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Past Editions

===================================================
DIGITAL MEDIA WIRE -- Sept. 13, 2000
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To Subscribe For Free: http://www.digitalmediawire.com/

o Inktomi Acquires FastForward Networks For $1.3 Billion
o WSJ: FCC May Force AOL To Open Up Instant-Messaging
o Variety To Launch New Digital Entertainment Magazine
o CNET: Atomic Pop Has Laid of Most of Its Employees
o Briefly Noted: Cidera - Wavo, Media 100, MP3.com,
Revelations Entertainment, Musicmaker.com, NBCi, Napster case,
Apple - iMovie 2, eatsleepmusic.com, shockwave.com,
AudioBasket - CNNRadio, Throttlebox.com, QuArc
_____________________________________________

o Inktomi Acquires FastForward Networks For $1.3 Billion

Foster City, Calif. -- Inktomi Corp., a leading Internet infrastructure
company, announced on Wednesday that it will buy FastForward Networks, a
developer of technology for online broadcasting, for about $1.3 billion in
stock. Once the deal is completed, San Francisco-based FastForward
Networks will become Inktomi's "Media Division," which will be headed by
FastForward's co-founder Abhay Parekh. The acquisition will allow Inktomi
to quickly enter the live Internet broadcasting market.
http://www.inktomi.com/new/press/fastforward.html
_____________________________________________

o WSJ: FCC May Force AOL To Open Up Instant-Messaging

Washington, DC -- The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that
federal regulators may force America Online to open up its
instant-messaging service to competitors in order to win regulatory
approval for its merger with Time-Warner. The Jounal said that a FCC
proposal being considered would force AOL to open its instant-messaging
services to users of other messaging services with six months of the
merger. FCC officials also have said that they may force Time-Warner to
open up its cable lines to competitors before approveing the merger.
http://cbs.marketwatch.com/archive/20000913/news/current/aol_twx.htx?
_____________________________________________

o Variety To Launch Digital Entertainment Magazine

Hollywood, Calif. -- Variety, a leading entertainment publication, will
launch a new monthly magazine called eV later this month that will focus
on the convergence of show business, technology, and finance. It will
launch on Sept. 21. Last month, The Industry Standard and Inside.com
announced that they are developing a digital media magazine of their own.
http://www.variety.com/ev
_____________________________________________

o CNET: Atomic Pop Has Laid of Most of its Employees

(Santa Monica, Calif.) CNET reported that Atomic Pop, an Internet-based
music label, has laid off most of its 25-person staff. The Santa
Monica-based company, which raised nearly $10 million, was founded by Al
Teller, a former CEO of MCA Music Entertainment Group and former president
of CBS Records. He had aspirations of making Atomic Pop an Internet-based
record label and content site. The company had partnership deals with
several well-known artists, including Public Enemy, Ice T and the Pixies.
CNET reported that an employee of the company said that Atomic Pop had run
out of funding and was unable to attract new backers. It joins a growing
list of digital media companies -- including DEN and Pop.com -- that have
closed down or scaled back their operations this year.
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-2762350.html?tag=st.ne.1005.thed.ni
http://www.atomicpop.com/
_____________________________________________

o Briefly Noted:

(Laurel, Md.) Maryland-based Cidera, a satellite broadcaster of Internet
content, announced that it has agreed to buy the satellite network
division of Arizona-based WAVO Corporation for $14.5 million. Under the
deal, Cidera will enter into a service agreement with WAVO to provide
Internet-based media delivery services to Cidera customers.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/000912/az_wavo_ci.html

(Marlboro, Mass.) An Upside magazine article profiles Massachusetts-based
Media 100, a video production company that is increasingly moving into
streaming media. The article said that John Molinari, the head of the
company, has been instrumental in shifting the company to the Internet.
"John Molinari is betting on the numbers: 128 Kbps, specifically," the
article said. "That's the minimum speed necessary to make 'webcasting' --
the Internet distribution of digitized audio and video information -- not
only a household word, but also a passionate habit embraced by consumers
and professionals alike."
http://www.upside.com/Ebiz/39aefdfb0.html

(San Diego) MP3.com's CEO Michael Robertson said in a statement on Tuesday
that his company is continuing to negotiate with Universal Music, which
won a legal victory last week in its lawsuit against MP3.com. U.S.
District Judge Jed Rakoff ruled that MP3.com had "willfully" infringed on
Universal Music's copyrights. The judge will next determine the damage
awards.
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20000912/tc/mpcom_universal_dc_2.html

(Santa Monica, Calif.)  Revelations Entertainment, a production company
co-owned by actor Morgan Freeman, announced that it is working with Intel
Corporation to develop new technology for "digital cinematography." The
company said the project is based on the belief that all films will
eventually be shot digitally. "I believe that the current trend toward
more digital effects in film will continue until digital cinematography is
the norm, not the 'event' that it is now," said Freeman.
http://www.revelationsent.com

(Reston, Va.) Musicmaker.com, a provider of custom music CDs over the
Internet, announced that Robert Bernardi has resigned as chairman of the
company. Virginia-based Musicmaker.com has seen its stock price drop from
a high of $18 about a year ago to under $1 on Tuesday. Devarajan
Puthukarai, president and CEO of the company, will assume responsibilities
as chairman of the board.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/000911/va_musicma.html

(San Francisco) NBC Internet announced that Anthony Altig has been
appointed Chief Financial Officer of the company. He had been serving as
acting CFO of the company for the last four months. Prior to joining NBCi,
Altig was Chief Accounting Officer at marchFIRST, formerly called USWeb
Corporation.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/000912/ca_nbci_ap.html

(San Francisco) Upside magazine reports that the U.S. government has filed
papers with the appeals court hearing the Napster case that support
arguments made by the recording industry. On Friday, the US Copyright
Office filed papers with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal that disputes
Napster's contention that the 1992 Audio Home Recording Act shields it
from piracy claims by the recording industry. The Copyright Office said
Napster's argument "depends on the wholesale disregard for what (the act)
actually says."
http://www.upside.com/News/39bd778e0.html

(Paris) Apple today introduced a new line of its iBook laptop computers
that contain iMovie 2, a leading digital video editing program. Apple said
it is also releasing two new colors for the iBook: Indigo and Graphite.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/000913/apple_iboo.html

(Ottawa, Canada) Eatsleepmusic.com, a music web site, announced that it
will use services from Akamai Technologies to speed up the delivery of its
music on the web. Canada-based Eastsleepmusic.com is developing a PC-based
Karaoke service.
http://biz.yahoo.com/cnw/000912/akamai_del.html

(San Francisco, Calif.)  Shockwave.com today announced the formation of a
Japanese joint venture company, called shockwave.com KK. The venture will
launch a site that will provide games, animation clips, music, and other
digital content aimed at a Japanese audience.
http://www.shockwave.com
http://www.jp.shockwave.com

(San Francisco, Calif.)  AudioBasket, a provider of audio news and
information, today announced that CNNRadio will provide its programming to
the AudioBasket service. "When a respected news source like CNNRadio
recognizes the viability of a service that enables listeners to get their
desired audio content more readily and conveniently, it is very
validating," said Thierry d'Allant, vice president of content and business
development for AudioBasket.
http://www.audiobasket.com

(Johnson City, NY)  Throttlebox.com has said that it is benefiting from
the controversy surrounding the online peer-to-peer exchange services such
as Napster and Scour. Throttlebox holds license agreements with several
major record labels including Warner Brothers, Elektra Records, and
Atlantic Records. "While the industry continues to debate licensing issues
-- and some sites have been forced to rethink their operating models --
our licensed content has proven a great benefit," said Drew Saur, CTO at
Throttlebox.
http://www.throttlebox.com

(Santa Clara, Calif.) QuArc, Inc., a provider of digital multimedia
technology, today announced it has secured $5 million in venture funding
from private investors.
http://www.quarc.com
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