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DIGITAL MEDIA WIRE -- April 1, 2003
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To Subscribe For Free: http://www.digitalmediawire.com
o Sonicblue Deals to Sell Units Fall Through; Assets to Now Sell At Auction
o Norwegian Teenager Faces New Trial On DVD-Cracking Charges
o AT&T Launches Prepaid Online Content Cards Sold At Retail
o EBay Ends Online Ad Sales Deal With AOL
o Report: Home Networking Revenues to Hit $5.3 Billion in 2007
o Vivendi Executives "Astonished, Disgusted" by Liberty Media Suit
o Hitachi and Mitsubishi Launch European Joint Venture
> DMW Publications: March Law and Policy Report
> Featured Section: Discreet cleaner XL
o Briefly Noted: OpenTV - iTV "Tetris" - multiplayer iTV gaming, AOL -
Infinity Broadcasting, XM Satellite Radio, Electronic Arts - "Def Jam
Vendetta," Jamdat Mobile - Europe, Speedera Networks - NPR, THQ - "Red
Faction II," U.S. Copyright Office - Calif. public hearings
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> Events: L.A. HIPAA Security and Privacy Conference, Games & Mobile
Forum: April 28 | NYC
> Marketplace: HP Workstation, TechSpotter, Game Industry Report,
iTV Chronicle, Interest-Based Navigation
Full Classifieds located beneath "Briefly Noted" section below.
To post a Classified Ad:
http://www.digitalmediawire.com/mainpostingpage.html
or contact Tinzar Than at tinzar@digitalmediawire.com
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o Sonicblue Deals to Sell Units Fall Through; Assets to Now Sell at Auction
Santa Clara, Calif. -- Bankrupt consumer electronics firm Sonicblue
announced on Tuesday that a proposed deal to sell its ReplayTV digital
recorder business and Rio digital audio player business has fallen though,
and the units will instead be sold at auction. Sonicblue, which filed for
Ch. 11 bankruptcy protection last week, said at the time it had a letter
of intent to sell the units for $40 million to Japanese electronics firm
D&M Holdings, Inc.; however, the companies failed to produce a final asset
purchase agreement prior to the United States Bankruptcy Court appointed
deadline. "While we worked very hard with the D&M team over the last few
weeks, we were just not able to finalize all of the needed terms before
the court set deadline," said Sonicblue CEO Greg Ballard. Separate
auctions for Sonicblue's ReplayTV and Rio business units will now be held
on April 15, while an auction for the company's GoVideo business line will
be held on April 4.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/030331/sfm138_1.html
http://www.sonicblue.com
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o Norwegian Teenager Faces New Trial On DVD-Cracking Charges
Oslo -- A Norwegian teenager acquitted on charges he violated copyright
law by creating a program that can crack the encryption security on DVD
discs will now face a new trial, Reuters reported on Tuesday. Jon Johansen
was acquitted in January of charges brought by the Norwegian government at
the behest of the U.S. Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA),
related to his creation of the computer code "DeCSS," which Johansen
created to allow DVDs to play on PCs running the Linux operating system.
The DeCSS code may also be used illegally to copy DVDs, and its
publication by several parties in the U.S. has spawned lawsuits under the
Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Johansen's attorney, Halvor Manshaus,
told Reuters that the Borgarting appeals court will begin hearing the
appeal on Dec. 2. "I regard our prospects for the appeal as positive. We
are in a stronger position now than ever before since we won the first
time," Manshaus told Reuters.
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=technologyNews&storyID=2487095
http://www.eff.org/IP/Video/DeCSS_prosecutions/Johansen_DeCSS_case
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o AT&T Launches Prepaid Online Content Cards Sold At Retail
Morristown, N.J. -- AT&T Corp. on Tuesday launched a new payment solution that will
offer online digital content through prepaid cards available in retail stores. Content providers
including Shockwave.com, Cellus USA and Disney Online will offer prepaid
cards redeemable for ringtones, online games, screensavers and other
content; cards will be offered in monetary or unit denominations or else
in weekly, monthly or annual subscriptions. Retailers that will sell the
cards initially include PRE Solutions, Inc. Retail Partner Network,
Speedway SuperAmerica and Uni-Marts. The company, which partnered with
Accenture to create the AT&T PrePaid Web Cents Service, expects cards will
be available in some 4,000 retail stores by the end of April.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/030401/nytu081_1.html
http://www.att.com/prepaidcard
http://prepaid.gameblast.com
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o EBay Ends Online Ad Sales Deal With AOL
San Jose, Calif. -- Online auctioneer Ebay has ended an alliance with
America Online where AOL sold third-party ads on the auction service,
according to an Ebay filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The companies signed a four-year agreement in 1999 worth $75 million.
Ebay's decision not to renew the agreement is a blow to AOL, which has
already suffered from the slumping advertising market. San Jose,
Calif.-based Ebay said in the SEC filing that its third-party advertising
decreased from $80.5 million in 2001 to $54.9 million in 2002.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?M5E932D04
http://news.com.com/2100-1024-994907.html?tag=fd_top
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=internetNews&storyID=2489062
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o Report: Home Networking Revenues to Hit $5.3 Billion in 2007
Scottsdale, Az. -- Increased sales of products such as networked gaming
consoles, media servers, and devices that connect TVs, stereos and PCs
will drive the home networking market from $1.8 billion in 2002 to $5.3
billion in 2007, according to a report from Arizona-based In-Stat/MDR. The
firm predicts that networked gaming consoles will be the most
widely-networked media device, and that media networking, while accounting
for just 6 percent of the market in 2002, will make up 49 percent of the
revenues for total home networking by the end of 2007. North America will
continue to lead market adoption, as In-Stat/MDR predicts the total number
of installed home networks will grow from 9.2 million in both U.S. and
Canada in 2002 to over 28 million by the end of 2007. "With the home
networking market for broadband sharing moving from the early adopter to
the early majority, the market is well positioned for the next phase,
which is networked entertainment," said Mike Wolf, a director with
In-Stat/MDR. "The need for networking connectivity to enable new and
compelling applications such as on-line gaming and networked digital audio
will grow across demographics and geographies throughout the forecast
period."
http://www.instat.com/press.asp?ID=590&sku=IN0301096RC
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o Vivendi Executives "Astonished, Disgusted" by Liberty Media Suit
Paris -- Franco-American media conglomerate Vivendi Universal expressed
"astonishment and disgust" over the weekend upon learning that TV
programming giant Liberty Media had taken legal action against the company
for allegedly having made misleading statements about Vivendi's true
financial condition. Liberty officials contend that Vivendi tried to cover
up a financial crisis, while at the same time negotiating a share swap for
most of Liberty's stake in USA Networks for 11 billion euro ($12 billion).
http://www.vivendiuniversal.com/vu2/en/news/00001237.cfm
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o Hitachi and Mitsubishi Launch European Joint Venture
London -- Hitachi and Mitsubishi Electronics on Tuesday launched a joint
venture called Renesas Technology Europe. The new company will focus on
the design and manufacture of semiconductor system solutions for the
mobile, network, and automotive industries, digital home electronics and
industrial markets. Renesas Technology Europe will be headquartered in
Maidenhead in the U.K., with major centers in Dusseldorf and Munich in
Germany. Matthew Trowbridge, formerly executive general manager of
Hitachi Europe's Electronic Components Group, has been appointed CEO of
the new company.
http://uk.biz.yahoo.com/030401/183/dwq6m.html
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==========================================
DMW Publications: March Law & Policy Report
==========================================
Contact tinzar@digitalmediawire.com or call 323-464-0793 to order your
copies.
To purchase directly, go to:
http://kb.digitalmediawire.com/marketplace.php
Digital Media Law & Policy Report - New Issue
Must-read publication on legal and policy matters related to digital
media. 32 pages of case summaries, news and analysis, policy updates,
court filings, and exclusive interviews with legal counsel and business
leaders.
Published monthly. March issue on sale now!
**Special Reduced Rates available for a limited time**
Price: $19.00 Per Issue | $195.00 Annual Subscription
http://kb.digitalmediawire.com/marketplace.php
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==================
FEATURED SECTION
==================
Featured Section posting at:
http://www.digitalmediawire.com/featuredpostingpage.htm
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Briefly Noted:
(Mountain View, Calif.) OpenTV, a provider of interactive TV software and
services, announced that its games and entertainment channel, PlayJam, has
won the exclusive rights from HiScoreTV to broadcast an interactive
television version of the classic game "Tetris" throughout Continental
Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The game launched on France's Canal
Satellite on Jan. 30 and is scheduled to go live on the rival TPS platform
in early April. Last week, Mountain View, Calif.-based OpenTV announced
that it will launch iTV multiplayer games for viewers in the U.K. in May,
with plans to introduce the service at a later date in the U.S., France
and South Africa. The multiplayer aspect is being enabled through
London-based Pixel Software Technologies' JIVE application.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/030324/245790_1.html
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/030319/195606_1.html
http://www.pixel-tech.com
http://www.opentv.com
(New York) AOL Time Warner on Tuesday announced a marketing alliance with
Infinity Broadcasting, which owns 183 U.S. radio stations in a range of
markets. Under the terms, America Online will provide its AOL for
Broadband service to broadcasting facilities at Infinity's stations across
the country, giving them access to AOL content to entertain and inform
their listeners. In return, at least five nationally-known Infinity
stations will be streamed over the AOL Radio@ Network.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/030401/15274_1.html
http://www.infinityradio.com
http://www.aolbroadband.com
(Washington) XM Satellite Radio, a provider of satellite-delivered digital
radio programming, announced on Tuesday that it added more than 135,00 new
subscribers during the first quarter of 2003 and has now signed up a total
of 483,075 subscribers. D.C.-based XM beat its earlier projection that it
would add 130,000 for the quarter, and affirmed that it still expects to
count 1 million subscribers by year's end.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/030401/dctu031_1.html
http://www.xmradio.com
(Redwood City, Calif.) Video game developer Electronic Arts announced on
Tuesday the release of "Def Jam Vendetta" for PlayStation 2 and GameCube,
a collaboration with Def Jam Recordings that features the label's hip-hop
artists' music and the artists themselves in the game. The urban street
fighting game lets gamers play as rappers including DMX, Method Man,
Redman, Ludacris and Ghostface Killah. Redwood City, Calif.-based
Electronic Arts said Japanese game developer AKI Corporation created the
game, with creative production credits from EA Canada and Def Jam.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/030401/10084_1.html
http://www.defjam.com
http://www.defjamvendetta.com
(London) Jamdat Mobile, a provider of mobile entertainment applications
and enabling technologies, said that it has expanded into the European
mobile communications market with the opening of an office in London. Juan
Montes, formerly of Motorola Personal Communications, will manage Los
Angeles-based Jamdat's operations in London.
http://uk.biz.yahoo.com/030401/183/dwpy6.html
http://www.jamdat.com
(Santa Clara, Calif.) Speedera Networks, a provider of content delivery
network services, announced on Tuesday that it will stream audio
programming for National Public Radio's (NPR) flagship site, NPR.org.
Santa Clara, Calif.-based Speedera said it will offer similar services for
NPR Member stations. Other Speedera customers include Forbes.com, Fox
Broadcasting, Reuters and Sony Music Entertainment.
http://www.speedera.com
http://www.npr.org
(Calabasas Hills, Calif.) Game developer THQ said on Tuesday that it has
shipped "Red Faction II" for Xbox, GameCube and the PC to retailers. The
title was originally developed for PlayStation 2 by Calabasas Hills,
Calif.-based THQ's Volition studio. The Gamecube version was developed by
THQ's Cranky Pants Games studio, while the Xbox and PC versions were
created by THQ's Outrage Games studio.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/030401/15008_1.html
http://www.redfaction2.com
(Washington) The U.S. Copyright Office on Tuesday announced the dates and
locations for California public hearings in its rulemaking on the possible
exemptions to the prohibition against circumvention of technological
measures that control access to copyrighted works, under section 1201 of
the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.
The hearings will take place at the UCLA Law School in Los Angeles on
Wednesday, May 14 and Thursday, May 15, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The
Copyright Office said requests to testify at the Los Angeles hearings must
be received by April 8.
http://www.copyright.gov/1201/index.html#hearings
http://www.copyright.gov/fedreg/2003/hearings_ca.pdf
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===================
CLASSIFIEDS - JOBS
===================
To Post Jobs: http://www.digitalmediawire.com/jobpostingpage.htm
_____________________________________________
====================
CLASSIFIEDS - EVENTS
====================
To Post Events: http://www.digitalmediawire.com/eventpostingpage.htm
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
_____________________________________________
==========================
CLASSIFIEDS - MARKETPLACE
==========================
To Post Marketplace:
http://www.digitalmediawire.com/marketplacepostingpage.htm
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Digital Media Wire, Inc. leverages its integrated media network to provide
exceptional value to individuals and companies determined to capitalize on
the convergence of media, entertainment and technology. Digital Media
Wire, the first in a series of business-intelligence publications,
delivers original daily briefings on the business, legal and financial
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Digital Media Wire is part of the Tech Wire Media Group, an international
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Editor: Mark Hefflinger
Chief Executive Officer: Ned Sherman
VP, Marketing and Events: Tinzar Than
Copyright 2003 Digital Media Wire, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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