archives

o Digital Entertainment Device Sales Strong in First Half of 2001
o Excite@Home Says It May Not Last Much Longer
o Hewlett-Packard to Release Recordable DVD Drive Based on DVD+RW
> DMW Panel Discussion: Microsoft vs. AOL | August 30 | D.C.
> DMW Panel Discussion: iTV | Sept. 5 | New York
o Briefly Noted: Liberate Technologies - Dreamcity Media, Microsoft - Bob
Dylan, Brilliant Digital - Russell Simmons, Hilary Rosen, Xbox - Canada -
Japan, YesVideo - PictureStage.com, WorldGate - Cogeco Cable, NetRadio,
Bjork Remix Web
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> Job Postings: Client Service Rep., Editor at Large

> Events/Services: "SHORTSPAN Film & Video Festival: SF BAY AREA Tour,
August 17th-20th," "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 Digital Entertainment Device Sales Strong in First Half of 2001

Port Washington, N.Y. -- Despite a slowing economy, sales of digital
entertainment devices like DVD players, digital TVs, personal video
recorders and MP3 players during the first six months of 2001 experienced
growth over sales figures from the same period a year ago, according to a
report released Monday by market research firm NPD Intellect. Sales of
digital TVs increased 230 percent, while sales of personal video recorders
like TiVo and UltimateTV are up 198.5 percent. A drop in the average price
of these products -- such as DVD players, which now cost on average $205
vs. $273 one year ago -- have contributed to increased sales figures. DVD
player sales are up 93.5 percent in the first six months of 2001.
http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/f_headline.cgi?day0/212322363&ticker=
http://www.npd.com
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o Excite@Home Says It May Not Last Much Longer

Redwood City, Calif. -- Excite@Home, a provider of high-speed Internet
access and entertainment content through a Web portal, disclosed in a
revision of its recent quarterly financial results report that it may not
be able to continue operations. The company previously announced that it
would need substantial funding before December 31, 2001 in order to
continue operations, and the lack of interested investors combined with
the fact that the company's stock is in danger of being delisted from the
Nasdaq compelled it to make the announcement. If Excite@Home is delisted,
stipulations on a $100 million debt could be recalled and those funds
would have to be returned immediately. The company has been looking to
sell its media assets for several months, and says it plans to execute a
reverse stock split to try to raise its share price above the $1 Nasdaq
minimum. Excite@Home shares closed the day Monday at $0.46.
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1004-200-6928152.html?tag=mn_hd
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010820/wr/tech_exciteathome_dc_1.html
http://www.excite.com
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o Hewlett-Packard to Release Recordable DVD Drive Based on DVD+RW

Palo Alto, Calif. -- PC maker Hewlett-Packard announced on Monday that it
will begin shipping its first combination recordable DVD and recordable CD
drive to stores in September. The $600 device is based on the DVD+RW
standard, and will let consumers transfer both their analog and digital
home movies to DVD by connecting their PC to a VCR or digital camcorder.
HP-branded DVD+RW discs will be sold for $16. The DVD+RW format -- one of
three competing formats for recording video onto optical discs -- is also
supported by Philips, Sony, Ricoh, Yamaha, Dell and RCA.
http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/f_headline.cgi?day0/212320220&ticker=hwp
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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
_____________________________________________

> 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:

(Seoul, South Korea) Liberate Technologies, a provider of software for
interactive television, announced on Monday that it has partnered with
digital TV operator Dreamcity Media to provide iTV services to the Korean
market. Seoul-based Dreamcity Media said that technical trials of the
service will begin later this year, with volume deployments beginning in
early 2002. San Carlos, Calif.-based Liberate provides operating system
software for set-top boxes used to deliver interactive TV to consumers.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/010820/sfm035a_2.html
http://www.liberate.com
http://www.dreamcity.co.kr

(New York) Microsoft announced on Monday that its WindowsMedia.com will
offer a promotional track from Bob Dylan's upcoming album, "Love and
Theft," due in stores on September 20. The free "Po' Boy" download will
time out on users' hard drives after one year, when it will no longer be
accessible.
http://WindowsMedia.com/previewv2/bobdylan

(Los Angeles) Brilliant Digital Entertainment, a developer of 3-D content
creation technology, announced on Monday that company president Kevin
Bermeister has assumed the additional role of CEO, replacing Mark Dyne,
who will remain as chairman. The company also announced that Def Jam
Records founder Russell Simmons has joined its board of directors. Simmons
is partnered with Los Angeles-based Brilliant Digital on a digital
production company joint venture called Digital Hip Hop.
http://www.brilliantdigital.com/content.asp?skin=BDE1&ID=731

(New York) The New York Times on Monday offered a feature story on Hilary
Rosen, CEO of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Rosen
is the major labels' chief lobbyist in Washington, who helped to get the
Digital Millennium Copyright Act passed and is arguably the most vocal
opponent of Napster. Former RIAA CEO Jay Berman told the Times that a
motivating factor in the major labels' legal barrage against Napster was
to gain time for them to develop their own online distribution. "[The
labels] were putting pressure on Hilary to do as much as humanly possible
from a legal perspective to give them time to figure it out." Rosen is
also actively involved in the current Copyright Office hearings that will
determine what royalty rates are paid to stream music online.
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/20/technology/20ROSE.html
http://www.riaa.org

(Mississauga, Ontario) Microsoft Canada said that it will release the
company's Xbox video game console on November 8, the same date on which
the console will be available in the U.S. The Xbox will cost $460
Canadian, about the same as in the U.S. Microsoft also said that it will
announce on August 27 the release date for the game in Japan.
http://www.microsoft.com/canada
http://www.microsoft.com/japan

(San Jose, Calif.) YesVideo announced on Monday the launch of
PictureStage.com, an online service where users can send in their home
videocassettes and have them transferred onto DVD. The site was created as
a joint venture between Panasonic -- which will market the site on
software included with its digital cameras and camcorders -- ArcSoft and
San Jose-based YesVideo.
http://www.picturestage.com
http://www.yesvideo.com
http://www.arcsoft.com

(Montreal) Interactive TV provider WorldGate said on Monday that it has
been selected by Canada's fourth-largest cable provider, Cogeco Cable, to
deploy iTV services to the company's 108,000 digital cable subscribers. A
staged launch of WorldGate's intearactive TV service will occur in the
fourth quarter of this year, with full commercial deployment coming
shortly thereafter.
http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/f_headline.cgi?day0/212322401&ticker=wgat
http://www.wgate.com
http://www.cogecocable.com

(Minneapolis) NetRadio, a provider of webcasted music and information
channels, announced on Monday that it has appointed Cary L. Deacon as its
new CEO. Deacon replaces interim CEO Eric Paulson, who will remain
chairman of the company. Previously, Deacon was COO of in-flight catalog
company SkyMall.
http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/f_headline.cgi?day0/212322543&ticker=netrc
http://www.netradio.com

(New York) The New York Times ran a feature story on Monday that profiled
"Bjork Remix Web," a site where fans and amateur remix recording artists
can download songs from the Icelandic singer, use computer audio editing
software to create remixes of her songs, and share them with the community
of fans. The site -- although not officially sanctioned by Bjork, who has
authorized a large number of remixes of her music from diverse artists --
has amassed a library of some 800 remixes.
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/20/arts/20ARTS.html
http://www.arktikos.com/bjork/

===================================================
Job Postings:
===================================================
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
______________________

> 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

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

> SHORTSPAN Film & Video Festival, SF Bay Area Tour, August 17th- 20th

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 from Tokyo: a flying,
spinach-eating, ultra-modern woman in "Lady-GO!", the mixed up antics of a
cartoon character gone sinister in "Butchu-Kan" and 57 more shorts! The
tour will travel to 30 North American cities. SF Bay Area tour dates
include:

SAN FRANCISCO, CA: The Castro Theatre - August 17th -8PM & 10PM
SAN RAFAEL, CA: The Rafael Film Center -August 18th - 7PM and 9:15PM
OAKLAND, CA: The Parkway Theatre - August 19th - 9PM
BERKELEY, CA: The Jupiter Outdoor Cinema - August 20th - 9PM

More info: http://www.dreamspan.com/shortspan
______________________

> 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