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DIGITAL MEDIA WIRE -- August 15, 2000
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To Subscribe For Free: http://www.digitalmediawire.com 
o RealNetworks Launches Online Subscription Service
o iXL Spins Off Digital Media Unit; Nearing Launch of LA Facility
o Freelance Writers File Lawsuit Against Internet Companies
o Judge Sides With Tickets.com In Ticketmaster Case
o Adamation Receives $9 Million Investment from HP
o iFuse Raises $5.3 Million in Second Round
o Stan Lee Media Announces Partnership With Venture Soft
o HBO.com To Stream Audio of Trainers During Boxing Matches
o Briefly Noted: Napster, Amplified – Zomba Recording,
Zeeks.com, GamesMagnet.com, Redband Broadcasting – 
Expedia Radio, Madge.web - Jumpcut
_____________________________________________
o RealNetworks Launches Online Subscription Service
Seattle, Wash. -- In a major movement into the content arena,
RealNetworks, a leading streaming media software developer, today launched
a subscription service that provides games, videos and music over the
Internet. The service, called RealPlayer GoldPass, offers subscribers a
package of concerts, sports programming, documentaries, celebrity news and
music for $9.95 a month. The move is a major shift for RealNetworks, which
has previously focused on the software side of the streaming media
business. The launch of the subscription service is accompanied by the
release of RealPlayer 8, RealJukebox 2, and RealDownload 4, software
products for digital media. "Twenty years ago the cable industry was born,
and over time it sparked the creation of a wealth of new programming and
new business models," said Rob Glaser, CEO of RealNetworks. "We think
today’s introduction of RealPlayer GoldPass will catalyze similar
developments over the Internet."
http://www.realnetworks.com/company/pressroom 
_____________________________________________
o iXL Spins Off Digital Media Unit; Nearing Launch of LA Facility
Los Angeles -- iXL, an Internet consulting firm, announced today that its
iXL-Live unit, which focuses on the creation and distribution of streaming
Internet advertising, will be spun off from the company and renamed
Digital Planet. The new unit will provide content creation, webcasts,
audiocasts, and other streaming media services to iXL clients. iXL said
that it will open a 25,000 square-foot production facility for Digital
Planet in Los Angeles at the end of the month. "Current interactive
marketing and advertising efforts online have minimal entertaining
qualities and bring little results," said Steven Chester, president of
iXL-Live. "We take a brand, develop an online marketing strategy for it
and produce an innovative way to communicate the message." Digital Planet
also announced today that it has formed strategic alliances with Talent
Entertainment Group and AniManagement, which will provide creative talent
to Digital Planet.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/000815/ca_ixl_dig.html 
_____________________________________________
o Freelance Writers File Lawsuit Against Internet Companies
San Francisco -- The Associated Press reported today that a group of
freelance writers has filed a lawsuit in federal court against a number of
online publishers, including Bell & Howell Information & Learning,
Northern Light Technology Corporation, and Thomson Corporation. The
lawsuit, which seeks class action status, argues that freelance writers
should receive part of the fees that users pay for downloading their
articles and stories on the Internet. The companies named in the lawsuit
usually pay print publishers for the content, but rarely pay the writers.
The suit claims that this activity violates copyright law. According to a
ruling by a New York federal appeals court last year, freelance authors
retain ownership of their works in digital format, unless they sign a
contract giving away those rights.
http://www.cnn.com/2000/LAW/08/15/free.lancesuit.ap/index.html 
_____________________________________________ 
o Judge Sides With Tickets.com In Court Case
Costa Mesa, Calif. -- Tickets.com announced that U.S. District Court Judge
Harry Hupp has denied Ticketmaster Corporation’s motion for a preliminary
injunction. The ruling allows Tickets.com to continue using a "webcrawler"
to compile information from the Ticketmaster web site. The ruling also
allows Tickets.com to continue to include links directly to interior pages
of the Ticketmaster site. Judge Hupp indicated that Ticketmaster’s chances
of eventually proving copyright infringement against Tickets.com, based on
the evidence he has seen, is low. The ruling said that Tickets.com’s
linking practice caused no harm to Ticketmaster’s business; instead he
said Ticketmaster receives "a beneficial effect in the referral of
customers" from the Tickets.com web site.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/000814/ca_tmcs_la.html 
http://www.tickets.com 
http://www.ticketmaster.com 
_____________________________________________
o Adamation Receives $9 Million Investment from HP
Oakland, Calif. – Adamation, Inc., an Oakland-based developer of
multimedia applications, today announced that it has secured $9 million in
funding from the Hewlett-Packard Company. Adamation said the investment
will be used to accelerate new digital media technology and the
development of new Internet services.  "Adamation’s demonstrated
creativity and deep knowledge of the digital media space makes it an
attractive company for HP to align with," said Craig White, president of
HP Credit Corporation. Adamation’s main software, called personalStudio,
is used for digital media editing. The company has also developed a
web-based international digital media exchange.
http://www.adamation.com 
_____________________________________________
o iFuse Raises $5.3 Million in Second Round
Los Angeles, Calif. -- iFuse, an Internet company that targets youth,
today announced that it has raised $5.3 million in its second round of
funding. The investors include the Coca-Cola Company, Cisneros Television
Group (CTG), The Interpublic Group, Alloy Online, and Odyssey Capital. The
company said the proceeds of the investment will be used to expand its
cross-media business strategy.
http://www.ifuse.com 
_____________________________________________
o Stan Lee Media Announces Partnership With Venture Soft
Los Angeles, Calif. -- Stan Lee Media (SLM), Inc., a multimedia
production, marketing, and licensing company founded by comic book artist
Stan Lee, today announced an agreement with Venture Soft, an Asian creator
and aggregator of animation. The joint venture will bring Stan Lee
superheroes and fantasy stories to Asia. Venture Soft has invested $5
million in Stan Lee Media; the two companies will own equal shares of the
joint venture.
http://www.stanleemedia.com 
_____________________________________________
o HBO.com To Stream Audio of Trainers During Boxing Matches
New York -- Reflecting the growing integration between the Internet and
television, HBO.com said it will deliver streaming audio from boxers’
trainers during boxing matches that are broadcast on HBO. The trainers
will be wired with microphones, allowing Internet users to hear their
conversations during the fight and between rounds. The first match to
feature the new service will be the Naseem Hamed vs. Augie Sanchez match
this weekend. In addition to the audio, HBO.com said it will also provide
an interactive scoreboard and behind-the-scenes coverage of the fight over
the Internet.
http://www.hbo.com 
_____________________________________________
o Briefly Noted:
(Los Angeles) Reuters reported today that lawyers for Napster are putting
the final touches on a brief due in court on Friday.
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20000815/re/music_napster_dc_1.html 
(Atlanta, GA)  Amplified, an online business-to-business company for audio
and video products, today announced a partnership with Zomba Recording
Corporation, an independent music group. Under the deal, Amplified will
distribute Zomba’s music in digital download format.
http://www.amplified.com 
http://www.jiverecords.com 
(Portland, OR)  Zeeks.com, an entertainment and games web site aimed at
kids between the ages of 6 and 13, announced today a content agreement
with America Online. Under the agreement, Zeeks.com will be an anchor
tenant on AOL’s "Kids Only" channel.
http://www.zeeks.com 
(San Diego, Calif.)  GamesMagnet.com, a developer of interactive
entertainment software, today announced the creation of its "Virtual
Athlete" game, an online contest that will allow users to compete in
"virtual versions" of national and international sporting events. The
first event will be a track and field race; users will be able to "train"
up to 40 virtual athletes. The users can then enter the athletes in a
variety of races. The winners will receive prizes.
http://www.gamesmagnet.com 
(San Francisco, Calif.)  Redband Broadcasting, a company providing audio
content and services over the Internet, announced today that it will be
the online distributor for Expedia Radio. Expedia, a leading travel web
site, produces a one-hour audio program focused on travel.
http://www.redband.com/expedia 
(Wexham Springs, UK)  Madge.web, a British-based provider of content
applications and network services, announced today an alliance with
Jumpcut, Inc., a multimedia applications provider specializing in live
events.
http://www.jumpcut.com 
http://www.madge.com 
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