archives

o Senate Bill Would Strengthen Counterfeiting Laws to Include Movies, Music
o Sony Developing "EverQuest II" Multiplayer Online Game for Winter 2003
o Cable TV Industry Pledges to Aid Acceleration of Digital TV Transition
o U.K. Digital TV Provider ITV Digital Shuts Down
o Ziff Davis Media Restructures, Gets Additional $80M from Stockholders
o Digital Video Content Production Firm Zoom Culture Raises $7 Million
> Digital Media Wire Wine Tasting Event: Los Angeles | May 9
o Briefly Noted: Muze - Music Choice, OpenTV - Sony, Xbox - summer
promotions, Myrio - RealNetworks, MP3.com - Italy - the Netherlands
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o Senate Bill Would Strengthen Counterfeiting Laws to Include Movies, Music

Washington -- A new bill introduced into the U.S. Senate on Tuesday by
Sen. Joseph Biden (D-Del.) would strengthen U.S. counterfeit laws to
include the counterfeiting of authentication features, such as holograms
and watermarks embedded into the packaging of CDs, software and motion
pictures. "The rising theft of American intellectual property, through
piracy and counterfeiting, has cost hundreds of thousands of American
jobs. It has cost the U.S. government tax revenues and U.S. corporations
billions of dollars," said Senator Biden, in a statement. "The criminal
code has not kept up with the counterfeiting operations of today's
high-tech pirates, and it's time to make sure that it does." In addition
to giving movies and music the same anti-counterfeiting protection enjoyed
by the software industry, the bill would increase penalties for convicted
pirates. Sen. Biden's bill is one of several of late to address
intellectual property theft. Sen. Fritz Hollings (D-S.C.) recently
introduced a bill that would put government-mandated copy control
technologies into most consumer electronics devices.
http://biden.senate.gov/pressapp/record.cfm?id=182528
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?r107:35:./temp/~r107bcjPnk:e0:
http://news.com.com/2100-1023-896676.html?tag=cd_mh
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o Sony Developing "EverQuest II" Multiplayer Online Game for Winter 2003

San Diego -- Sony Online Entertainment on Thursday announced that it is
currently in development on the sequel to its successful massively
multiplayer online roleplaying game, "EverQuest." "EverQuest II" is slated
to be released in the winter of 2003. Set in the future in the same
virtual world of Norrath that encompasses the original EverQuest, the
sequel will feature a new 3D game engine, developed in-house at San
Diego-based Sony Online Entertainment, as well as the ability to own real
estate, ride horses, command ships and experience new spells, quests and
events. "With these improvements to an already great game, we are not only
investing in our growing online community, but also pushing the boundaries
of what the next generation of role-playing games aspire to be," said Sony
Online Entertainment COO John Smedley. "EverQuest II is the successful
embodiment of better technology, player feedback and our desire to build
an online global community."
http://www.verant.com/press/eq2050202.html
http://www.everquest.com
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o Cable TV Industry Pledges to Aid Acceleration of Digital TV Transition

Washington -- Following the expiration of a mandate from the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) that all TV stations begin broadcasting
digitally by Wednesday, the top 10 U.S. cable TV operators made a
commitment to accelerate the costly transition. The National Cable and
Telecommunications Association (NCTA), a cable industry trade group, sent
a letter to FCC Chairman Michael Powell stating that AT&T Broadband, AOL
Time Warner, Comcast, Charter, Cox, Adelphia, Cablevision, Mediacom,
Insight and CableOne will take a number of steps to accelerate the digital
TV transition. The companies said they will add at least five high
definition television channels to their offerings by January 1, 2003. In
addition, they will place orders for HDTV-ready set-top boxes and make
these available to customers who request them, and also actively market
both the channels and the devices to their subscribers. "Central to the
actions announced by the cable industry is our belief that the
availability of high definition television (HDTV) is key to create the
market incentive for American consumers to purchase digital TV receivers,"
said NCTA president and CEO Robert Sachs.
http://www.ncta.com/press/press.cfm?PRid=260&showArticles=ok
http://www.ncta.com/pdf_files/ResponsetoPowellPlan.pdf
http://www.msnbc.com/news/746399.asp?0dm=C19KT
http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/tech/2002/05/02/digital-tv.htm
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o U.K. Digital TV Provider ITV Digital Shuts Down

London -- ITV Digital, a provider of digital pay-TV programming in the
U.K., has shut down and will lay off a reported 1,300 employees after
failing to find a buyer, The BBC Online reported. The company's hundreds
of thousands of subscribers were without any channels on Thursday except
for the free-to-air signals, such as BBC and Channel 4. London-based ITV
Digital had an exclusive $460 million deal to air Football League games,
and its ITV Sport division will re-launch as a free-to-air channel in
order to be able to broadcast matches this weekend and through the of the
season.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/business/newsid_1960000/1960136.stm
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/22/25102.html
http://www.boston.com/dailynews/122/economy/ITV_boss_Stuart_Prebble_quits_:.shtml
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o Ziff Davis Media Restructures, Gets Additional $80M from Stockholders

New York -- Ziff Davis Media, publisher of technology magazines including
PC Magazine and Electronic Gaming Monthly, announced that it will undergo a restructuring of its operations to reduce its debt. As part of the plan, stockholders Willis Stein and Partners have agreed to invest an additional $80 million in cash into the company. New York-based Ziff Davis Media expects the restructuring to decrease its debt by about $155 million and its cash debt service requirements over the next several years by approximately $30 million annually.
http://www.ziffdavis.com/news/index.asp?id=020501.0
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o Digital Video Content Production Firm Zoom Culture Raises $7 Million

Chapel Hill, N.C. -- Zoom Culture, a new media company that produces
member-originated digital video content for broadcast, cable, and
satellite television as well as the Internet, announced on Thursday that
it has raised $7 million in its second round of financing. Participating
in the investment round were new investor Chrysalis Ventures and existing
investors Intersouth Partners, Cordova Ventures, the Atlantis Group,
Tristate Investment Group and Charlotte Angel Partners. Chapel Hill,
N.C.-based Zoom Culture produces digital video programming for television
and the Web created collaboratively through a network of young
videographers the company recruits, trains and manages itself. Recently
the company sold a half-hour hip-hop program to NBC and an extreme sports
program to Fox.
http://www.zc.tv
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One Show Interactive's Big Night - Wednesday, May 8th - New York City

One Show Interactive (named the top international award show for new
media) is holding its annual award gala in New York City on Wednesday, May
8th, 2002. The Puck Building, 295 Lafayette Street (corner of Houston
Street) New York. Tickets $100 per person, Corporate tables for six $500.
Reception 6:30-8:00pm. Awards Show 8-10pm. Party 10-Midnight. Come,
celebrate and party and watch the best of advertising's interactive and
new media. For tickets: (212) 979-1900 or email: tickets@oneclub.com

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o Briefly Noted:

(New York) Muze, a provider of informational databases on music, movies,
books and video games, announced on Thursday an agreement with Music
Choice, a provider of digital music programming to satellite and digital
cable TV networks. Under the agreement, Music Choice will used New
York-based Muze's database to provide artist and album information for its
enhanced music channels, which will air on-screen while the digital music
feed plays.
http://www.musicchoice.com
http://www.muze.com

(Mountain View, Calif.) OpenTV, a provider of interactive TV software,
announced on Thursday that Sony Corporation has licensed its Device
Mosaic, an HTML browser that can be used to access the Internet through a
set-top box on a television. The software also supports interactive TV
features such as electronic program guides, video-on-demand, games and
email. "In addition to set-top boxes and broadband technology-based
products, Sony can now utilize Device Mosaic in a wider range of its
consumer electronic products," said OpenTV CEO James Ackerman. Other
licensees of Mountain View-based OpenTV's Device Mosaic include TiVo,
Motorola, Power TV and Telecruz.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/020502/20116_1.html
http://www.opentv.com/internet/browser/

(Redmond, Wash.) Microsoft on Thursday announced plans for a range of
promotions for its Xbox video game console scheduled for the spring and
summer. Included in the sports, music and consumer products promotions are
sponsorship of the multi-city Pop Disaster Tour, featuring Blink-182 and
Green Day; the Number One Parts Inc. (NOPI) drag racing series; Pepsi's
new SoBe soft drink, Mr. Green; the Association of Volleyball
Professionals (AVP); Vans skateparks; and Zumiez, a chain of
youth-oriented apparel stores.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/020502/sfth032_1.html
http://www.xbox.com

(Kirkland, Wash.) Myrio, a provider of software that enables the delivery
of digital TV and advanced entertainment services over broadband networks,
said on Thursday it has reached an agreement with Seattle-based
RealNetworks, to bundle the company's RealPlayer with its software.
Kirkland, Wash.-based Myrio will now be able to deliver streaming media
content through the RealPlayer to Linux-based set-top boxes.
http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/f_headline.cgi?day0/221220276&ticker=
http://www.myrio.com

(London) MP3.com Europe, a subsidiary of Vivendi Universal Net USA,
announced that it has launched local versions of its online digital music
distribution service in Italy and the Netherlands. The native-language
sites will offer local concert information and encourage local artists to
submit their MP3s for posting on the network. London-based MP3.com Europe
already operates local sites for the U.K., France, Germany and Spain.
http://it.mp3.com
http://nl.mp3.com
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DIGITAL MEDIA WIRE PRESENTS:
A Spring Celebration and Wine Tasting Honoring
Digital Media Wire Panelists

> Thursday, May 9, 2002, Los Angeles

To register:
http://www.acteva.com/booking.cfm?bevaid=22553&Referrer_id=4074

Join us and a distinguished group of our past panelists for a Spring
celebration featuring fine wines, delicious Asian appetizers and
networking.

WHEN: Thursday, May 9, 2002 (6:30PM - 8:30PM)
WHERE: Lucky Duck Restaurant (NE corner of La Brea and Wilshire)
PRICE: $25 (pre-registration); $30 (at the door)

Tasting and wines by Beaulieu Vineyard. Since 1900, BV has been a
benchmark of excellence in Napa Valley wines. Appetizers including crispy
Vietnamese spring rolls, chicken and beef satay, shrimp summer rolls and
vegetable dumplings by Lucky Duck Restaurant. For more information,
contact Ned Sherman at esherman@digitalmediawire.com or visit

http://www.acteva.com/booking.cfm?bevaid=22553&Referrer_id=4074

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Copyright 2002 Digital Media Wire