archives

o Report: Online Music Sales Will Jump to $6.2 Billion in 2006
o AOL Invests $100 Million in Amazon.com
o Spoken Word Audio Provider Audible Lays Off 40% of Staff; CEO Resigns
o Local TV Webcaster Internet Broadcasting Systems Raises $12 Million
o AOL to Expand Online Music Services
o Custom Web Radio Firm Musicmusicmusic Lays Off 35% of Staff
o CenterSpan Offers Branded Music Subscription Service to Businesses
o Chipmaker Cirrus Logic Acquires Home Networking Firm ShareWave
o Content Distributor MyPrimeTime Raises $3 Million
> Wednesday: Digital Media Wire Seminar - Interactive TV | Los Angeles
o Briefly Noted: DVD player sales, Intertainer - WinFirst, Rapstation.com
- Portalvision, EnReach - Great Wall Broadband Network, SegaNet -
EarthLink, BMG - Context Media, SealedMedia - Ipicturebooks.com, EUniverse
- National Enquirer, Lifetime Television - MSN WomenCentral
_____________________________________________

> Job Postings: Programmer/Analyst, Lead Program Manager,
Content Database Specialist

> Events/Services: "SHORTSPAN Film & Video Festival - Pacific Northwest
Tour," "Human Resources Seminar," "Digital Rights Management"

Full Job/Event/Services 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/Service: http://www.digitalmediawire.com/events.html
_____________________________________________

o Report: Online Music Sales Will Jump to $6.2 Billion in 2006

New York -- The sale of CDs online and digital music services are
predicted to generate $6.2 billion in sales by 2006 -- accounting for 32
percent of all music sales -- according to a report published Monday by
analyst firm Jupiter Media Metrix. The firm estimates that online music
sales will generate $1 billion in 2001, accounting for only 7 percent of
the total market. While the sale of CDs online currently dwarfs digital
music sales, emerging music subscription services are predicted to
generate $1.2 billion in 2006, quickly surpassing the figures for sales of
single song downloads. Jupiter also surveyed online music buyers, 59
percent of whom said they are interested in purchasing a subscription to a
digital music service. However, the study found that the coming
subscription services from the major labels -- MusicNet and Pressplay --
will not offer some of the features consumers said they want most. Neither
the ability to make copies of downloaded songs nor the ability to listen
to songs on any device will be available from the initial versions of
either subscription service. "These ventures must continue to experiment
with new features that consumers want in order to capitalize on the
potential market left over from Napster," said Jupiter analyst Danielle
Romano.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/010723/nym035.html
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/010723/nym034.html
http://www.jmm.com
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o AOL Invests $100 Million in Amazon.com

Dulles, Va. - Seeking to capitalize on the online spending of its huge
membership base, Dulles-based AOL has invested $100 million in online
retailer Amazon.com, and entered into an extensive technology and
marketing partnership with the Seattle-based firm. Under the terms of the
deal, Amazon.com's online retailing technology will be used on various AOL
online services. The platform will enable AOL to provide personalization
features, product comparisons, ratings and reviews to its members. AOL
said that its 30 million members spent almost $8 billion shopping online
in the second quarter.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/010723/0529.html
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o Spoken Word Audio Provider Audible Lays Off 40% of Staff; CEO Resigns

Wayne, N.J. -- Audible, Inc., a provider of streaming and downloadable
spoken word content, announced on Monday that it will lay off 40 percent
of its staff, or 35 employees, in an effort to become profitable by the
end of 2002 without raising additional funds. The company also said that
CEO Thomas Baxter has resigned from his position. Audible founder and
chairman Douglas Katz will now serve as CEO, and chief technology officer
Robert O. Kramer will become president of the company. New Jersey-based
Audible offers spoken word content such as audio books, news content and
famous speeches and lectures.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/010723/2637.html
http://www.audible.com
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o Local TV Webcaster Internet Broadcasting Systems Raises $12 Million

Mendota Heights, Minn. -- Internet Broadcasting Systems, provider of a
network of websites for local television stations, announced that it has
raised $12 million in its latest round of funding from Hearst-Argyle
Television, McGraw-Hill, CanWest, St. Paul Venture Capital and The
Washington Post Company. Minnesota-based Internet Broadcasting Systems
produces websites that offer content from local TV news stations in 53
markets, including several in Canada. The sites are co-owned and operated
by investors Hearst-Argyle Television, Post-Newsweek Stations, McGraw-Hill
Broadcasting Group, Capitol Broadcasting Group and CanWest Global. The
company will use the funds for general operating expenses.
http://www.ibsys.com
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o AOL to Expand Online Music Services

New York -- America Online announced on Monday that it is expanding its
AOL Music service, adding several new features and enhancing its existing
ones. New to the service will be the Artist Discovery Network and a new
Web radio service called Radio@AOL. The Artist Discovery Network will
offer original programming and in-depth artist information on both major
and independent label acts, such as live performances webcast by the
Digital Club Network. Radio@AOL will offer news, entertainment and music
formats in a 50-channel offering that will be featured as part of the AOL
software's toolbar. The company said it also plans later this year to
launch a customizable radio product with a "sophisticated music
recommendation tool." Such services have come under fire by the Recording
Industry Association of America, which says some services' level of
interactivity mandates an additional licensing fee under the Digital
Millennium Copyright Act.
http://media.aoltimewarner.com/media/press_view.cfm?release_num=55252079
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o Custom Web Radio Firm Musicmusicmusic Lays Off 35% of Staff

New York -- Musicmusicmusic, a provider of custom Web radio programming
and technology to businesses, has laid off 25 employees, or 35 percent of
its staff, Webnoize reported Monday. The cuts came in the company's
consumer products division -- which operates RadioMOI.com and
KidsOwnRadio.com -- and were steps taken to reduce its burn rate and
become profitable by the middle of next year. New York-based
Musicmusicmusic has developed custom Web radio players for clients
including Time.com, Excite.com and Marvel Comics.
http://news.webnoize.com
http://www.musicmusicmusic.com
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o CenterSpan Offers Branded Music Subscription Service to Businesses

Hillsboro, Ore. -- CenterSpan, a provider of music subscription services,
announced on Monday that it will offer a branded music subscription
service to businesses. Oregon-based CenterSpan -- which acquired the
peer-to-peer technology behind Scour Exchange -- claims that retail sites
that use the technology will spend one-ninth what they would pay to stream
music to users. The C-Star service will offer music in Microsoft's Windows
Media Audio format and can incorporate a number of different digital
rights management technologies. CenterSpan is still beta testing the new
version of Scour Exchange, which it said will be released later this year.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/010723/0121.html
http://www.centerspan.com
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o Chipmaker Cirrus Logic Acquires Home Networking Firm ShareWave

Austin, Texas -- Cirrus Logic, a developer of chips for consumer
electronics devices, announced that it has acquired ShareWave, a designer
of home networking chips, in an all-stock transaction valued at $92
million. El Dorado, Calif.-based ShareWave will maintain its current staff
of 80 and remain at its El Dorado offices. The company's technology allows
consumer electronics products like stereos and televisions to transfer
data between one another over a wireless connection. Cirrus Logic also
recently announced that it will acquire LuxSonor Semiconductors -- which
designs chips used in DVD players -- in a $65 million all-stock
transaction.
http://www.sharewave.com/Press/Press_Release_Archive/PR_043/pr_043.html
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/010719/0191.html
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o Content Distributor MyPrimeTime Raises $3 Million

San Francisco -- MyPrimeTime, a distributor of content targeted at
middle-aged adults, announced that it has raised $3 million in its third
round of venture financing. Odyssey Capital led the investment round;
Sequoia Partners, Hummer Winblad Venture Partners and Blue Chip Capital
also participated. San Francisco-based MyPrimeTime produces content on
topics like family, money, health, careers and hobbies for outlets such as
interactive television, email newsletters and wireless providers. The
company will use the funds to develop new original programming for
interactive television and the Web. MyPrimeTime said it expects to achieve
profitability by the end of 2001.
http://www.myprimetime.com
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> ***WEDNESDAY***
Digital Media Wire Presents a Panel Discussion:
"iTV: Defining the New Face of Television"

Los Angeles | Wednesday, July 25th at the Four Seasons Hotel

SPONSORS:
Deloitte Consulting
Jones Day Reavis & Pogue

This panel of players ranging from content providers to hardware
developers will discuss the new face of television, which will include
anamalgam of services like email, IPGs (interactive program guides), PVRs
(personal video recorders), enhanced TV, etc., and what it means for
Hollywood, the tech industry and most importantly, the consumer.
For more information and to register:
http://www.digitalmediawire.com/LAitv.html

MODERATOR:
Michael Kline - Senior Manager | Deloitte Consulting

SPEAKERS:
Amy Friedlander - VP Business Development | Intertainer
Michael Higashi - Dir. of Strategic Marketing/Corporate Development |
Canal Plus Technologies
Edward Monnier - Director of BizDev & Strategy | Liberty Digital
David Nathanson - Director, Broadband Strategy | Fox Cable Networks
Erik Smith - Director of Content Partnerships | Liberate Technologies

SUPPORTING ORGANIZATION:
larta - the technology alliance for southern California

For more information and to register:
http://www.digitalmediawire.com/LAitv.html
_____________________________________________

o Briefly Noted:

(Los Angeles) Five million DVD players were sold in the first half of
2001, bringing the total sales of the devices since they were introduced
just over four years ago to over 20 million worldwide, according to
figures released by the DVD Entertainment Group and the Consumer
Electronics Association. The adoption of DVD players by consumers has
occurred more rapidly than any previous consumer electronics device. It
took eight years for CD player sales to reach 20 million, and VCRs did not
reach the landmark for 12 years.
http://www.dvdinformation.com/news/press/072301.html

(Culver City, Calif.) Intertainer, a provider of video-on-demand (VOD)
programming, announced on Monday that it has signed a five-year deal to
provide VOD programming to WinFirst, which offers bundled high-speed
Internet, digital cable TV and telephone services. Denver-based WinFirst
will first offer Intertainer's 700 hours of entertainment programming like
first-run movies, TV shows and music concerts to its subscribers in
Sacramento. The company has regulatory approval to build additional
residential networks in San Diego, Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio
and Seattle, with the potential to serve 3.7 million homes.
http://www.prnmedia.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=107&STORY=/www/story/07-23-2001/0001538787&EDATE=
http://www.intertainer.com
http://www.winfirst.com

(New York) Rapstation.com, a hip-hop music entertainment site run by
Public Enemy frontman Chuck D, announced that it will offer a branded
Internet service along with software developer Portalvision called Global
Connect. The service will run only on New York-based Portalvision's
browser, and will come with the company's instant messaging and address
book software as well. New York-based Rapstation will offer the ISP
service for $19.95 per month.
http://download.portalvision.com/rapstation/
http://www.rapstation.com

(Alviso, Calif.) Interactive television software developer EnReach said on
Monday that it has partnered with Chinese ISP Great Wall Broadband Network
Service to deploy interactive TV services to 60 cities in China.
Alviso-based EnReach will provide software and integration services to
create a low cost set-top box that offers email, Web browsing and music
and video-on-demand to Great Wall Broadband's 2.7 million current
subscribers. Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou will be the first cities to
receive the EnReach service. Great Wall Broadband has deals to create
broadband networks that will reach 15 million additional homes in China.
http://www.enreach.com/News/press/072301.html

(Los Angeles) Video game developer Sega said it will transfer all
subscribers to its SegaNet Internet access provider to EarthLink, Reuters
reported on Monday. Subscribers will still pay $19.95 per month, less than
the $21.95 rate Atlanta-based EarthLink currently offers. Sega offered
SegaNet as a way to connect with other gamers and as a platform on which
to play the 26 Dreamcast games where users could connect the console to
the Internet and play one another online.
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1006-200-6627410.html?tag=cd_mh
http://www.sega.net/seganet/index.jhtml

(Providence, R.I.) Major record label BMG Entertainment, a division of
Bertelsmann AG, said on Monday that it will use Rhode Island-based Context
Media's software to syndicate its media assets to both internal and
third-party partners. Context Media will create a "virtual private content
network" where BMG can securely syndicate its music, videos and other
content.
http://www.contextmedia.com/pressbmge07232001.html
http://www.bmge.com

(San Francisco) SealedMedia, a provider of digital rights management
technology, said on Monday that Ipicturebooks.com -- an affiliate of Time
Warner Trade Publishing -- will use its technology to secure the delivery
of its e-books for children. San Francisco-based SealedMedia's technology
will first be used on an enhanced animated storybook based on DreamWorks'
animated film "Shrek."
http://www.sealedmedia.com
http://www.ipicturebooks.com

(Los Angeles) EUniverse, a network of entertainment-related websites and
newsletters, said on Monday that it has partnered with gossip publication
The National Enquirer to create a daily headline email service.
GossipFlash will be offered to Los Angeles-based EUniverse's subscriber
base of 40 million.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/010723/0146.html
http://www.euniverse.com
http://www.nationalenquirer.com

(New York) Women's television network Lifetime Television said on Monday
that it will produce original Web content for Microsoft's MSN
WomenCentral. The network will become the primary provider of
relationships and health and fitness content to the site. Additionally,
Lifetime will promote MSN on its cable channels and website.
http://www.womencentral.msn.com
http://www.lifetimetv.com

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

> Music Reports, Inc., Programmer/Analyst - Los Angeles

Duties include database & software design, development, coding & testing
for business applications, as well as trouble-shooting & maintenance of
existing systems. Must have extensive coding experience in a complex
relational database/data warehouse environment that includes title
matching for large volumes of data from various sources designing &
implementing technical solutions for research, data retrieval, delivery
and reporting. Send resumes to: Dbrainin@musicreports.com
http://www.musicreports.com
______________________

> MusicNet, Lead Program Manager - Seattle

Direct & manage the overall activities of a team of program managers &
coordinate cross-group and/or cross-division projects. Projects involve
assessing new technologies & developing product development plans,
estimating resources & costs, schedules & work development plans.
Bachelor's degree or equivalent in computer science, business or related
field, plus 3 years experience in project management and software
development.
Send resumes to: resumes@musicnet.com and include the job title.
http://www.musicnet.com
______________________

> The Sharper Image, Content Database Specialist - San Francisco

Manage The Sharper Image websites. Development & maintain ongoing
production schedules, updates, content & art placement. Produce style
guides for site continuity. Manage 3-person team involved in site content
management, updates and brand presentation. 3+ yrs. experience managing
people in a production or development setting required. Send resumes to:
tsi@rpc.webhire.com
http://www.sharperimage.com

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

> 9th Annual SHORTSPAN Film & Video Festival - Pacific Northwest Tour: Aug. 3-13

SHORT MOVIES! Dreamspan presents the 9TH Annual Short Attention Span Film & Video Festival. Shortspan is a non-stop two hour program of ALL NEW
two-minute-or-shorter films, including Michael Moore's "Testify," Canadian
David Weir's collaboration with Douglas Coupland, "Night Shift"-- and 57
more shorts! The tour kicks off in the Pacific Northwest and will travel
to 30 North American cities! Pac NW tour dates are:

VANCOUVER, B.C.: The Blinding Light Cinema - August 3rd and 4th - 8:30PM
SEATTLE, WA: 911 Media Arts Center - August 9th and 10th - 8PM
PORTLAND, OR: Northwest Film Center - August 12th and 13th - 7:30PM
http://www.dreamspan.com/shortspan
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> Human Resources Seminar: Recruitment, Retention and "Rightsizing"

"Managing Your People in the Current Market: Recruitment, Retention and
Rightsizing." The panelists will share their varied expertise on
compensation, outplacement, legal issues, employee communications, and
recruitment tools in the current market. When: Wednesday, July 25, 2001.
Where: McLean Hilton. For more information and to register for this event:
http://www.potomactechwire.com/seminar10.htm
______________________

> Digital Rights Management, September 20-21 - New York City

DRM for Sports, Media & Entertainment -- Learn How To Monetize & Protect
Content, Digital Assets & Intellectual Property. Featuring Forecasts, Case
Studies & Strategies from: AOL Time Warner, Sony Music, NY Times, National
Hockey League, A&E Networks, Microsoft Corporation, BET, Artisan,
Reciprocal, IBM, NASCAR Digital Entertainment and many more! Contact
dmitry@worldrg.com -- mention this ad for a special discount!
http://www.DRMconference.com
______________________

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Copyright 2001 Digital Media Wire