by 2005. Which
technologies and business models will drive this expanding market? Will
entertainment companies profit from gaming on the Internet? Digital Media
Wire will hold a dinner and panel discussion: "Interactive Gaming on the
Internet: Recent Developments and New Opportunities" on Tuesday, February
15, 2001 at the Argyle Hotel in Los Angeles. Moderator: Victor Hwang, COO,
larta. Confirmed panelists: George Alexander, VP Media & Entertainment,
CAP Gemini Ernst & Young ; Jim Charne, Attorney and former President,
Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences; Brian Dearth, CEO, Hollywood
Stock Exchange; Chris Kantrowitz, CEO, The Groove Alliance.
For more information and to register:
http://www.digitalmediawire.com/panel1.html
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