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DIGITAL MEDIA WIRE -- September 16, 2002
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>> Digital Media Law Report - New Publication - Special Offer <<
Reserve your copy of the free first issue of the definitive legal resource
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o Copyright Office Seeks Comment on Radio Webcasting Royalty Debate
o Electronic Arts Inks "Sims" Product Placements with Intel, McDonald's
o Sony PlayStation 2 to Get TiVo-Like TV Recording Feature
o Israeli Broadcast Management Software Firm SintecMedia Raises $10 Million
o Epic Records Takes Drastic Steps to Copy-Proof Advance Releases
o Other Bidders Emerge for Napster Assets
o Motorola Acquires Wireless Entertainment Delivery Firm 4thpass
o Online Fantasy Sports Games Provider Sandbox.com Files for Chapter 11
o Wireless Semiconductor Firm Magis Adds $5 Million to Second Round
> Digital Media Wire Event: "Interactive Marketing" | NYC | Oct. 15
> Featured Section: Streaming Media East
o Briefly Noted: Vivendi Universal Net USA - Radio Free Virgin, Chrysler
Million Dollar Film Festival, IBM - General Parallel File System,
Face2face Animation, Sirius Satellite Radio - The World Network, Business
2.0, Apeera - P2P - cell phones
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> Jobs: VP Product Mgmt., Senior Contract Mgr., VP of Media
> Events
> Marketplace
Full Classifieds located beneath "Briefly Noted" section below.
To post a Classified Ad:
http://www.digitalmediawire.com/mainpostingpage.html
or contact David Peebler at david@digitalmediawire.com
_____________________________________________
o Copyright Office Seeks Comment on Radio Webcasting Royalty Debate
Washington -- The U.S. Copyright Office announced that it is seeking
public comment on a motion filed by members of the National Association of
Broadcasters, asking for a delay on having to pay royalties for streaming
their stations online. The NAB cited an ongoing appeal in the Third
Circuit Court of Appeals, in which they are arguing that radio stations
should be exempt from paying any royalties at all based on the digital
sound recording performance right. Radio stations do not have to pay
record labels these fees when broadcasting their signals over the air, but
the Digital Millennium Copyright Act contains language that has been
interpreted as compelling stations to pay royalties for streaming their
signals online. The Copyright Office said oppositions to the radio station
owners' motion are due by Sept. 24, with replies then due by Sept. 27.
http://www.loc.gov/copyright/carp/frnoticemotiontostay.pdf
http://www.nab.org/newsroom/pressrel/filings/copyrmot91102.pdf
http://www.kurthanson.com/archive/news/091302/index.asp
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o Electronic Arts Inks "Sims" Product Placements with Intel, McDonald's
Redwood City, Calif. -- Video game developer Electronic Arts announced on
Monday that it has signed "multimillion-dollar" product placement
agreements with fast food chain McDonald's and chipmaker Intel to be
included in its upcoming massively multiplayer online simulation game,
"The Sims Online." The placements will insert the Intel logo as well as
PCs running its Pentium 4 processors into the game, which allows players
to create and develop human characters in a simulated online world.
Players will also get points for eating at virtual McDonald's restaurants,
and will be able to set up their own kiosks for selling branded burgers.
"The Sims Online" is due for release by Redwood City, Calif.-based
Electronic Arts this holiday season.
http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/020916/tech_electronicarts_1.html
http://thesimsonline.ea.com
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o Sony PlayStation 2 to Get TiVo-Like TV Recording Feature
Houston -- Sony's PlayStation 2 video game console will soon have the
ability to record and store live TV programs, through new software
provided by BroadQ and SnapStream. Austin-based BroadQ's $49.95 tuner
software can be installed on PlayStation 2 consoles with network adaptors,
allowing them to access music, video, images and television files.
Houston-based SnapStream will also bundle its PC-based TV recording
software, enabling programs to be stored on the PlayStation 2's hard
drive. San Francisco-based MoodLogic will also provide music management
software for the video game console. The deals will allow PlayStation 2
consoles to become players for MP3s, as well as MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4 and
DivX video formats.
http://www.broadq.com/snapstream.pdf
http://www.broadq.com/moodlogic.pdf
http://www.broadq.com/divx.pdf
http://www.snapstream.com
http://www.moodlogic.com
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o Israeli Broadcast Management Software Firm SintecMedia Raises $10 Million
Amsterdam -- SintecMedia, a provider of broadcast management software for
terrestrial, cable, satellite, digital, and pay TV operations, announced
that it has raised $10 million in its second round of financing. Ascend
Venture Group led the investment round; Formula Ventures, Kardan
Technologies and Walden Israel also participated. Jerusalem-based
SintecMedia's OnAir software can handle all programming and business
activities for stations, ranging from program acquisitions, program
scheduling and management, promo management and airtime sales through
post-broadcasting activities, including pre-billing and sales analysis.
The company recently signed a software reseller agreement with IBM, and
has integrated its technology with video-on-demand systems offered by
SeaChange International.
http://www.sintecmedia.com
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o Epic Records Takes Drastic Steps to Copy-Proof Advance Releases
New York -- Epic Records, a unit of Sony Music Entertainment, has taken
the drastic step of providing music journalists with advance review copies
of new albums from Tori Amos and Pearl Jam in glued-shut portable music
players, in an attempt to thwart any early leaks of the albums onto
file-sharing services, The New York Times reported on Monday. The
glued-shut players come after even new technology utilized by some record
labels to attempt to copy-protect their CDs has been defeated. One
journalist, who was sent a copy of Pearl Jam's upcoming "Riot Act," told
The Times that despite being glued into a Sony Walkman, he was able to
take the player apart and retrieve the disc intact. "If I want to give it
a proper review, I'm going to listen to it how I want to listen to it --
and in my stereo is where it sounds best," Details magazine staff writer
Bart Blasengame told The Times.
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/16/business/media/16EPIC.html
http://www.epicrecords.com
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o Other Bidders Emerge for Napster Assets
New York -- Reuters reported on Monday that over a dozen bidders have
stepped forward to voice their interest for the assets of bankrupt
file-sharing service Napster. Trenwith Securities, an investment bank
hired by a group of Napster's creditors to solicit bids, told Reuters it
will analyze the bids and make recommendations to the creditor group later
this week. Included in the group of suitors is Barcelona-based Private
Media Group, which intends to create a pornography file-sharing service
using Napster's trademark and domain. On Friday, the Delaware bankruptcy
judge handling Napster's Ch. 11 proceedings gave Trenwith and the
creditors until Sept. 27 to make its choice of the best offer.
http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=search&StoryID=1455100
http://www.trenwith.com
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o Motorola Acquires Wireless Entertainment Delivery Firm 4thpass
Libertyville, Ill. -- Motorola announced on Monday that it has signed an
agreement to acquire the remaining stake in wireless entertainment
delivery technology firm 4thpass it does not already own. Financial terms
of the transaction were not disclosed, but follow a Motorola Ventures
strategic investment in the company last year. Seattle-based 4thpass'
technology is used by wireless network operators including Telefonica
Moviles, Nextel and LG Telecom to deliver Java-based wireless
entertainment like downloadable games, as well as to bill subscribers for
such services. Motorola said it will integrate 4thpass' Mobile Application
System (MAS) into its J2ME product portfolio.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/020916/cgm018_1.html
http://www.4thpass.com
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o Online Fantasy Sports Games Provider Sandbox.com Files for Chapter 11
Reston, Va. -- Sandbox.com, a provider of online fantasy sports games
services, has filed for bankruptcy protection. The company filed for
Chapter 11 on Sept. 6, The Washington Post reported on Monday. The
7-year-old company reported less than $50,000 in assets and between $1-$10
million in liabilities. The struggling company was nearly saved last year
when CBS SportsLine agreed to buy it for $2.5 million. That deal, however,
was terminated in October. Virginia-based Sandbox.com claims to have 7.4
million registered users.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A23193-2002Sep16.html
http://www.sandbox.com
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o Wireless Semiconductor Firm Magis Adds $5 Million to Second Round
San Diego -- Magis Networks, a developer of semiconductors that enable
wireless networking of audio and video products in the home and office,
announced on Monday that Elwin Capital Partners has invested $5 million in
the company's second round of funding, which is now closed at $45 million.
Other investors included AOL Time Warner, Hitachi, Motorola, Panasonic and
Sanyo. San Diego-based Magis' chips are used by manufacturers of digital
cable set-tops and gateways, cable modems, satellite receivers, PCs,
laptops and PDAs, and consumer electronics equipment such as televisions,
personal video recorders, DVD players, Internet appliances and gaming
consoles.
http://www.magisnetworks.com/news/pr_20020916.asp
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EVENT -- DIGITAL MEDIA WIRE Presents...
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Interactive Marketing: Where Success Lies Now and in the Future
New York City | Tues. October 15 | 6:00-9:00 PM
Produced with the New York New Media Association, in association with the
Interactive Advertising Bureau.
Sponsors: KMZ Rosenman | NYNMA | IAB
This executive forum brings together leaders from companies such as MSN,
Google, About.com, GoldPocket Interactive and others that are succeeding
in online media. Hear firsthand the strategies, tactics and technologies
that are working today and get a glimpse what is in store for the future.
For more information and to register:
http://www.digitalmediawire.com/events/imarketing_101502.htm
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==================
FEATURED SECTION
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Featured Section posting at:
http://www.digitalmediawire.com/featuredpostingpage.htm
STREAMING MEDIA EAST 2002: Javits Convention Center, NY
Conference: September 30 - October 3
Exhibition: October 1 - 3
***CONFERENCE*** Held over 4 fact-filled days, the Conference offers
industry leading keynotes, world-class speakers, in-depth Conference
Sessions and a comprehensive Beginner's Seminar.
**EXHIBITION (FREE with pre-registration)*** Experience the tricks behind
the trade and find today's business solutions, as industry leading
companies showcase the latest in streaming and digital media advancements.
For full Conference information and your FREE Exhibition pass visit
http://www.streamingmedia.com/east
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Briefly Noted:
(San Diego) Vivendi Universal Net USA on Monday announced a partnership
with online radio programming provider Radio Free Virgin. The two
companies will develop custom online radio stations for VUNet USA
properties including RollingStone.com and MP3.com, which are slated to
launch in the fall. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Los
Angeles-based Radio Free Virgin is funded by Richard Branson, and is a
unit of his Virgin Group's Virgin Audio Holdings.
http://www.vivendiuniversal.com/vu2/en/what_we_do/factsheet_internet.cfm
http://www.radiofreevirgin.com
(Toronto) The Chrysler Million Dollar Film Festival has awarded contest
winner Jeff Wadlow a $1 million feature film production deal for his
"Living the Lie" project. The content was launched through online
submissions from amateur filmmakers at Hypnotic.com and was judged by
executives at Universal Studios.
http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/f_headline.cgi?day0/222590237&ticker=
http://www.chryslermdff.com
http://www.hypnotic.com
(Amsterdam) IBM on Monday announced the availability of its General
Parallel File System (GPFS) for its "supercomputing" initiative, which
allows hundreds of computers to work in tandem to speed calculations. The
GPFS technology will allow digital content creators to simultaneously
access, exchange, and edit rich media files, or to accomplish tasks like
rendering animations or digital films at higher speeds.
http://biz.yahoo.com/iw/020916/046386.html
(Amsterdam) Face2face Animation, a developer of facial animation software,
has released what it says is the industry's first wireless streaming
MPEG-4 animation player. New Jersey-based Face2face demonstrated the
technology -- which can deliver 30 frames-per-second animation, with audio
and background images, in a file streaming at less than 14.4 kilobits per
second -- at the International Broadcaster's Convention (IBC) in
Amsterdam, using wireless network operator Orange's GPRS network. The
company also announced separately that it has joined the MPEG Industry
Forum, a trade group focused on emerging MPEG-4 technologies.
http://www.f2fanimation.com/pages/949141/index.htm
http://www.m4if.org
(New York) Satellite-delivered digital radio programming provider Sirius
Satellite Radio said on Monday that it will now offer content from The
Word Network, a national satellite and cable television network of urban
ministries and gospel music, on its service. The Word Network is seen in
25 million homes in the United States, distributed through DirecTV, AT&T,
Time Warner Cable, Comcast, Cox, Millennium Digital Media, Charter,
Adelphia and others.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/020916/nym024_1.html
http://www.thewordnetwork.org
(San Francisco) Technology business publication Business 2.0's October
issue contains the magazine's first annual Business 2.0 100 rankings of
the fastest-growing technology companies. Digital media companies named in
the rankings included Santa Monica-based video game developer Activision,
which ranked fourth. The full list will appear in the publication's online
edition as of Oct. 1.
http://www.business2.com
(Paris) Apeera, a developer of wireless technologies, has introduced a new
service that allows cell phone users to share music, games images and
other content in a peer-to-peer environment. The service provides any WAP
or Java-enabled cell phone user with a digital locker in which to store
games and music files, which can then be sent to or accessed by other cell
phone users.
http://www.apeera.com/pgs/news/prre/prre.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/2253185.stm
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===================
CLASSIFIEDS - JOBS
===================
To Post Jobs: http://www.digitalmediawire.com/jobpostingpage.htm
VP Product Management - Key Management Team Member Needed
Seeking a VP of Product Management for new healthcare ASP venture. This
position will serve as the company's domain application expert and product
visionary. Extensive healthcare and claims adjudication knowledge is
required. Verbal, written, and presentation skills are key. The VP will
serve as the company's product champion, guiding all product enhancements
and new features based on market need and legislative requirements such as
HIPAA. VA based, equity opportunity. Send resumes and inquiries to
itoff@erols.com
_____________________________________________
Senior Contract Manager - Google - Mountain View, CA
Google is seeking an experienced contract negotiator. Responsibilities
include daily review of standard contracts, limited authority to draft
contractual terms and conditions for licenses and advertising services
agreements, intensive in-house client interaction. Communicate company
policies and approval processes for contract changes to sales
professionals. 3-5 years of contract negotiation. Resume to
jobs@google.com or fax (650) 618-1796. Please include position.
_____________________________________________
VP Media - Mosaic - Marina Del Rey, CA
Mosaic Data Solutions is a Canadian Based Fortune 500 Marketing Firm and
the World's leading Email Marketing Firm and provider of consumer data
products. We seek a VP of Media who will be responsible for selling Mosaic
Data Solutions (CustomOffers) own proprietary products to consumers via
Banners, Pops and Keyword purchases strategically placed around the
Internet. For immediate consideration, contact Thomas Geraci at:
tgeraci@mosaicdatasolutions.com
_____________________________________________
====================
CLASSIFIEDS - EVENTS
====================
To Post Events: http://www.digitalmediawire.com/eventpostingpage.htm
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CLASSIFIEDS - MARKETPLACE
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To Post Marketplace:
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Copyright 2002 Digital Media Wire, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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