Main Stories
o Yahoo Acquires Digital Music Firm Musicmatch for $160 Million
o Report: 54% of Cell Phones Will Double As Digital Music Players in 2009
o U.K. Regulator Ofcom Calls for End of Analog TV by 2012
o Comcast to Launch New Cable Channels and VOD for Sony, MGM Content
o Acacia Files Patent Infringement Suits Against 20 Additional Cable TV Firms
o Blockbuster Launches "Game Rush" In-Store Video Game Retail Plan
o Gemstar-TV Guide Gets Court Approval of Shareholder Lawsuit Settlement

o Briefly Noted: TVN Entertainment - "The Al Franken Show," NBA - SOHU.com, Wireless Wippit, Sirius Satellite Radio - John Madden, MediaBay, Gizmondo - John Lewis, Sony Online Entertainment, Activision, Digital Leisure, Sony Computer Entertainment America, WIRED - Creative Commons benefit, GarageBand.com - "ChoozaPalooza" concert tour
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Sunnyvale, Calif. -- Yahoo announced on Tuesday that it has signed an agreement to acquire Musicmatch, a provider of music jukebox software and subscription services, for $160 million in cash. Founded in 1997, San Diego-based Musicmatch's jukebox software gained market share through bundling agreements with many PC makers; currently, its music subscription services -- which include both Internet radio and a download service -- count a combined 225,000 subscribers. Yahoo said the merger will increase the reach of its music-related services from 12.9 million to an estimated 23 million listeners. "This combination bolsters our strategy to capture the largest audience of consumers as they make the shift to digital music and supports Yahoo's goal to give consumers the greatest choice, control and flexibility in how they interact with their music," said Yahoo CEO Terry Semel. "This acquisition is one of several product innovations and new initiatives in which Yahoo will invest to build our music portfolio this year and in the future." Yahoo also acquired Launch, a provider of music videos and song streaming, for $12 million in 2001. The company still faces stiff competition in the digital music market from current download retail leader Apple, and rival services from Microsoft, Sony, Wal-Mart and others.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/040914/145534_1.html
http://biz.yahoo.com/rb/040914/tech_yahoo_2.html 
http://makeashorterlink.com/?P17426B49 
http://www.musicmatch.com 
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o Report: 54% of Cell Phones Will Double As Digital Music Players in 2009

Boston -- Cell phones capable of storing and playing digital music will grow to account for 54% of the global market in 2009, when high-speed 3G cellular networks are more widely deployed, according to a report from Boston-based market research firm Strategy Analytics. The firm pointed to Nokia's 3300 and 5510 handsets, as well as Motorola's alliances with MTV and Apple to illustrate the growing interest in such devices. It also predicts that MP3 will remain a requisite format even on cell phones. "Music will be a 'bridesmaid' value-add mostly found on converged devices and high end camera phones until 3G services are more widely deployed," said Strategy Analytics analyst Chris Ambrosio. "Then, it is up to device vendors to make significant improvements in sound quality reproduction, storage capacity, wireless-fixed connectivity, and the user interface to make cellular music a broader reality."
http://www.strategyanalytics.com/press/pr00134.htm 
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o U.K. Regulator Ofcom Calls for End of Analog TV by 2012

London -- Ofcom, the U.K. media and communications watchdog, announced on Tuesday that the switchover to digital TV could happen in some areas of the country as soon as 2007. What's more, Ofcom said that all U.K. broadcasters would have to stop sending analog signals by 2012. The government said the reasoning behind its efforts to make the U.K. the first country in the world with a digital-only TV network was twofold: It wants to free up more of the broadcast spectrum and spur new technologies that will lead to more channels and interactive features, and clearer signals. To date, about one out of every two British households owns a digital TV, meaning that as many as 90 million devices will have to be switched over to digital by Dec. 31, 2012. The regulator has asked for responses to Tuesday's proposal by Oct. 25. U.S. broadcasters face a legal mandate to switch to digital by Dec. 31, 2006, but this directive hinges on 85% of consumers having purchased digital televisions capable of receiving digital signals.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?D6A356A49 
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o Comcast to Launch New Cable Channels and VOD for Sony, MGM Content

Philadelphia -- Comcast, the largest U.S. cable TV operator, announced on Tuesday an agreement with Sony Pictures Entertainment, its partner in acquiring movie studio MGM in a deal announced yesterday, that will create a joint venture establishing new cable TV channels featuring Sony and MGM content, as well as distribution over Comcast's video-on-demand (VOD) platform. Comcast reportedly invested close to $300 million in Sony's $5 billion acquisition of MGM. "This represents our first major studio deal for VOD content and will enhance the attractiveness of our VOD platform," said Comcast chairman and CEO Brian L. Roberts. "The agreement also provides us with some very interesting channel creation opportunities."
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040913/nym202_1.html 
http://www.comcast.com 
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o Acacia Files Patent Infringement Suits Against 20 Additional Cable TV Firms

Newport Beach, Calif. -- Acacia Research, a company claiming patents on digital media transmission technologies, announced that it has filed patent infringement suits against an additional 20 pay-TV companies, following a first round of lawsuits filed against industry giants including Comcast and DirecTV. The new lawsuits target mainly smaller cable TV firms in Arizona, Minnesota and Ohio, but also added larger provider Mediacom Communications to its existing suit. Newport Beach, Calif.-based Acacia said it has reached licensing agreements so far with 175 companies, including Disney, Playboy and Bloomberg. CNET News.com reported that a Comcast spokeswoman confirmed that the company is "actively challenging" Acacia's patent suit against the company.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/040913/135192_1.html 
http://makeashorterlink.com/?E5A435B49 
http://www.acaciaresearch.com 
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o Blockbuster Launches "Game Rush" In-Store Video Game Retail Plan

Los Angeles -- Video rental giant Blockbuster announced on Tuesday that it will launch its "Game Rush" video game store-in-a-store concept in 77 Southern California stores next weekend, eventually expanding to 400 stores nationwide before the end of the year. The Game Rush displays will feature demo game consoles for consumers to test out game titles, as well as expanded selections of new and used games, hardware and software accessories, gaming literature, action figures and other gaming collectibles. The stores will also allow customers to trade in game software and hardware for store credit redeemable at any Blockbuster. "Customers have responded well to the concept, and we are excited to introduce Game Rush to the sophisticated Southern California market and expanding into new markets across the country," said Thibault de Chatellus, Blockbuster's senior vice president and category general manager for games.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040914/latu065_1.html 
http://www.gamerush.com 
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o Gemstar-TV Guide Gets Court Approval of Shareholder Lawsuit Settlement

Los Angeles -- Gemstar-TV Guide International, a provider of electronic program guides for digital television services, announced on Tuesday that it has received approval from a U.S. District Court to settle a number of shareholder class action lawsuits brought against the company. Gemstar was sued by a number of shareholder groups over an accounting scandal that resulted in an SEC investigation and subsequent $10 million fine. Under the settlement, Los Angeles-based Gemstar said it will substitute cash for just over 2 million shares that were originally issued to the shareholders who filed suit, while the remaining 2 million shares under dispute will be distributed in accordance with the settlement agreement.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/040914/145570_1.html 
http://www.gemstartvguide.com 

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(Burbank, Calif.) TVN Entertainment, a provider of video-on-demand delivery equipment to cable TV operators, announced on Tuesday an agreement with Sundance Channel to offer Air America Radio's "The Al Franken Show" on video-on-demand. Under the deal, Burbank, Calif.-based TVN will offer five episodes of the telecast of the program each week on its video-on-demand service, used by providers including Adelphia, Cablevision, Charter and Comcast.
http://www.tvn.com 
http://www.sundancechannel.com/al

(Beijing) The National Basketball Association (NBA) said on Tuesday that it has renewed a two-year agreement with Chinese Web portal SOHU.com to jointly develop the NBA's Chinese Web destination and provide wireless entertainment services. In addition to the website, SOHU.com will provide NBA logos, photos, scores and other news updates, as well as individual player statistics for delivery to Chinese mobile phone users.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040914/hktu003_1.html 
http://www.sohu.com 
http://www.nba.com/china

(London) Wippit, a U.K.-based digital music service, announced on Tuesday the launch of a beta test of a new service that allows users to purchase and download songs and music videos directly to their cell phones. The Wireless Wippit service, produced with technology from U.K. mobile entertainment provider SlamTV, will offer over 300,000 audio and video files for sale. Wippit said that videos will cost about $5.39 each, while audio tracks will sell for around $2.70 and master recording ringtones for $8.08 each.
http://www.slamtv.com 
http://www.wippit.com

(New York) Sirius Satellite Radio, a provider of satellite-delivered digital radio programming, announced on Tuesday that it has signed an agreement with former NFL coach and "Monday Night Football" analyst John Madden, to host Sirius NFL Radio's Sunday pre-game show. New York-based Sirius has also hired NFL figures including Cris Carter, Shannon Sharpe, Dan Reeves and Keyshawn Johnson as commentators for its NFL coverage.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040914/nytu034_1.html 
http://www.siriusradio.com

(Cedar Knolls, N.J.) MediaBay, a provider of spoken word audio content, announced on Tuesday an initiative to digitize and encode its 75,000-hour library of spoken word content for digital distribution to online music stores and other Internet retailers. The company's library includes 25,000 hours of audio books and 50,000 hours of classic radio programming such as "Amos and Andy" and "The Shadow."
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040914/nytu012_1.html 
http://www.mediabay.com

(London) Gizmondo, a unit of Tiger Telematics that has developed a multi-functional handheld gaming console, announced on Tuesday that it has signed a distribution agreement with U.K. retailer John Lewis, which will offer the Gizmondo and its accessories in John Lewis department stores and on its website. The device is slated for launch on Oct. 29 in the U.K., and in the rest of Europe and in North America in 2005.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040914/uktu004_1.html 
http://www.gizmondo.com 
http://www.johnlewis.com

(San Diego) Sony Online Entertainment on Tuesday launched its "EverQuest: Omens of War" expansion pack for its EverQuest massively multiplayer online roleplaying game. The $29 expansion is available both at retail and for download from Sony's site.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040914/latu057_1.html 
http://www.omensofwar.com

(Santa Monica, Calif.) Video game publisher Activision on Tuesday shipped its "Call of Duty: United Offensive" expansion pack to developer Infinity Ward's "Call of Duty" WWII game. The $29 expansion was developed by Los Angeles-based Gray Matter Interactive Studios.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040914/latu067_1.html 
http://www.gmistudios.com

(Gormley, Ontario) Game publisher Digital Leisure said on Tuesday that it will publish "Are You All That?", a standalone DVD video trivia game, on Oct. 8. Developed by California-based DVD Interactive, the $20 game for up to four players features 1,500 questions in six pop culture categories.
http://www.digitalleisure.com

(Espoo, Finland) Cell phone maker Nokia said on Tuesday that Barcelona-based game developer Digital Legends Entertainment will release its "ONE" 3D fighting game for the N-Gage hybrid cell phone/mobile game deck in May of 2005.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040914/uktu008_1.html 
http://www.digital-legends.com

(Foster City, Calif.) Sony Computer Entertainment America on Tuesday shipped its "Sly 2: Band of Thieves" title for PlayStation 2 to retailers. Developed by Seattle-based Sucker Punch Productions, the title is the next installment in the million unit-selling "Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus" franchise.
http://www.suckerpunch.com

(San Francisco) WIRED Magazine announced on Tuesday that it is organizing a concert in New York City, featuring David Byrne and Gilberto Gil, that will benefit Creative Commons, a nonprofit offering authors the ability to both to control their work and share it on their own terms through unique copyright licenses. The Sept. 21 event will also be webcast live and archived on the Creative Commons site.
http://www.the-townhall-nyc.org 
http://www.creativecommons.org

(San Francisco) GarageBand.com, an online community where independent bands can post their music, on Tuesday announced the launch of a 10-city concert tour that aims to register voters in five swing states. The site's 450,000 members voted on which of 7,000 bands would perform on the "ChoozaPalooza" tour, which will receive partial funding from Microsoft's MSN Music and Klipsch Audio Technologies. The voter registration concert tour will kick-off in St. Paul, Minn. on Thursday, before moving on to cities in Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
http://www.garageband.com 
http://www.choozapalooza.com 
 
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