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DIGITAL MEDIA WIRE -- August 3, 2000
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To Subscribe For Free: http://www.digitalmediawire.com 
o ScreamingMedia's IPO Faces Cool Reception On Wall Street
o FCC's Broadband Usage Report Shows 1.6% National Penetration Rate
o iCast.com Purchases Short Film Site Shortbuzz.com
o How2TV Receives $8 Million From Chase
o Briefly Noted: iBEAM, Akoo.com - ArtistEnt.com/PatroNet.com,
MTV.com, Be Here Corporation - Playboy.com, Solutions Media - 
MobileEngines, Startup.com, PrimeShot.com - Baltimore Ravens,
360hiphop.com, "Brady Bunch Survivor"
_____________________________________________
o ScreamingMedia's IPO Receives Cool Reception On Wall Street 

New York - In a major blow to the Internet content sector, online
syndication company ScreamingMedia saw its share price drop by 12%
immediately following its initial public offering (IPO) on Thursday. New
York-based ScreamingMedia, which raised $60 million from the IPO, was
initially priced at $12; the company’s stock closed the day at $10.50.
Analysts said that ScreamingMedia, which syndicates articles and other
content to web sites, was unable to convince investors that it is
fundamentally different from other content companies, which have seen
their share prices plummet this year. The company’s ticker symbol is SCRM.
http://www.screamingmedia.com
_____________________________________________

o FCC's Broadband Usage Report Shows 1.6% Penetration Rate
Washington, DC -- The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a
report on Thursday that concludes that broadband service is being deployed
in a "timely fashion" despite a national penetration rate of just 1.6% of
households. The FCC said its "Broadband Survey" is the first systematic,
nationwide study by the government on broadband usage. The report showed
that there were approximately 2.1 million broadband users at the end of
1999. The number of cable modem subscribers rose by 150 percent in 1999,
while high-speed telephone line services grew by 380 percent last year.
Rural areas and low-income areas had extremely low rates of broadband
usage -- a fact that troubled the FCC.  In a modest list of proposals at
the end of the survey, the FCC said it would like to promote high-speed
connections in underserved regions through schools and libraries, and make
more wireless spectrum available for broadband services. The FCC also said
it will examine whether it should establish a national mandate to force
cable companies to allow multiple Internet service providers on their
lines.
http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Common_Carrier/News_Releases/2000/nrcc0040.html 
_____________________________________________
o iCast.com Purchases Short Film Site Shortbuzz.com
New York – iCast.com, a webcasting company, has acquired Shortbuzz.com, an
Internet site for short films that has over 400 titles. The financial
terms of the deal were not disclosed. New York-based Shortbuzz.com allows
filmmakers to webcast their shorts over the Internet without signing an
exclusivity agreement with the site. "We were all on the same page with a
similar philosophy of what we could do for filmmakers," said Robert
Algeri, co-founder of Shortbuzz.com.
http://www.icast.com 
http://www.shortbuzz.com 
_____________________________________________
o How2TV Receives $8 Million From Chase
Los Angeles, Calif. – How2TV, an Internet content provider for
manufacturers, retailers, and e-commerce sites, today announced that it
has raised $8 million through a private placement. Chase Capital Partners
and Chase Capital Entertainment Partners led the investment.  Los
Angeles-based How2TV develops video and interactive applications that help
consumers understand how to install and operate complex products and
technology.
http://www.How2TV.com 
_____________________________________________
o Briefly Noted:
(Sunnyvale, Calif.) iBEAM Broadcasting Corp., a streaming media network,
today announced that Geoffrey Ribar has been named its new chief financial
officer. Ribar was formerly CFO of Packard Bell NEC. He replaces Chris
Dier, who said he was leaving the company to pursue personal interests
that might including teaching.
http://www.ibeam.com 
(Elmwood Park, IL) Akoo.com, an Illinois-based Internet entertainment
network, today announced a partnership with ArtistEnt.com/PatroNet.com, a
New York-based content distribution company. Under the terms of the
agreement, Akoo.com will use programs from ArtistEnt.com and PatroNet.com
on its site.
http://www.akoo.com 
http://www.ArtistNet/PatroNet.com 
(Los Angeles, Calif.) MTV.com said it will broadcast a live cybercast of
“Lit”, an alternative rock band from Orange County, at 9:00 p.m. EST on
Sunday, August 6.
http://www.mtv.com 
(Cupertino, Calif.) Be Here Corporation, a Cupertino-based provider of
360-degree Internet video technology, along with Playboy.com and Players
Network, a gaming and entertainment company, today announced a
partnership. The three companies said they will use 360-degree streaming
video technology for the online broadcast of Playboy’s "Wet and Wild"
swimsuit fashion show.
http://www.playboy.com 
http://www.playersnetwork.com 
http://www.behere.com 
(San Diego, Calif.)  Solutions Media, Inc., the San Diego-based parent
company of SpinRecords.com, today announced a partnership with
MobileEngines, a wireless entertainment company. Under the deal,
MobileEngines will help San Diego-based SpinRecords.com offer its content
on wireless devices. SpinRecords.com said it will charge wireless users
$4.95 per month to download on Internet-enabled wireless devices an
unlimited amount of its digital recordings and live concerts.
http://www.spinrecords.com 
(New York) Artisan Entertainment, a New York-based independent film
distribution company, announced today that it has acquired the documentary
film titled "Startup.com." The film examines the creation and development
of govWorks.com, a New York based start-up company that focuses on
government services. Artisan said it plans to show the film at next year’s
Sundance Film Festival. "Startup.com" was created by Chris Hegedus and
D.A. Pennebaker, who won an Academy Award for "The War Room."
(Washington, D.C.) DC-based PrimeShot.com, an Internet company offering
professional photography services, today announced a partnership with the
Baltimore Ravens football team. Under the partnership, PrimeShot.com will
take photos of fans at the Raven’s training camp, at all home games and
during special team events. Individuals will be able to view the pictures
and order prints on a co-branded web site.
http://www.primeshot.com 
http://www.ravenszone.net 
(New York) 360hiphop.com, a web site focused on hip-hop culture, announced
today that it has formed a three-year exclusive partnership with Jay-Z and
Roc-A-Fella Enterprises to develop both off-line and online programming
for the Internet.
http://www.360hiphop.com 
(Santa Monica, Calif.)  Little sister Cindy will be the first of the six
Brady children to be voted off the island of Palau Suburbia in a
Zap2it.com online spoof called, "Brady Bunch Survivor," taken from the TV
series, "Survivor."  Users visiting the Zap2it.com, a site that provides
TV program listings and other event news, vote off cast members from the
online show.
http://www.zap2it.com 
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