archives

o Report: Online Paid Content Revenue Will Reach Only $5.8 Billion by 2006
o MTV Names New President of Music Group, Digital Music Services
o Gemstar-TV Guide Announces Management Changes, Licensing Deal With JVC
o Source Media Sells Interactive TV Unit to Insight; Company to Shut Down
o Briefly Noted: Audible Magic - CMJ Network, Listen.com - Sub Pop
Records, Scientific-Atlanta - Charter Communications, RealNetworks -
Compaq, EUniverse - Bonus Books, Bam Entertainment - "Wolfenstein 3D" -
Game Boy Advance, PlayMedia Systems - Intel, Visionik - Cartoon Network,
Activision - "Stuart Little 2," MovieFlix.com - Microsoft, Vialta - EMI,
Video game soundtrack remixes, "Where Music Will Be Coming From"
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o Report: Online Paid Content Revenue Will Reach Only $5.8 Billion by 2006

New York -- Revenue from paid online content such as subscription services
will reach only $5.8 billion by 2006, up from $1.4 billion in 2002,
according to a report released on Monday by analyst firm Jupiter Media
Metrix. A consumer survey conducted by the company also found that 70
percent of online adults "cannot understand why anyone would pay for
content online." Jupiter predicts general online content will generate
$2.3 billion, online games $1.8 billion and digital music $1.7 billion by
2006. "While there is money to be made in the online content business, the
mass market still largely shuns anything that smells like a subscription
online," said Jupiter senior analyst David Card. "Over time, [subscription
services] must use the gradual U.S. broadband transition to re-set
industry ground rules and re-condition consumer expectations."
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/020318/nym025_1.html
http://www.jmm.com
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o MTV Names New President of Music Group, Digital Music Services

New York -- MTV Networks, a division of Viacom, announced on Monday that
it has named Judy McGrath as the new president of MTV Networks Music
Group, responsible for MTV, MTV2, VH1, CMT and all of the company's
digital music services. Formerly international creative director for the
company, McGrath will oversee the music television networks in addition to
MTV.com, VH1.com and Sonicnet.com. Viacom also said on Monday that former
VH1 and CMT president John Sykes has been moved to a new position within
the company as chairman and CEO of Infinity Radio, one of the largest
radio corporations in the U.S.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/020315/nyf102_1.html
http://www.mtv.com
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o Gemstar-TV Guide Announces Management Changes, Licensing Deal With JVC

Pasadena, Calif. -- Gemstar-TV Guide International, a provider of
interactive program guides for digital television, announced on Monday
that co-president and co-chief operating officer Peter Boylan will resign,
effective April 1. Boylan will remain as a consultant to the company.
Additionally, the company named Jonathan Orlick as executive vice
president and general counsel, and Mark Allen to the new position of
executive vice president, technology licensing. Pasadena-based Gemstar
also announced that it has licensed its program guide to Victor Company of
Japan, known for its JVC electronics brand. Victor will incorporate the
interactive program guide into JVC televisions and other video products
such as set-top boxes that it sells in North America, Europe and Japan.
The first JVC product with the Gemstar guide will be released late this
year.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/020318/180357_1.html
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/020318/180650_1.html
http://www.gemstartvguide.com
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o Source Media Sells Interactive TV Unit to Insight; Company to Shut Down

Dallas -- Source Media, a developer of interactive content, advertising
and technology, announced on Monday that it has sold its 50 percent
interest in SourceSuite, an interactive TV programming provider, to a
subsidiary of cable TV operator Insight Communications -- which owned the
other half of the company. Insight paid for the interest in SourceSuite by
tendering all of its 12% senior secured notes due 2004, issued by Source
Media. New York-based Insight plans to offer SourceSuite's services to
other broadband distributors around the world. Upon completion of the
SouceSuite sale and the sale of its IT Network business, Dallas-based
Souce Media said it will cease operations.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/020318/dam036_1.html
http://www.sourcemedia.com/iachannel.htm
http://www.insight-com.com
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o Briefly Noted:

(Los Gatos, Calif.) The CMJ Network, which publishes a weekly music
industry trade magazine, announced on Monday that it has signed a
long-term agreement with Audible Magic, a provider of music identification
and tracking services, to provide radio airplay tracking information for
new and emerging music. San Francisco-based Audible Magic will monitor
college, non-commercial, and a variety of other "early adopter" radio
stations; CMJ will then integrate this information into the print and
online information it offers record labels, retailers, broadcasters,
concert promoters, managers and other music industry professionals.
http://www.audiblemagic.com
http://www.cmj.com

(San Francisco) Listen.com, provider of the Rhapsody digital music
subscription service, announced on Monday that it has licensed songs from
Seattle-based record label Sub Pop Records, a joint venture with AOL Time
Warner, and several other independent labels for its service. Artists on
Sub Pop currently include Arlo, Beachwood Sparks and Pleasure Forever. San
Francisco-based Listen.com also licensed tracks from Foodchain Records,
Substance Records and Second Nature Recordings for its service that offers
on-demand streaming of songs for $9.95/month.
http://www.listen.com
http://www.subpop.com

(Atlanta) Set-top box manufacturer Scientific-Atlanta said on Monday that
it has signed an agreement to help cable TV operator Charter
Communications manage and maintain its digital interactive network, as
well as integrate and launch new interactive TV services to its customers.
Scientific-Atlanta's services will include network monitoring, software
upgrades, project management, technical support and training certification
for the launch of interactive TV services at 27 of St. Louis-based
Charter's cable sites.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/020318/atm015_1.html
http://www.scientificatlanta.com
http://www.charter.com

(Orlando, Fla.) Media delivery technology provider RealNetworks on Monday
announced the availability of its Real Player Mobile, a version of its
audio and video player software designed for use with Microsoft Pocket PC
portable digital devices. Seattle-based RealNetworks also said that Compaq
will bundle the software with its iPAQ Pocket PC devices.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/020318/sfm040_1.html
http://www.real.com/player/mobile
http://www.compaq.com/products/handhelds/pocketpc

(Los Angeles) EUniverse, a network of entertainment-related newsletters
and websites, announced on Monday that it has partnered with publisher
Bonus Books to launch a new book series titled "Quick Inspirations," based
on EUniverse's email newsletter of the same name. The daily newsletter
includes inspiring quotes, stories and messages, and has a circulation of
10 million subscribers. Under the terms, Los Angeles-based EUniverse will
receive royalties on a sliding scale based on the gross revenue of all
copies sold via traditional book outlets, gift stores and premiums. The
company will also sell the books from its Quick Inspirations website.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/020318/lam029_1.html
http://www.euniverse.com
http://www.bonus-books.com
http://www.quickinspirations.com

(Bath, England) Game developer Bam Entertainment announced on Monday that
it will publish a version of Id Software's classic title "Wolfenstein 3D"
for Nintendo's Game Boy Advance. Dallas-based game studio Stalker
Entertainment will collaborate on the game's development. Wolfenstein 3D
is considered the first game in the first-person shooter genre, and pits
an escaped prisoner from a Nazi prison against Nazi guards, their dogs and
other obstacles.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/020318/sfm057_1.html
http://www.bam4fun.com
http://www.idsoftware.com/killer/vintage.html#wolf3d
http://www.stalkerentertainment.com

(Las Vegas) PlayMedia Systems, a developer of digital audio and video
software, announced on Monday that it has optimized its recently-released
MPEG-4 video player for Intel's PXA210 and PXA250 applications processors.
The processors are used in devices such as mobile phones, personal digital
assistants and portable video players. Las Vegas-based PlayMedia Systems
is responsible for creating the AMP software used as the basis for the
popular Winamp digital audio player software.
http://www.playmedia.hr/news/M4V/M4V-D-1.pdf

(Copenhagen) Visionik, a developer of interactive TV programming, said on
Monday that it has developed an interactive games portal based on Cartoon
Network content for digital TV broadcaster British Sky Broadcasting
(BSkyB). Copenhagen-based Visionik developed pay-to-play games as well as
news, tips and trivia based on Cartoon Network programs like "Dexter's
Laboratory," "Samurai Jack" and "The Powerpuff Girls." The games were
launched in December and are currently available to Sky's 5.7 million
homes in the U.K. and Ireland.
http://www.visionik.com
http://www.comedycentral.com

(Santa Monica, Calif.) Game developer Activision announced on Monday that
it has signed an agreement with Sony Pictures Consumer Products to develop
a game for Nintendo's Game Boy Advance based on the Sony Pictures film,
"Stuart Little 2." The game will begin selling on the same day that the
film is released in theaters on July 19, 2002.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/020315/laf060_1.html
http://www.activision.com

(Hollywood, Calif.) MovieFlix.com, an Internet-based video-on-demand
service, said on Monday that it will use Microsoft's Windows Media format
to deliver its movies and television programs to users. Hollywood-based
MovieFlix.com's service offers 2,300 full-length movies, short films,
independent films and television shows.
http://www.movieflix.com

(Fremont, Calif.) Vialta, a developer of digital home entertainment
products and services, announced on Monday that it has licensed music from
major record label EMI Recorded Music for use on its ViMagazine, a
DVD-based entertainment magazine. The monthly ViMagazine DVD will offer
song singles, feature films, concerts, cartoons and lifestyle programs.
Consumers will be able to hear 30-second clips of EMI songs, with the
ability to purchase digital versions of the entire tracks, which reside
locked on the DVD.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/020318/lam054_1.html
http://www.vialta.com
http://www.emigroup.com

(San Francisco) Online magazine Salon.com on Monday featured an article on
video game enthusiasts that have created remixes of the soundtracks to
popular video games. One remix artist, known as "Ailsean," is hailed as
"the Metallica of game remixing" for his guitar-based reworkings of themes
from games including "The Legend of Zelda" and "Final Fantasy."
http://www.salon.com/tech/feature/2002/03/18/videogame_music/index.html

(New York) The New York Times Magazine on Sunday featured an article
("Where Music Will Be Coming From") that examines how technology has
affected the music industry, and how file-sharing services and digital
distribution are currently changing the shape of the industry.
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/03/17/magazine/17ONLINE.html
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