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DIGITAL MEDIA WIRE -- March 18, 2003
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To Subscribe For Free: http://www.digitalmediawire.com
o RIAA Targets 300 Companies With Network Piracy Notices
o Satellite TV Firm DirecTV Latin America Files for Bankruptcy
o Sega to Produce "Sonic the Hedgehog" Animated TV Series
o Internet Measurement Firm NetRatings Sues Rival NPD Group
o Wireless Entertainment Provider Ztango Merges with MobileSpring
o Ad Insertion Technology Developer Lightningcast Raises Funding
o Interactive TV Firm Liberate Hires Former InterTrust Chief Executive
> DMW Publications: February Law and Policy Report
o Briefly Noted: EUniverse - MSN Zone.com, Stealth MediaLabs - SunnComm,
Entertainment Direct.TV - Master P, Naughty Dog - "Jak II," Asylumsoft -
"Dransik," Ubi Soft - "Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3: Raven Shield" - "Rayman
3: Hoodlum Havoc," Sega - "The King of Route 66," Internet Radio Marketing
Group
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> Events: Games & Mobile Forum: April 28 | NYC
> Marketplace: Entertainment & Corporate Legal Services, Game Industry
Report, iTV Chronicle, Interest-Based Navigation
Full Classifieds located beneath "Briefly Noted" section below.
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o RIAA Targets 300 Companies With Network Piracy Notices
Los Angeles -- The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), a
trade group representing major record labels that has led the industry's
anti-piracy efforts, has sent letters to about 300 companies informing
them that their networks are being used for copyright infringement and
urging them to act to avoid legal action, Reuters reported. About 35
percent of the letters went to technology firms, while the rest targeted
medical-related or other industries, an RIAA spokesperson told Reuters. In
addition to the letter, companies also received a CD that contained
evidence of files on their networks being traded on file-sharing networks.
"We strongly urge you to take immediate steps to prevent the continued
infringement of our members' sound recordings on your corporate network.
these acts of infringement could expose your employees and your company to
significant legal damages," the letter said. Several months ago the RIAA
sent a letter to Fortune 1000 companies, informing them of the importance
of ensuring their networks are not used by employees for copyright
infringement.
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=internetNews&storyID=2395946
http://www.riaa.org
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o Satellite TV Firm DirecTV Latin America Files for Bankruptcy
Fort Lauderdale, Fla. -- DirecTV Latin America, a subsidiary of Hughes
Electronics that serves 1.6 million satellite TV subscribers in 28
countries, announced on Tuesday that it has filed for Chapter 11
bankruptcy protection. The company also announced the retirement of
chairman Kevin N. McGrath, to be replaced by Eddy W. Hartenstein, and the
appointment of Larry N. Chapman as its new president and chief operating
officer. The company -- which blamed its current situation on "excessive
fixed costs and a substantial debt burden during a time of economic
deterioration throughout Latin America" -- will continue normal operations
during the process, due in part to a new $300 million debtor-in-possession
financing package from parent company Hughes.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/030318/latu052_1.html
http://www.directvla.com
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o Sega to Produce "Sonic the Hedgehog" Animated TV Series
Tokyo -- Sega plans to launch an animated children's TV series based on
its flagship "Sonic the Hedgehog" video game franchise, which has sold 32
million units worldwide, Reuters reported on Tuesday. "We would like to
make Sonic as big as Pokemon," Yuji Naka, head of Sega's Sonic development
team, told Reuters -- referring to Nintendo's immensely popular children's
TV series and trading card/video game franchise. Starting in April,
Japanese broadcaster TV Tokyo will air the Sonic program there on Sunday
mornings; the program will begin airing in the U.S. and Europe in the
fall. Although a "Sonic" series already airs in the U.S., Sega said it
will play a larger role in the new series' production.
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=technologyNews&storyID=2397908
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o Internet Measurement Firm NetRatings Sues Rival NPD Group
New York -- NetRatings, a provider of Internet audience measurement and
analysis services, announced that it has filed a patent infringement suit
against The NPD Group, a firm that provides similar statistical data on
Internet audiences. New York-based NetRatings said that NPD is using
methods for computer use tracking that infringe on its patented
proprietary technology, and seeks an injunction against NPD and
unspecified monetary damages for past use of the technology. "Our patents
provide the foundation for current and future products and services that
address the needs of an evolving industry, and it is critical that
NetRatings protect these important assets," said NetRatings president and
CEO William Pulver.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/030317/sfm099_1.html
http://www.netratings.com
http://www.npd.com
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o Wireless Entertainment Provider Ztango Merges with MobileSpring
Reston, Va. -- Reston-based Ztango, a provider of wireless multimedia
services, said on Tuesday that it has merged with New York-based
MobileSpring, a maker of messaging products. Terms of the deal were not
disclosed. The combined company will retain the Ztango name. The two
companies' wireless messaging and multimedia products are currently used
by carriers that represent more than 70 percent of the U.S. wireless
marketplace. The two companies said they have already begun integrating
their operations, technology and management teams. Ztango's software
allows network providers, media companies, portals and wireless device
manufacturers to deliver revenue-generating wireless media services,
including music, ringtones, photographs, games, animations and multimedia.
http://www.ztango.com./media/mar-17-03.html
http://www.mobilespring.com/
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o Ad Insertion Technology Developer Lightningcast Raises Funding
Alexandria, Va. -- Lightningcast, a provider of ad insertion technology
and services to the Internet broadcast market, said on Monday that it has
closed an undisclosed amount of funding with existing investors Nokia
Venture Partners, Redleaf Group and Birchmere Ventures. The company said
that the round should adequately fund all of its future investment capital
needs. Lightningcast provides advertising technology and services to major
media companies that deliver audio or video programming over the Internet
-- the technology seamlessly inserts ads into existing content.
http://www.newsalert.com/bin/story?StoryId=CpNvwubWbtLLnmdy1
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o Interactive TV Firm Liberate Hires Former InterTrust Chief Executive
San Carlos, Calif. -- Liberate Technologies, a provider of interactive TV
software and services, on Monday named David Lockwood as chairman and CEO.
Lockwood, a venture capitalist and Liberate investor who most recently
served as the president and CEO of InterTrust Technologies, takes over for
Mitchell Kertzman, who will remain on the board. The company also named
former InterTrust chief financial officer Greg Woods as its new CFO,
replacing Kent Walker. San Carlos, Calif.-based Liberate is currently
the subject of a formal SEC investigation into its accounting practices,
and was delisted from the Nasdaq earlier this year.
http://press.liberate.com/archives/2003/031703c.html
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DMW Publications: February Law & Policy Report
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Contact tinzar@digitalmediawire.com or call 323-464-0793 to order your
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Digital Media Law & Policy Report - New Issue
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media. 35+ pages of case summaries, news and analysis, policy updates,
court filings, and exclusive interviews with legal counsel and business
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Published monthly. February issue on sale now!
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Price: $19.00 Per Issue | $195.00 Annual Subscription
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FEATURED SECTION
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Briefly Noted:
(Los Angeles) EUniverse, a network of entertainment-related websites and
newsletters, announced on Tuesday an agreement with Microsoft's MSN,
whereby its SkillJam division will provide and operate a pay-to-play
skill-gaming platform on the MSN Zone.com online games site.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/030318/latu001a_1.html
http://www.euniverse.com
http://www.zone.com
(Chicago) Stealth MediaLabs, a developer of multimedia metadata embedding
technology, announced on Tuesday that CD copy-protection technology
provider SunnComm has licensed its technology. Chicago-based Stealth's
StealthChannel utilizes a "hidden and virtually indestructible 'metaspace'
within compact discs and all forms of digitized audio" to embed
watermarking as well as "enable delivery of new, MTV-like multimedia and
e-commerce features, permanently embedded into music and movies."
Phoenix-based SunnComm provides its CD copy-protection technology to a
number of disc pressing plants and record labels.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/030318/185468_1.html
http://www.sunncomm.com
http://www.stealthmedialabs.com
(Las Vegas) Entertainment Direct.TV on Tuesday said that it will launch
its celebrity-branded Internet access service endorsed by hip-hop artist
Master P on March 19. The service will give fans dial-up Internet access
in addition to exclusive video of Master P and his artists, unreleased
music for download and links to buy items from the P-Miller shoe
collection and other Master P merchandise on EBay.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/030318/nytu032_1.html
(Foster City, Calif.) Sony Computer Entertainment America said on Tuesday
that it will ship "Jak II," a sequel to its "Jak and Dakter: The Precursor
Legacy" title for PlayStation 2, in the fall of 2003. The title is being
developed by Santa Monica, Calif.-based Naughty Dog, which created the
original title in addition to the multi-million selling "Crash Bandicoot"
franchise.
http://www.naughtydog.com
(Austin) Independent video game developer Asylumsoft on Tuesday announced
the launch of its massively multiplayer online game, "Dransik." The game
is available as a free download playable for ten days, after which time
players must pay a monthly subscription fee of $9.95, or $89.95 for a full
year.
http://www.asylumsoft.com
http://www.dransik.com
(San Francisco) Video game publisher Ubi Soft Entertainment announced on
Tuesday the release of two titles: "Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3: Raven
Shield" for PC and "Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc" for PlayStation 2 and Xbox.
Developed by San Francisco-based Ubi Soft's Montreal studio, the Tom
Clancy title is the third installment in the PC game franchise that has
sold 7 million units to date. The company said the "Rayman" franchise has
sold 11 million units worldwide.
http://www.ubi.com
http://www.raven-shield.com
http://www.rayman3.com/us
(San Francisco) Game developer Sega announced on Tuesday the release of
its "The King of Route 66" for PlayStation 2, a sequel to its "18 Wheeler:
American Pro Trucker" title.
http://www.sega.com/games/post_gamegame.jhtml?PRODID=10395
(Hartford, Conn.) A group of independent Web radio broadcasters has formed
the Internet Radio Marketing Group, a collective that will offer
advertisers charter rates across its network of members. Webcasters
Beethoven.com, BoomerRadio.com, SmoothJazz.com, Ultimate-80s.com,
mvyradio.com and WARX.com currently comprise the network, which reaches a
half million unique radio listeners per month. "Internet radio has reached
a significant critical mass, and we are working directly with advertising
agencies, rep firms, and clients to develop advertising and marketing
solutions that reach this unique audience," said Jennifer Lane of member
station mvyradio.com
http://www.beethoven.com
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CLASSIFIEDS - JOBS
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CLASSIFIEDS - EVENTS
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Digital Media Wire Presents...Games & Mobile Forum
April 2003, New York City
Focusing on games and mobile entertainment opportunities and business
models. Panel topics will include "The Battle to Control the Living Room:
Is the Game Industry Winning?", "Mobile Games: Business Models & New
Opportunities", "Legal & Policy Issues Impacting the Game Industry &
Mobile Entertainment", and "Home Networking: Technology for Modern Living
& Entertainment."
Door Tickets Price: $250. For Early Bird Specials, pre-register at:
http://kb.digitalmediawire.com/register.php?eventid=1025
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CLASSIFIEDS - MARKETPLACE
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Entertainment & Corporate Legal Services
Top Credentialed Attorney with 9 years of experience representing major
studios, entertainment start-ups, VCs, investment banks and other blue
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equity financings, licensing (entertainment and software products),
trademark registration and disputes, copyright issues and other
transactional and contract law services. Qualified in California and
Texas. Retainer required to commence services. Tel. 323-363-3620.
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Game Industry Law & Policy Report
Special industry report covering law & policy matters impacting the game
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President, Interactive Digital Software Association. Price: $19.00
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Covering the period 2000 to the present, this sourcebook presents a
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