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Past Editions

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DIGITAL MEDIA WIRE -- March 30, 2001
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To Subscribe For Free: http://www.digitalmediawire.com

o WSJ: RealNetworks Negotiating Licenses with Warner, BMG, EMI
o Sega to Design Eleven Games for Microsoft's Xbox Game Console
o Liberate's iTV Software to Power Set-Tops for Charter Communications
o Streaming Media Technology Firm eSynch and Streamedia Terminate Merger
o iLive Rescinds Acquisitions of The Web Theatre, WebPayPerView.com
> Digital Media Wire: D.C. -- "Interactive Games on the Internet"
o Briefly Noted: Judiciary Committee witnesses, InternetStudios - Cannes
Market, "Crouching console, hidden profits," ScreenDaily.com, Europolitan
Vodafone - wireless games, PlayJ.com - J Records
_____________________________________________

> Job Postings: Acct. Executive, Content Writer, Acct. Manager

> Events/Services: "Digital Coast Venture Capital Summit,"
"2-Day Digital Filmmaking Workshops"

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
_____________________________________________

o WSJ: RealNetworks Negotiating Licenses with Warner, BMG, EMI

New York -- RealNetworks is in negotiations to secure licenses from three
major record labels to use their music for a subscription service, The
Wall Street Journal reported on Friday. Seattle-based RealNetworks is
reportedly offering an ownership interest in the service -- tentatively
called "MusicNet" -- to AOL Time Warner's Warner Music, Bertelsmann's BMG
and EMI Recorded Music in return for the rights to use their music for the
service. The Journal reported that the MusicNet service might be made
available for licensing to other online music services, including a
post-litigation Napster. If secured, the MusicNet service would compete
with a rival subscription service being created by Vivendi's Universal
Music and Sony Music, called "Duet." Universal and Sony have said that the
Duet service would also license music from other labels.
http://public.wsj.com/sn/y/SB985905203900372337.html
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-5382991.html?tag=cd_mh
_____________________________________________

o Sega to Design 11 Games for Microsoft's Xbox Game Console

Tokyo -- Microsoft chairman Bill Gates announced at the Tokyo Game Show on
Friday that Sega, which recently said it would exit the game hardware
market, will design eleven game titles for Microsoft's Xbox game console.
Gates also announced details of the company's Xbox Japan Division, which
will manage its relationships with Japanese developers making games for
the Xbox. Toshiyuki Miyata, formerly head of Sony's game Development
Division, will head the Xbox Games Production Group in Tokyo. Finally,
Gates said that the company is designing a special Xbox controller for
Japan, which "is slightly smaller than the North American and European
controller, and the buttons have been positioned to best accommodate the
styles of gameplay popular in Japan."
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/010330/sff022.html
http://www.xbox.com
_____________________________________________

o Liberate's iTV Software to Power Set-Tops for Charter Communications

St. Louis, Mo. -- Cable TV operator Charter Communications has announced
that interactive television software from Liberate Technologies will go
into set-top boxes it offers to its subscribers for iTV services. St.
Louis-based Charter Communications claims seven million subscribers;
currently, just over one million digital cable subscribers use San Carlos,
Calif.-based Liberate's software. Charter will employ Liberate's software
into the Motorola DCT500 set-top boxes, and will provide users with email
and Internet access from their televisions. Charter said it will also
offer TV Guide's interactive program guide, as well as interactive
programming from Wink Communications and video on-demand from Diva
Systems.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/010329/2032.html
http://www.liberate.com
http://www.chartercom.com
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o Streaming Media Technology Firm eSynch and Streamedia Terminate Merger

Tustin, Calif. -- eSynch, a provider of streaming video technology, and
Streamedia Communications, a provider of services for streaming media
companies, announced on Friday that the companies have terminated their
merger plans. The companies previously said that eSynch would become a
subsidiary of Streamedia, and that the two companies would "provide a
single source for clients seeking superior streaming media services,
including hosting, Web design, encoding, distribution, and customized site
development." No explanation for the termination was given other than
after due diligence, both companies' Board of Directors decided against
the transaction.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/010330/sff031.html
http://www.esynch.com
http://www.streamedia.net
_____________________________________________

o iLive Rescinds Acquisitions of The Web Theatre, WebPayPerView.com

Los Angeles -- iLive, Inc., a producer of live and on-demand streaming
media programming, announced on Friday that it is rescinding its
previously announced acquisition of The Web Theatre and WebPayPerView.com.
No explanation was given for the termination of the transactions. As part
of this agreement, The Web Theatre and WebPayPerView.com will return
shares previously issued. Additionally, Derreck Manteau and Tom Gaffney
will resign from iLive's Board of Directors and their respective positions
as iLive's chief executive officer and vice president of business
development. The Web Theatre is billed as "the world's first Internet
video theater," where events would be held that could be broadcast
simultaneously on the Web. Phoenix-based WebPayPerView.com is a producer
and distributor of pay-per-view events on the Internet.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/010330/0122.html
http://www.ilive.com
http://www.thewebtheatre.com
http://www.wppv.com 
_____________________________________________

> Digital Media Wire: D.C. -- "Interactive Games on the Internet"

MODERATOR:
-Paul Sherman, Executive Editor, Digital Media Wire

PANELISTS:
-Peter Baldwin, Managing Director (U.S.), Quantic Dream
-Larry Cotter, President and CEO, Sandbox.com
-David Levine, President and CEO, Butterfly.net
-Doug Lowenstein, President, Interactive Digital Software Association
*Additional panelists TBA.

Date: Thursday, April 5th, 2001
For more information and to register:
http://www.digitalmediawire.com/DCgames.html
_____________________________________________

o Briefly Noted:

(Washington, D.C.) Witnesses to testify during the Senate Judiciary
Committee's April 3rd hearing on online entertainment and copyright law
have been announced. They are:
-Hank Barry, CEO, Napster
-Ken Berry, Chairman, EMI Records
-Mike Farrace, Senior VP, Tower Records Digital
-Don Henley, recording artist, Recording Artists Coalition
-Gene Kimmelman, Consumers Union
-Gerry Kearby, CEO, Liquid Audio
-Ed Murphy, President and CEO, National Music Publishers' Assoc.
-Ted Nugent, recording artist
-Richard Parsons, Co-COO, AOL Time Warner
-Michael Robertson, CEO, MP3.com
-Hilary Rosen, President and CEO, RIAA
-Jack Valenti, President and CEO, MPAA
http://www.senate.gov/~judiciary/hr040301f.htm

(Los Angeles) Los Angeles-based InternetStudios, an online licensing
service for film and TV distribution rights, announced that it has been
chosen by the Cannes Market to build the official Web site for the
subsidiary of the French film festival. The site will provide rights
availability information and track projects by country and genre.
InternetStudios replaces Los Angeles-based ShowBizData as the Web
developer for Cannes Market.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/010329/0351.html
http://www.cannesmarket.com
http://www.internetstudios.com

(San Francisco) RedHerring.com is currently featuring an article that
attempts to explain why Sony has not released a video game to coincide
with its martial arts and special effects-heavy Oscar-winning film
"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." The article says Sony was reluctant "due
to uncertainty about what looked like an art house-only film."
http://www.redherring.com/index.asp?layout=story&channel=50000005&doc_id=1790018579

(London) ScreenDaily.com, a U.K.-based provider of daily news on the
international film industry and the online version of print magazine
Screen International, announced that its parent company EMAP USA is
discontinuing the free version of the site. The company said that it will
be contacting its 10,000 registered users with details of an alternative
service.
http://www.screendaily.com/shtml_files/story4399.shtml
http://www.emapusa.com

(Stockholm, Sweden) Swedish mobile operator Europolitan Vodafone said on
Friday that in April the company will launch a subscription-based wireless
games service for its subscribers. The games will be designed for use with
WAP and SMS wireless formats. The company also said that developers
including Bluefactory, Picofun and Aspiro will provide games for the
service, but that it is seeking additional content.
http://www.vodafone.com
http://www.bluefactory.com

(New York) PlayJ.com, a provider of advertising-supported free music
downloads, announced on Friday that BMG subsidiary J Records has licensed
music to the company for its service. Under the terms, New York-based
PlayJ -- a division of digital content marketing firm EverAd -- can use
music from bands including the ABC-created boy band O-Town.
http://www.playj.com

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

> Corbis Stock Market, Account Executive - New York City

Seeking sales rep. to grow & service business selling stock photography to
creatives at advertising & design firms. Candidate will possess a minimum
of 2 years business-to-business sales experience, is Internet savvy &
service driven. Excellent phone presence, computer friendly and a team
player. Negotiating and listening skills are very important. Send resume
w/ salary history to: bridget@corbisstockmarket.com
http://www.corbisstockmarket.com
______________________

> Vendaria, Inc., Content Writer - Seattle

The Content Writer will be part of our Media Services Group who is in
charge of the content related to our clients' products. Research & write
scripts for short-form product video clips for streaming applications.
2-years of professional copywriting experience in direct-response
advertising or E-retail web sites. Knowledge of the streaming media
production cycle is preferred. Send resume to jobs@vendaria.com
http://www.vendaria.com
______________________

> Account Manager - Great Plains/West Coast (California)

The Account Manager will develop and maintain a sales account plan in
conjunction with management goals and strategies. Qualified candidates
will have 4-5 years technology sales related experience or knowledge of
financial or business management. Strong communication abilities,
professional attitude, executive presence, and customer management skills
are required. Send resumes to ptw2@careerrewards.com
OR REFER A FRIEND AND EARN $1000
http://www.careerrewards.com/cr/search/jpd.jsp?jobId=2006

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

> Digital Coast Venture Capital Summit, March 28-29 - Los Angeles

The funding climate has changed dramatically during the past year. But
while the rules of raising capital have changed, investment hasn't ceased.
Entrepreneurs and senior management from high-growth companies at all
stages of development -- as well as executives from the financial industry
and from professional services firms -- should attend this event. To
register: http://www.venturecapitalsummit.com/register.asp
http://www.venturecapitalsummit.com
______________________

> Intensive 2-Day Digital Filmmaking Workshops 3/29-30, 4/21-22 - NYC

Fundamentals of Digital Filmmaking - intensive 2-days cover camera,
lighting, sound & editing. Hands-on - limited to ten participants.
Shooting for the web, TV, or cinema, we provide you the technical
knowledge necessary to realize your vision. Our work ranges from webcasts
to award-winning features. $395.00. (212) 226-2370 or register online.
For more information: jdq@dvnewyork.com
http://www.DvNewYork.com
______________________

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