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DIGITAL MEDIA WIRE -- Sept. 14, 2000
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o Bertelsmann Creates $1 Billion European Venture Fund
o Artisan Entertainment Launches New Media Unit
o MP3.com To Distribute Music In Grocery Stores
o NBA To Take 10% Stake in New Intel-Supported Company
o Napster Files Defiant Brief To Appeals Court
o Briefly Noted: Washington Post - Barry Diller, Global Sports -
Comcast Corp., TiVo - AOL, Cinema Entertainment Group,
Eastman Kodak, MP3.com - DeCSS, FoxSports.com -
OurOlympics.com
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o Bertelsmann Creates $1 Billion European Venture Fund
Hanover -- Reflecting the increasing growth of new media ventures in
Europe, Bertelsmann, one of the largest media companies in the world,
announced the creation of a new $1 billion venture capital firm, called
eBertelsmann. The fund will invest in new media and Internet companies in
Europe. Bertelsmann's other venture groups -- including G+J Ventures,
Random House Ventures, BMG Ventures -- will be integrated into the new
fund.
http://www.bertelsmann.com/
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o Artisan Entertainment Launches New Media Unit
New York -- Artisan Entertainment, an independent movie distributor, today
launched a new business unit, called Artisan Digital Media, that will
oversee the company's digital media initiatives, including a new $50
million venture capital fund called iArtisan. Artisan, which distributed
the Blair Witch Project, has been one of the most effective promoters of
films over the Internet. The new venture fund will focus on new media
companies that provide technologies for the creation and delivery of rich
media content to consumers. iArtisan was formed under a partnership with
several private equity firms, including Grove Street Advisors and Audax
Ventures.
http://www.artisanent.com
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o MP3.com To Distribute Music In Grocery Stores
San Diego -- Online music company MP3.com, which is currently engaged in a
bitter lawsuit with Universal, announced today an agreement with Adergy, a
firm that produces and places audio advertising messages in grocery stores
and retail locations. Under the deal, Adergy will become the first
national reseller for MP3.com's Retail Music Services Division. San
Diego-based MP3.com said the agreement will help it reach a broader market
base and distribute its music services to grocery and retail stores
throughout the country.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/000914/ca_mp3_com.html
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o NBA To Take 10% Stake in New Intel-Supported Company
Vienna, Va -- Intel and the National Basketball Association (NBA) have
announced a partnership to develop and distribute interactive NBA content
over the Internet. The agreement is aimed at developing broadband
programming and interactive game broadcasts for the NBA. Under the terms
of the deal, the NBA will acquire a 10% stake in a new Intel-supported
company, called Convera Corporation. The company is being formed by Intel
and Virginia-based Excalibur Technologies; it will focus on providing
content providers such as the NBA with the latest audio, video and
computer technology to produce interactive programs.
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20000913/tc/intel_nba_dc_1.html
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o Napster Files Defiant Brief To Appeals Court
Los Angeles -- In recently filed court papers, a defiant Napster told a
federal appeals court that it should be allowed to remain in operation
during the recording industry's trial against the company. The filing is
Napster's final written presentation to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
before oral arguments that are scheduled for October 2. "The document is
perhaps the most cutting of the legal papers filed by Napster so far,
infused with rhetorical attacks that seem aimed at seizing the moral, if
not always the legal, high ground," CNET wrote. Many lawyers have said
that the filing may be targeted more at the public than the court. One of
the principal arguments made by Napster is that the recording industry
wants to shut down the service because it has failed to compete
effectively over the Internet. Napster also argued that it has immunity
under the Audio Home Recording Act of 1992 -- the US government has filed
a brief opposing this position.
http://www.upside.com/News/39bf93600.html
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o Briefly Noted:
(Washington, DC) The Washington Post Co, which is increasingly moving into
the Internet arena, said on Thursday said that Barry Diller, a leading
Hollywood executive, has been named to the company's board of directors.
Diller is the chairman and CEO of USA Networks Inc.
http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/000914/n14216569.html
(Philadelphia) Global Sports, a Philadelphia-based operator of e-commerce
sporting goods services, today announced that Comcast Corporation and QVC,
Inc., will invest $40.8 million for a 19% stake in the company. Global
Sports also announced today that it has signed an agreement with iQVC, the
e-commerce arm of QVC, to manage its online sporting goods store.
http://www.globalsports.com/news_feature.html
(San Jose, Calif.) TiVo, Inc., a creator of personalized television
services, announced today that it has closed a $200 million investment in
the company by America Online. "We believe that our relationship with AOL
will enable us to drive the evolution of personal television to the next
level," said Mike Ramsay, CEO of TiVo.
http://www.tivo.com
(Los Angeles) Cinema Entertainment Group has formerly announced the launch
of its company. LA-based Cinema Entertainment Group, which is currently
trying to raise between $3 - $10 million in venture capital, aims to
provide convergent media programming services with extensive e-commerce
capabilities. The company said it has raised $250,000 in seed funding.
http://www.cinemaentertainment.com/
(Rochester, NY) Eastman Kodak Co., which is pursuing an ambitious digital
imaging strategy, said that Robert Keegan, the head of its growing
consumer imaging division, has resigned from the company to pursue another
business opportunity. Daniel Palumbo, who served as chief marketing
officer of the division, was named the new president. Analysts said the
management change will have little effect on Kodak's digital initiatives.
http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/000913/n13514531.html
(San Francisco) CNET reported today that MP3.com has removed a song from
its service that details the computer code that allows users to make
copies of digital films on DVDs. A federal judge banned a hacker
publication called 2600.com from publishing the code. Joseph Wecker, the
writer of the song who is protesting the court's ruling, argued that the
First Amendment protects his right to sing a song about the code. Other
protesters have published portions of the code on T-shirts and have
recorded dramatic readings of the code.
http://cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-2771353.html?pt.yfin.cat_fin.txt.ne
(Los Angeles) FoxSports.com, and News Interactive, the Australian digital
media subsidiary of News Corp., today announced an agreement to support
OurOlympics.com, which launched on Wednesday. Under the agreement,
FoxSports.com will provide exclusive content for OurOlympics.com and link
users directly to the site. OurOlympics.com serves as the Olympic Games
site for News Corp's network of Australian newspapers. News Limited said
it has more than 130 newspapers in Australia and 500 journalists reporting
on the Olympics.
http://www.OurOlympics.com
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