archives

o Entertainment Device Maker OpenGlobe Raises $15 Million in First Round
o Interactive TV Firm ICTV Raises Third Round Funding, Appoints CEO
o Streamwaves, EMI Launch Christian Music Subscription Service
o World Wrestling Federation Loses WWF.com to World Wildlife Fund
> DMW Panel Discussion: Microsoft vs. AOL | August 30 | D.C.
> DMW Panel Discussion: iTV | Sept. 5 | New York
o Briefly Noted: Sega Dreamcast, Versaly Games - Jimi Hendrix, BBC -
OpenTV, Reuters - AvantGo, Loudeye Technologies, "Software double bind"
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> Job Postings: Client Service Rep., Jr. Web Designer, Editor at Large

> Events/Services: "SHORTSPAN Film & Video Festival - Pacific Northwest
Tour," "Free Web Demonstration"

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
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o Entertainment Device Maker OpenGlobe Raises $15 Million in First Round

Indianapolis, In. -- OpenGlobe, a developer of Internet-enabled consumer
entertainment devices and software, announced on Monday that it has raised
$14.9 million in its first round of venture capital financing. Lazard
Freres & Co. led the investment round; Baystar Capital, Lazard Venture
Advisors, Texas Instruments Incorporated and individual investors also
participated. Indianapolis-based OpenGlobe said additional funds in the
amount of $2- $4 million will be raised as the round remains open.
OpenGlobe develops devices that combine PC-like technology that lets users
access Web-based audio and video with other products such as DVD and CD
players. The company also develops software that helps manage and
customize personal media collections. OpenGlobe said it will use the funds
for product development.
http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/f_headline.cgi?day0/212252233&ticker=
http://www.openglobe.com
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o Interactive TV Firm ICTV Raises Third Round Funding, Appoints CEO

Los Gatos, Calif. -- ICTV, a provider of broadband systems for interactive
television to cable TV operators, announced that it has closed its third
round of venture capital financing from undisclosed investors. ICTV also
said it has appointed company president Wes Hoffman to the additional role
of CEO. Hoffman replaces Robert Clasen as chief executive, who will remain
with the company as chairman. Los Gatos-based ICTV said the funding should
take it well into next year, when scheduled deployments of its interactive
TV product to consumers are expected to begin generating revenue. In the
fall, ICTV will deploy interactive TV services to 72,000 Charter
Communications cable subscribers in Michigan.
http://www.ictv.com/html/news/index.html#funding
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o Streamwaves, EMI Launch Christian Music Subscription Service

Dallas -- Streamwaves, a developer of digital music subscription services,
announced on Monday the launch of its Christian music subscription
service, HigherWaves.com. The streaming music service was launched after
Streamwaves signed licensing agreements with EMI Christian Music Group,
Universal Music Group and others to provide music. "Streamwaves and EMI
CMG are to be applauded for their partnership," said Hilary Rosen,
president and CEO of the Recording Industry Association of
America. "This alliance reflects the recording industry's continuing
efforts to bring its listeners secure and reliable access to licensed
music. I am confident that this will be the first of many such
label-subscription services." HigherWaves.com allows users to listen to
entire CDs and create playlists using Microsoft's digital audio and
content protection technology, but they may not download songs or transfer
them to a portable player. An introductory price of $8.39 for HigherWaves
is available until August 31, when the regular fee of $13.99 will begin
being charged to subscribers' credit cards each month.
http://www.higherwaves.com/IE4/popUps/press/higherwaves%20final_1.htm
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o World Wrestling Federation Loses WWF.com to World Wildlife Fund

London -- A judge has ruled that the World Wrestling Federation must
relinquish its WWF.com domain name, may no longer use the initials WWF in
print advertisements, and may only use "WWF" orally to promote itself in
the United States, the Associated Press reported on Monday. The World
Wrestling Federation said it will appeal the ruling. The World Wildlife
Fund, a non-profit known for its efforts on behalf of panda bears and
nature in general, sued the company for trademark violations dating from a
1994 agreement between the two sides that limited use of the initials. In
his ruling, the judge said that the World Wrestling Federation has ignored
the contract since 1997. He also acknowledged that it might cost as much
as $50 million for the WWF to re-brand itself, but added that some of the
company's arguments in court were "astonishingly poor."
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-6860366.html?tag=cd_mh
http://www.wwf.com
http://www.wwf.org
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> Digital Media Wire Presents a Panel Discussion:
"Microsoft vs. AOL: The Battle of the Internet Titans"

McLean, VA | Thursday, August 30th at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner

This panel of journalists, policymakers and others will discuss the
increasing rivalry between these two monolithic companies -- and how their
competition will affect the development of the Internet for years to come.
For more information and to register:
http://www.digitalmediawire.com/DCbattle.html

MODERATOR:
Paul Sherman - Editor | Potomac Tech Wire

SPEAKERS:
Declan McCullagh - Washington Bureau Chief | Wired News
Edmund Sanders - Staff Writer | Los Angeles Times
***Additional Panelists TBA***

MEDIA SPONSOR: Potomac Tech Wire

For more information and to register:
http://www.digitalmediawire.com/DCbattle.html
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> Digital Media Wire & iLounge Present a Panel Discussion:
"iTV: Defining the New Face of Television"

NYC | Wednesday, September 5th at the Verizon Headquarters

This panel of players ranging from content providers to middleware
developers will discuss the new face of television, which will include an
amalgam 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/NYCitv.html

MODERATOR:
Lydia Loizides - Senior Analyst | Jupiter Media Metrix

SPEAKERS:
Sean Bratches - EVP, Affiliate Sales & Marketing | ESPN
Tim Larcombe - Regional President iTV, North America | AGENCY.com
David Nathanson - VP, Broadband Strategy & Channel Development | FOX
***Additional Panelists TBA***

SPONSOR: Verizon

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

o Briefly Noted:

(San Francisco) Sega Entertainment announced on Monday that it will
discount the retail price of its Dreamcast video game console from $100 to
$80. The move is part of its plan to exit the console business and focus
exclusively on developing games. Sega ended production of the Dreamcast in
January, when it first reduced the game's retail price from $150 to $100.
http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/f_headline.cgi?day0/212250026&ticker=
http://www.sega.com/pc/segastore/SegaProduct.jhtml;$sessionid$KCKDBPQAACB
KUCRSBUKCM4QKGIGQUMS0?CATID=37&PRODID=53

(Seattle) Mobile entertainment provider Versaly Games said on Monday that
it has reached an agreement with Experience Hendrix, LLC to distribute
music, concert videos, digital pictures, lyrics and interesting facts on
Jimi Hendrix to cell phones. Financial terms of the deal were not
disclosed. Experience Hendrix is a company founded by the family of the
late musician to manage and license his name, likeness and music.
Seattle-based Versaly Games produces content for 2.5 and 3G "smartphones,"
that combine portable devices like cell phones, MP3 players and PDAs.
http://www.versaly.com

(London) The BBC and interactive TV operating system provider OpenTV said
on Monday that 4.5 million total BSkyB digital TV subscribers accessed
interactive services during the BBC broadcasts of Wimbledon and the
British Open golf tournament. An average of 900,000 viewers accessed iTV
content each day during the 14-day Wimbledon tennis tournament, while
about 500,000 viewers each day accessed British Open content -- nearly
half of the total BSkyB audience for the event. The Wimbledon broadcast
offered a choice of five different camera angles for viewers to choose
from, and both events offered statistics and player information.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/010813/130147.html
http://www.opentv.com

(New York) News organization Reuters said on Monday that it will make its
Internet news and picture service -- Reuters US Online Reports --
available to mobile device users through the AvantGo mobile Internet
service. San Mateo, Calif.-based AvantGo provides news and entertainment
content tailored for handheld devices such as Palm Pilots to 3 million
subscribers, either over wireless connections or by synchronization with a
PC.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/010813/132192.html
http://www.avantgo.com
http://www.reuters.org

(Seattle) Loudeye Technologies, a provider of song samples and other
streaming media services to retail websites, announced on Monday that it
has appointed David Weld as its new president and chief operating officer.
Previously, Weld served as senior vice president and general manager of
Seattle-based Loudeye's digital media services group. Prior to joining
Loudeye, Weld co-founded and served as CEO of multimedia software firm
Alive.com, which Loudeye acquired in 1999.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/010813/sfm051.html
http://www.loudeye.com

(New York) The New York Times on Monday offered an analysis ("Software
Double Bind") of recent challenges to the controversial Digital Millennium
Copyright Act. The article profiles the legal battle of Dmitry Sklyarov --
the Russian hacker who recently became the first person to be arrested and
prosecuted under the legislations. It also raises the issue of traditional
fair use of copyrighted materials and the "double bind" that the DMCA has
created: making copies of copyrighted digital media files for personal use
is still protected by law. However, breaking the copy-protection
technology added to these files -- which must be done in order to make a
copy -- is now a criminal act under the DMCA.
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/13/technology/ebusiness/13NECO.html?0813inside

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

> Verance, Client Service Rep. (Western Region) - Los Angeles

Responsible for the day-to-day servicing of the advertiser/agency client
base, which includes training clients in all aspects of utilizing the
various Media Information Group systems and product offerings, encoding
content, utilizing the website for registering content, producing and
understanding reports and utilizing these reports to further their
respective business. Minimum 3 years advertising industry-related
experience.
Send resumes to: jobs@verance.com
http://www.verance.com
______________________

> Maxim Online, Jr. Web Designer - New York City

Must have experience with Photoshop, Illustrator, HTML, Fireworks, and
understand multiple browser and platform issues. Responsibilities include:
designing marketing contests and advertorial projects; designing party
pages to promote magazine events; designing banners to promote marketing
and editorial projects; and maintaining subscription pages throughout the
Maxim website.
Send resumes & URLs to: maximonlinejobs@hotmail.com
http://www.maximonline.com
______________________

> CNET Networks, Editor at Large - San Francisco

This newsroom leader is expected to write an average of 1-3 stories per
day if needed, and on a more analytical & exclusive basis than the average
reporter's assignment. Other duties include proposing and writing Special
Reports, news analyses, features and investigative stories. This position
also plays a key role at budget meetings, performs editing functions as
needed and serves as a mentor for less experienced reporters.
Send resumes to: careers@cnet.com and seanl@cnet.com
http://www.cnet.com

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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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> Free Web Demonstration: Learn How A Federal Agency Saved $36 Million

Leading organizations are saving millions by more effectively managing
their company's diversified operations and scarce resources. With Pacific
Edge Software's project portfolio management solution, you'll get a clear
snapshot of your business, enabling you to balance strategic and tactical
requirements, so you can make informed business decisions. For more
information on how you can better manage your business, please visit
http://www.pacificedge.com/campaigns/digitalmedia
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Copyright 2001 Digital Media Wire