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July 18, 2005 -- About Us | Advertise | Events | Subscribe | Unsubscribe

Main Stories
o WSJ: Apple in Talks to License Music Videos for Sale on iTunes
o News Corp. to Acquire MySpace Parent Co. Intermix for $580 Million
o Report: Satellite Radio Subscribers to Number 46.8 Million by 2014
o Apple's iTunes Store Sells 500 Millionth Song
o TiVo Launches New Interactive Advertising Technology
o Cdigix Signs California Universities to Campus Download Network
o Mobile Entertainment Publisher Qmobile Raises $5 Million
o Survey: Half of U.S. Hispanics Now Connect Via Broadband


> Featured Advertisement:
--PwC Global Entertainment and Media Outlook: 2004-2008 
 

o Briefly Noted: "Harry Potter" - 6.9 million day-one sales, Sprint - Electronic Arts, MPEG LA - ATSC digital TV standard, "Monster House" - digital 3-D release, Washingtonpost.com - RSS ads, BodogMusic, Napster, Mediavision, Singingfool.com - Universal Music Group, Buzztime - A&E, Game Rush - NovaLogic, Atmel - MP3 decoder, Electronic Arts - Valve Software, Square Enix, Turbine, Phil "The Unabomber" Laak vs. Poker Probot
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> Job/Event/Marketplace Classifieds:
--Marketing Manager
--Advertising And Marketing Position
--Marketing Communications Manager
--Director of Marketing Analytics
--Project Manager
--Database Warehouse Architect
--Senior SAP Application Architect
--Online Advertising Manager
--Director of Marketing
--Senior Software Engineer - ASP.Net, VB.Net, Web Services
--Media Supervisor
--Director, IT Planning and Program Management - Biotech
--Technical Account Manager (TAM)
--Internal Communications/ Strategic HR Consultant
--Strategic Communications Group Offers Blog Relations Counsel
 


o WSJ: Apple in Talks to License Music Videos for Sale on iTunes

New York -- Apple Computer has been in negotiations with major record labels, with an eye towards licensing their music video libraries for sale through its iTunes Store, The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday. The talks hint that Apple could be gearing up to launch a version of its iPod that also plays video; the company has added a color screen and digital picture viewing with its recent iPod Photo players.
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/050718/apple_ipod.html
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o News Corp. to Acquire MySpace Parent Co. Intermix for $580 Million

Los Angeles -- Media conglomerate News Corporation announced on Monday that it will acquire Intermix Media, an operator of 30 websites including online community site MySpace.com, for $580 million. News Corp. paid $12 per share for Intermix, which will become part of its newly-formed Fox Interactive Media unit. Separately, Los Angeles-based Intermix said it has exercised an option to acquire the 47% of MySpace that it did not already own. Intermix recently paid $7.9 million to settle charges brought by New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, who alleged the company was distributing hidden spyware; the company admitted no wrongdoing as part of the settlement. News Corp. said the addition of Intermix's 27 million monthly unique users will nearly double its web traffic, to 45 million monthly unique users. "Intermix is an important acquisition for News Corp., instantly doubling the number of visitors to our sites and providing an ideal foundation on which to meaningfully increase our internet presence," said News Corp. chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2005.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/050718/185510.html
http://tinyurl.com/dvkj9
http://www.intermix.com
http://www.myspace.com
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o Report: Satellite Radio Subscribers to Number 46.8 Million by 2014

Monterey, Calif. -- Satellite radio subscribers will grow in number 46.8 million by 2014, when industry revenue will reach $7.6 billion, according to a forecast from Monterey, Calif.-based Kagan Research. The firm predicts that by 2014, 75% of new subscribers will come as a result of satellite radio partnerships with automakers like GM, Ford and Toyota, which now offer factory- and dealer-installed satellite radio receivers. Satellite radio advertising revenues are estimated to reach $27.9 million in 2005, rising to $854.4 million by 2014. Kagan further projected that XM will break even by the third quarter of 2007, while rival Sirius will reach positive cash flow in 2008; by 2014, XM earnings are expected to top $2 billion, while Sirius earnings will hit $1.4 billion.
http://tinyurl.com/cgl38
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o Apple's iTunes Store Sells 500 Millionth Song

Cupertino, Calif. -- Apple Computer announced on Monday that its iTunes Music Stores worldwide have now sold over 500 million digital song downloads. "Just over two years ago, we sold our first song. Yesterday, we sold our half billionth song. Wow!" said Apple CEO Steve Jobs. "As we cross this major milestone, we couldn't be more excited about the future of digital music, iTunes and the iPod." The company recently released an updated version of its iTunes player software that includes support for subscribing and listening to podcasts. Apple's iTunes Store now offers more than 1.5 million songs and 10,000 audiobooks for sale.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050718/sfm057.html
http://www.apple.com/itunes/store
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o TiVo Launches New Interactive Advertising Technology

Alviso, Calif. -- TiVo, a maker of digital video recorders, on Monday launched updated interactive advertising technology for advertisers, which General Motors and The WB Television Network will be the first to use. TiVo said the new technology gives advertisers the ability to brand and customize the "tags" within TiVo commercials that lead viewers away to other ad content; increased visibility for advertisers' regular TV spots, in both normal and fast-forward mode; the ability to receive leads directly from TV spots -- with viewers' consent; and additional data for advertisers on tagging effectiveness. GM, for instance, will use the branded tagging feature to allow viewers to click on tags for its OnStar, GMC, Chevrolet and Saturn brands that lead instantly to additional ad content and provide the ability to request information directly from GM. "TiVo's proprietary advertising technology presents a real opportunity for advertisers to enhance the effectiveness of traditional television advertising. Our platform enables advertisers to reach an attractive demographic," said TiVo CFO David Courtney.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050718/sfm008.html
http://www.tivo.com
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o Cdigix Signs California Universities to Campus Download Network

Englewood, Colo. -- Cdigix, a provider of legal download services for music, movies and other content to colleges and universities, announced on Monday that it has signed a deal to offers its services on up to 33 University of California and California State University campuses. The UC system, which counts some 200,000 students, includes UCLA and UC Berkeley; the CSU system, with 400,000 students, includes Cal State University Northridge and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Colorado-based Cdigix will offer students at the schools access to 1.5 million downloadable songs through its MusicNet-licensed Ctrax service, in addition to Cflix, which offers programming from Disney, ESPN, Cartoon Network and others.
http://www.cdigix.com
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o Mobile Entertainment Publisher Qmobile Raises $5 Million

Reston, Va. -- Qmobile, a provider of mobile digital media services, said on Monday that it has raised $5 million in its second round of funding, led by Grosvenor Funds. Previous investors Draper Fisher Jurvetson and Draper Atlantic also participated in the round, which the company pans to use, in part, to expand its staff. In the nine months since it launched its commercial ringtone and wallpaper download service, Qmobile has delivered content to nearly a million mobile phone users and now has more than 350,000 monthly subscribers. The company currently offers downloadable ringtones, wallpaper images and games. It also runs a SMS chat service, with other services under development. The company raised its first round in May 2004.
http://www.qmobile.us/index05.asp?recordid=16
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o Survey: Half of U.S. Hispanics Now Connect Via Broadband

Dulles, Va. -- About half of all U.S. Hispanics with Internet access now connect through broadband at home, according to a new survey by America Online. The number is on par with that of the general online population, despite the fact that Hispanics are "relatively newer to the Internet," according to AOL. Hispanics go online at home an average of 9.2 hours a week, almost an hour more than the general online population, and 70% view the Internet as the best source for comparing prices. Hispanic consumers also are younger, as well as heavier users of Internet features such as music downloading and instant messaging.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/050718/185390.html

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> Featured Advertisement:

> PwC Global Entertainment and Media Outlook: 2004-2008 

PricewaterhouseCoopers Global Entertainment and Media Outlook: 2004-2008 is the leading global entertainment and media industry forecast, including in-depth global analyses and five-year growth projections for 14 industry segments covering every major global region. The complete 550-page book, is available in print or electronic format. The 50 page "Global Overview" (available in print or electronic format)or any of the 14 individual industry segment chapters (electronic format only) can be purchased separately for $95. For sample content and to order, click here.
 

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o Briefly Noted:

(New York) Book publisher Scholastic announced on Monday that author J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince", the sixth novel in the series, broke all publishing records and sold more than 6.9 million copies in its first 24 hours on sale. Many of the purchases resulted from long-standing pre-order offers from both traditional retailers, and online retailers like Amazon.com.
http://www.scholastic.com

(Overland Park, Kan.) Wireless carrier Sprint announced on Monday that it has signed an agreement with video game publisher Electronic Arts, to sell mobile versions of EA game titles including "Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06," and Pogo.com's "Poppit", "Tri-Peaks Solitaire" and "Turbo 21" to Sprint subscribers. The titles will be available from Sprint's Game Lobby, which claims 500,000 members.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050718/cgm011.html
http://www.ea.com

(Denver) MPEG LA, a trade group made up of holders of patents related to MPEG digital video technology, announced on Monday that on June 28 it convened its first meeting with regard to an ATSC digital television standard. The meeting included a discussion of an overall framework for such a license. A second meeting was also scheduled for the third quarter of 2005; the group said it now aims to reach an agreement on license terms by the fourth quarter.
http://www.mpegla.com/pid/atsc

(Culver City, Calif.) Sony's Columbia Pictures announced on Monday that it will release its upcoming "Monster House" film in digital 3-D format in more than 100 theaters, on the same day its 2D version premieres in theaters. The digital 3-D format was developed by Beverly Hills, Calif.-based Real D, while the movie itself employed Sony Pictures Imageworks' "Performance Capture" 3D technology in filming. Sony's technology was also used to provide an IMAX 3-D format release for its "The Polar Express."
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050718/lam056.html
http://www.imageworks.com
http://www.reald.com/experience.html 

(Arlington, Va.) Washingtonpost.com has begun including advertisements in its RSS (Real Simple Syndication) feeds, making it the first major news site to offer ad units in its syndication streams. RSS, which has been actively embraced by the blogging community, is a method for distributing content over the Internet that allows end-users to subscribe to content feeds of various kinds. The company said the launch is part of a campaign integrating RSS ads, online video, behavioral targeting and standard ad delivery.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050715/clf037.html

(Los Angeles) Online gambling site Bodog.com announced on Monday that it has partnered with Canadian record label Her Royal Majesty's Records on a new joint music venture. BodogMusic will release records from HRMR artists -- the first being a new album from Bif Naked, which will be distributed through MRI/Sony/Red Distribution. Future BodogMusic releases will come from HRMR artists including Britt Black, The Heck and Dead Celebrity Status.
http://www.hrmrecords.com
http://www.bodog.com

(Los Angeles) Napster announced on Monday that it has increased the number of portable devices supported by its Napster-To-Go unlimited download service to more than 25. Among the latest devices to be included are Palm's Treo 650 smartphone, Rio's Carbon and ce2100 MP3 players, and Samsung YH-925 and YH-820 MP3 players. The Napster-To-Go service offers access to unlimited downloads of songs to portable players for $15 per month, for as long as a user remains subscribed to the service.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050718/lam063.html
http://www.napster.com 

(New York) Medialink, a provider of television content tracking services, announced on Monday that it has developed a new service for its corporate customers that digitizes, indexes and searches the video and audio of television broadcasts. New York-based Medialink said the Mediavision service can search the closed-captioned text of programs and locate specific segments within minutes of broadcast; it will also incorporate Medialink's Teletrax TV broadcast digital watermarking technology. Teletrax currently monitors nearly 1,000 stations, including the 110 largest U.S. TV markets and the major broadcasters from 50 other nations.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/050718/185281.html
http://www.medialink.com

(Haddon Heights, N.J.) Singingfool.com, an indepdnent site that offers music videos, announced on Monday that it has signed a licensing agreement with Univeral Music Group, to offer hundreds of the major label's videos on its site. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. New Jersey-based Singingfool.com offers a library of over 7,000 music videos.
http://www.umusic.com
http://www.singingfool.com

(Carlsbad, Calif.) Buzztime Entertainment, a unit of NTN Communications that develops interactive TV games, announced on Monday that it has partnered with A&E Television Networks to create an interactive TV game featuring A&E's The History Channel. The trivia game, aimed at increasing History Channel viewership, will be offered on the Buzztime Trivia Channel, available on Comcast, Time Warner and Susquehanna cable systems.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050718/lam058.html
http://www.aetv.com
http://www.buzztime.com

(Dallas) Game Rush, Blockbuster's video game rental division, said on Monday that it has partnered with game developer NovaLogic to promote the release of its "Delta Force - Black Hawk Down" title for the Xbox. The companies will host an eight-city multiplayer tournament for the game at Game Rush locations, prior to the game's official release at the end of July.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050718/dam028.html
http://www.novalogic.com
http://www.blackhawkdownthegame.com
http://www.gamerush.com 

(Nantes, France) Chipmaker Atmel Corporation announced on Monday the availability of its single-chip MP3 decoder chip for cell phones, which enables playback of MP3 songs and ringtones. Atmel will offer the 9mm x 9mm chip for $3.85 each in quantities of 500,000.
http://www.atmel.com 

(Redwood City, Calif.) Game publisher Electronic Arts announced on Monday that it has signed a multi-year agreement with Bellevue, Wash.-based publisher Valve Software, to publish and distribute Valve titles worldwide. Under the deal, EA will publish Valve's "Half-Life 2: Game of the Year" and "Counter-Strike: Source" for PC, as well as an Xbox version of "Half-Life" that is slated for release in October.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/050718/185804.html
http://www.valvesoftware.com 

(Los Angeles) Japanese video game publisher Square Enix said on Monday that it plans to ship "Radiata Stories" for PlayStation 2 to North American retailers on Sept. 6. The fantasy roleplaying title was developed by Tokyo-based tri-Ace.
http://www.square-enix.com
http://www.tri-ace.com 

(Westwood, Mass.) Online game developer Turbine on Monday shipped its "Asheron's Call: Throne of Destiny" PC expansion pack to retailers. The company partnered with Station Publishing to distribute the expansion pack for the massively multiplayer online title in North America, and with Codemasters for European distribution.
http://www.turbine.com 

(Los Angeles) The Los Angeles Times recently reported on a poker match in Las Vegas between human poker pro Phil "The Unabomber" Laak and Poker Probot, an independently produced, poker-playing software program. Laak won the match, which pitted him against the winner of the World Poker Robot Championship, but only after 300 hands were played. "It would for sure make money online," Laak told The Times, referring to the software's potential use in online poker rooms, adding, "bots are better than the average person."
http://www.latimes.com/technology/la-et-pokerbots18jul18.story

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> Classifieds -- Advertise

> Marketing Manager - San Diego or Los Angeles

Nine Systems seeks Marketing Manager with minimum of 3 years of Internet infrastructure or Web-based marketing experience. Applicant will execute and manage lead generations campaigns and help create marketing materials. Applicant should be experienced with list management, lead capture, direct marketing, search keywords, online advertising, special customer events, customer co-marketing and other lead generation tactics. If interested, please submit resume to opportunities@ninesystems.com and include job title in the subject line or visit http://ninesystems.com/company/careers.html#job6.
_________________

> Advertising And Marketing Position

Morristown Agency Seeking Part-time/Full-time Employees in Advertising/Marketing Industry, Web Developer and Client Services Position with 1 to 2 years experience. Contact 201-486-7167 or send resumes to michelle.nelson@iideagroup.com
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> Marketing Communications Manager

Network World has a great opportunity for a creative project manager with a marketing background (including online marketing) to lead the Marketing Communications department producing innovative and effective ways to further promote the Network World brand. Great people and project management skills; effectively lead a quality team juggling many priorities in a fast paced, dynamic environment. Excellent communication (oral and written), copywriting, proofing and editing skills; a solid understanding of design processes and software applications. Must be competent with financial administration to manage a budget. Send resumes to hotjobs@nww.com
 _________________

> Director of Marketing Analytics

In this position, the Director will support the Marketing department by providing analytical reports, interpretations, and recommendations. The ideal candidate should have a fluent knowledge of SAS foundation products and some experience in Hyperion, ESRI or VB.NET. A min. of 10 yrs exp. in an analytics role with a background in direct marketing. Degree in Statistics or Mathematics, Base SAS, ODS, SAS/STAT, SAS/Graph, SAS/Access to ODBC, Basic knowledge of marketing terminology and concepts. Exp. in marketing analytics: ROI, LTV, Segmentation, etc. Send resumes to: bvklbell@comcast.net. Visit http://www.investools.com
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> Project Manager

Cauldron Solutions, a leading provider of technology solutions that manage the production, distribution and transaction exchange of on-demand content, is seeking an experienced Project Manager. The right candidate will possess a strong track record of delivering large-scale media or technology projects on time and on budget. Excellent communication skills, attention to detail, PLC discipline, and strong client-relationship management skills are essential. Visit www.cauldronsolutions.com and send resumes to jobs@cauldronsolutions.com.
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> Database Warehouse Architect

This individual will lead in the design, modification, development and implementation of the company's database warehouse products and associated embedded and third party reports. He/she will lead in the testing process through test review and analysis, test witnessing and certification of software, research & employ commonly used concepts, procedures and best practices software development. Four plus years of overall software development experience is required as well as one plus years in Java. If interested, please submit your resume to vbhatia@hirestrategy.com, or visit, http://www.hirestrategy.com/quicklinks/hire275.asp
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> Senior SAP Application Architect

2-3 Years SAP BW Implementation and Development Exp. 5 Years of total exp in full life cycle SAP Implementations, with focus on Basis installation and configuration. 3-4 Years exp with a 3rd Party BI tool such as Business Objects, Cognos focusing on Architecture, Implementation and Configuration. Ability to work with minimal direction yet keep all parties well informed Communication and writing skills. Send resumes to kathe.yamagata@claraview.com
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> Online Advertising Manager

Proffiliates, Inc is seeking a highly motivated individual to help grow a successful and profitable email marketing company. Reporting to the co- founders of the company, the Online Advertising Manager will assist in all day to day operations of the business. This is a tele-commuting position. Proficient with Excel and other Office applications, Working knowledge of HTML 2.0, Past experience in the email advertising and/or direct marketing space, Good overall business experience, Strong problem solving, organizational, interpersonal and motivational skills. Deadline oriented. Send resumes to general@proffiliates.com
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> Director of Marketing

Hartley Hickey Executive Search works with small to mid-sized companies to help find talented marketing executives. Our client, a software provider of healthcare billing services, is looking for a seasoned direct marketer. Define marketing strategy for the customer experience. Define and manage marketing budget and oversee implementation of marketing components. Coordinate with product development and operations to ensure the success of the product. Send resumes to chris@hartleyhickey.com
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> Senior Software Engineer - ASP.Net, VB.Net, Web Services

Build Web Services for commercial CRM. Must have experience building Web Services and related technologies in a .NET environment: XML, XSL, SOAP, UDDI, WSDL ,WSE (.NET), security methods and standards, JavaScript, CSS, DHTML, ASP .NET, ADO.NET, MS SQL Server, T-SQL, stored procedures, triggers and data access optimization techniques. SharePoint 2003 Web Part Development, SharePoint Portal Server 2003 and Windows SharePoint Services configuration. Send resumes to recruiter@tmaresources.com
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> Media Supervisor - Manhattan, NY

In this management position, the Supervisor oversees all aspects of online media campaigns, including planning, implementing and tracking for one of the top 10 advertisers in the country. Require: Five to seven years of exp. in media, marketing or strategic planning, Exp. in online marketing and current knowledge of trends and innovations in interactive media, Proven leadership skills and mgmt exp., Excellent written and verbal communications skills, Detail-oriented approach. Please email cover letter and resume to Arela Simerson arela@cm-recruiting.com
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> Director, IT Planning and Program Management - Biotech

Key member of IT organization; senor management position within IT. Manage staff of 3-4 professionals; partner with CIO in managing IT planning, program management and administration. Prepare and track IT budget; determine performance measures; lead program management across all business functions; establish standards. Requires experience managing multiple large IT projects across diverse business units. Send resumes to fsltd@earthlink.net
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> Technical Account Manager (TAM) - Springfield, VA

Verio is a global industry-leading hosting and service provider. We are currently offering a position within our Technical Account Management group. The selected candidate will be responsible for the detailed tracking/resolution and day-to-day operational management of our dedicated hosting clients. The TAM will facilitate and assist with the troubleshooting of escalated client issues(24x7). Technical account/project management skills, preferably in a hosting environment, are desired. Bachelor's degree required. For more Information please visit http://ver.hrdpt.com Send resumes to cmerritt@verio.net
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> Internal Communications/ Strategic HR Consultant

Innovative and fast-growing strategic communications firm is seeking an exceptional internal communications Campaign Director responsible for the strategy and day-to-day execution of high-visibility communication projects. Contract Position. Min 3 to 5 years internal communications exp. Organizational development, change mgmt, and HR exp. Branding and communications design exp. Project mgmt exp. with emphasis on delivering projects on-time and on budget. Willingness to travel throughout US and Europe, possibly as much as 50 percent of the time. Highly motivated, dynamic personality. Send resumes to jobs@bonfiresf.com Visit http://www.bonfirecommunications.com
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> Strategic Communications Group Offers Blog Relations Counsel

Enter the Blogosphere prepared - Enhance your sales and marketing programs. Take advantage of blog relations and blog technology at its forefront. As blogging matures and becomes a prevailing force in communications, allow Strategic Communications Group to assist you in meeting your sales, profitability and corporate valuation goals. Contact us for a free white paper. Send inquiries to info@gotostrategic.com or call 301.408.4500. Visit http://www.gotostrategic.com/blogptw.html  for more info.
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About Us
Digital Media Wire, Inc. is a news organization, publisher and events company serving the digital media industry since May 2000. Our daily newsletter delivers original briefings on business, legal and financial developments shaping digital media and read by over 30,000 executives and professionals.

Digital Media Wire, Inc. is part of the Tech Wire Media Group, an international network of publications that includes Potomac Tech Wire, New England Tech Wire, Southeast Tech Wire, Bay Area Tech Wire, Tri-state Tech Wire, Thames Tech Wire and European Tech Wire. The network reaches more than 70,000 individuals from over 70 countries each business day.

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VP, Marketing & Events: Tinzar Than Sherman
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