archives

o IMAX Corporation Lays Off 13% of Staff
o Interactive Television Guide Firm Gist Raises $11 Million
o SRSWOWcast.com to Exit Entertainment, Focus on Licensing Technology
o RealNetworks to Provide Song Samples to WalMart.com
o NY Times Takes Stake in NewsStand; Will Replicate Print Version Online
o Urban Box Office to Auction Assets Worth $2 Million
o Briefly Noted: IBM - RealNetworks - Grammy.com, Digital Mayhem,
Matador Records - Liquid Audio, NetRadio - BestBuy.com, Nokia - Eidos -
Rage Software
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> Job Postings: Dir./Mgr. of Public Relations, Biz Dev/Sales, Project
Mgr./E-Commerce

> Events/Services: "Legal & Financial Foundations of Venture Success,"
WebMessenger

Full Job/Event descriptions listed below "Briefly Noted" section or at
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o IMAX Corporation Lays Off 13% of Staff

Toronto -- IMAX Corporation, a developer and manufacturer of film and
digital sound and projection systems, announced that it will lay off 130
of its 1000 employees. The company will also consolidate its manufacturing
of sound and projection systems at its Sheridan Park facility in
Mississauga, Ontario and has scaled back the operations at its Birmingham,
Alabama facility. Canada-based IMAX will take an undisclosed charge in
2001 as a result of the layoffs. "These measures were necessary to improve
IMAX's operating results and in response to the financial difficulties in
the commercial exhibition industry," said IMAX co-CEOs Richard L. Gelfond
and Bradley J. Wechsler. IMAX's digital projectors were used exclusively
during screenings of digital films at this year's Sundance Film Festival.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/010220/imax_announcement.html
http://www.imax.com
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o Interactive Television Guide Firm Gist Raises $11 Million

New York -- Gist, a developer of program guides for interactive
television, has raised $11 million of an anticipated $15 million in its
fifth round of venture capital financing. German investment group Neptuno
Partners was the only participant. The company also announced the
appointment of James Cantalini as CFO of its U.S. and European operations.
New York-based Gist develops on-screen program listings designed to be
used with interactive television platforms. Gist developed NetChannel --
an Internet-based guide for set-top boxes -- that was acquired by AOL for
AOLTV; other partners include MSN, Yahoo, IMDb, NBCi, ABC.com, iWon and
USA Today. The company competes with other companies in the space such as
Gemstar-TV Guide.
http://www.gist.com/tv/about/news46.htm
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o SRSWOWcast.com to Exit Entertainment, Focus on Licensing Technology

Santa Ana, Calif. -- In another sign of the difficulty in turning a profit
from producing online entertainment content, SRSWOWcast.com, a division of
SRS Labs, announced on Wednesday that it will no longer produce original
content for its entertainment portal. The company will instead focus on
developing and licensing audio and voice enhancement technology for
Internet streaming, 3G wireless, Voice over IP and telephony applications.
The switch will significantly reduce operating costs and also result in a
name change for the company. The SRSWOWcast.com website will eventually
become a showcase for products developed by parent company SRS Labs --
which include an Internet version of "surround-sound" and clarity and
quality improvements for Voice over IP technology. Santa Ana-based
SRSWOWcast.com also announced the resignation of company president Charles
Cortright, citing personal reasons.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/010221/ca_srsl_srswowcast.html
http://www.srswowcast.com
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o RealNetworks to Provide Song Samples to WalMart.com

Seattle -- Streaming media company RealNetworks announced on Wednesday
that it will provide streaming media services for retail outlet chain
WalMart's online store. One of the largest retail outlets for CDs in the
U.S., WalMart will add 30-second streaming samples of every song from
every CD in its WalMart.com store, totaling over one million tracks.
RealNetworks' Real Broadcast Network and Globix will provide hosting for
the streams.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/010221/wa_realnetwrks_walmrt.html
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/catalog.gsp?cat=4104&dept=4104&path=0:4104&t=1 http://www.realnetworks.com
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o NY Times Takes Stake in NewsStand; Will Replicate Print Version Online

New York -- The New York Times Company announced that it has taken a
minority stake in publishing technology provider NewsStand. It has also
entered into a five-year agreement where Austin-based NewsStand will
distribute an online version of the paper that is identical in its layout,
including all graphics and advertising. The downloadable New York Times
will be available through NewsStand's proprietary software on a single
issue or subscription basis.
http://www.newsstand.com/press.html
http://www.nytco.com
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o Urban Box Office to Auction Assets Worth $2 Million

Silver Springs, Md. -- Bankrupt urban youth portal Urban Box Office will
auction $2 million of its assets on Friday in New York, VentureWire
reported. The announcement was made by asset disposition firms Bid4Assets,
Continental Plants Schottenstein Bernstein Capital Group. New York-based
Urban Box Office laid off its 270 employees and filed for Chapter 11
protection in November. The online auction at Bid4Assets -- which will
offer computers, video equipment and office furniture -- will also include
assets of online custom CD retailer MusicMaker.com, which has ceased
operations and declared Chapter 11 as well.
http://www.bid4assets.com/auction/index.cfm?auctionid=23886&ct=LeftNavSpecOpp http://www.ubo.net
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o Briefly Noted:

(Santa Monica, Calif.) IBM has announced that visitors to Grammy.com can
download songs nominated for awards from the site free of charge. All
downloads will be accessible through a special version of RealNetworks'
RealJukebox audio software, and come embedded with IBM's digital rights
management system. The EMMS (Electronic Music Management System) will only
allow users to play the music on their computer once it is downloaded. The
EMMS system includes a set of content mastering tools, an hosting and
distribution system, electronic store technology, a clearinghouse for
security, rights management, reporting and payment, and a PC or portable
device program that provides features for security, rights, library and
device management.
http://www.grammy.com/interactive/downloads/
http://www-4.ibm.com/software/is/emms/pdfs/emms_grammy_press_release.pdf
http://www.ibm.com/software/emms

(Irvine, Calif.) Digital Mayhem, a division of game developer Interplay
Entertainment, announced that it will cast Hollywood actors to do voice
work for its upcoming sci-fi game "RLH." The chosen actors have all played
roles in sci-fi entertainment works, and include Lance Henriksen
("Aliens," "Terminator"), Kate Mulgrew ("Star Trek: Voyager") and Michael
Ironside ("Starship Troopers," "Highlander II: The Quickening"). The game
is scheduled to ship in the third quarter of 2001, exclusive to the Sony
Playstation 2.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/010221/ca_interplay_hollywoo.html
http://digitalmayhem.interplay.com/

(Redwood City, Calif.) Digital music distributor Liquid Audio said on
Wednesday that Matador Records -- whose roster includes former Pavement
frontman Stephen Malkmus, Cat Power and Mogwai -- will sell downloads
using its distribution network. Matador will offer new releases for $.99
per single or $8.99 per album on the street release date, and in the
future plans to encode its entire catalog. Redwood City-based Liquid
Audio's player allows users who have purchased downloads to burn them to
CD as well as export them to portable music players.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/010221/ca_liquid_audio.html
http://www.liquidaudio.com
http://www.matadorrecords.com

(Minneapolis) NetRadio, a provider of custom-branded web radio stations
for businesses, announced on Wednesday that it will program 20 music
channels for electronics and music retail chain BestBuy's online store.
BestBuy.com will offer two additional marketing-related channels that will
be hosted by Minneapolis-based NetRadio. BestBuy.com will pay NetRadio an
undisclosed amount for their streaming media services, and will purchase
and control all the advertising on the channels that will run on the
co-branded player.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/010221/2250.html
http://www.netradio.com
http://www.bestbuy.com

(Helsinki) Cell phone maker Nokia said on Wednesday that U.K.-based game
developers Eidos and Rage Software will develop WAP (Wireless Application
Protocol) games for its wireless entertainment service. Finland-based
Nokia's Mobile Entertainment Service encompasses games, a game developer
program, facilitation, server hosting, and a platform for running game
applications. The company says its mobile game developer program currently
has 45,000 individual registered developer members.
http://press.nokia.com/PR/200102/809590_5.html
http://press.nokia.com/PR/200102/809576_5.html

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

> Load Media Network, Director/Manager of Public Relations - Los Angeles

Develop and execute Load Media's PR strategy. Manage relationship
with external PR agency. Implement standard public relations and
communications practices including but not limited to: media tours, events
and trade shows, desk side briefings, media pitching, press release
development, approvals and distribution, and message documents. 4-8 years
marketing/advertising experience. Send resumes to danderson@loadmedia.com
http://www.loadmedia.com
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> everse, Business Development / Sales - Los Angeles

Internet professional services firm seeks star sales person to identify
and drive strategic business to closure. Assist clients in defining
business objectives, goals and budgets. Position requires establishing and
maintaining long-term relationships with client base. Bachelor's degree,
MBA preferred. History of closing web service business or agency-related.
Ability to generate leads through cold-calling.
Send resumes to stevey@everse.com
http://www.everse.com
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> RichFX, Project Manager / E-commerce - New York City

Change the face of on-line shopping by helping to create the world's first
ONE PAGE storefront. This is an opportunity to work on truly breakthrough,
cutting-edge technology. Very competitive salary and equity in a
well-funded mature startup. Professional, but business casual environment.
Comprehensive benefits package.
Send resumes to nyrecruiter@richfx.com
http://www.richfx.com

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

> Legal & Financial Foundations of Venture Success, Mar. 3 - Pasadena, CA

In association with the Caltech/MIT Enterprise Forum, this two-part
program looks at the high-tech venture from a legal & financial
perspective, providing both aspiring and experienced entrepreneurs with a
working knowledge of critical issues that can have a major impact on
venture success.
For more information and to register:
http://event3.inetevents.com/event/public/event.cfm?event_id=108
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> WebMessenger: Wireless and Streaming Media Software

WebMessenger does Premium Software Development for Wireless,
Medical, Online Media, and Internet Industries. Competitive Contractor:
California based development and management with oversees support.
Excellent client relationships with perfect referrals. Top-Notch staff:
PhDs and Masters in Computer Science with many years of experience.
Quality Assurance dept. that ensures the highest standards are met.
High-Speed product development cycle: 24-hour global operations. Cost
effective development.
Contact: Aaron Hirsch aaron@webmessenger.com 202-483-5999
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