archives

o Napster Settles Lawsuit and Licenses Songs from Music Publishers
o RealNetworks Releases New Media Player; MusicNet to Launch in 60 Days
o Microsoft Delays Xbox Launch By One Week
o Pacific Bell Bans Newsgroups Used for Music, Movie Trading
o EMI Takes Stake in Retail Store Kiosk Firm Virtual Music Stores
o Out of Money, News Site UpsideToday Ceases Operations
o Nintendo Invests in Game Controller Maker Gyration
o ArtistDirect Lays Off Online Staffers, Makes New Hires At Its Label
> DMW Panel Discussion: Microsoft vs. AOL | Sept. 28 | Los Angeles
> DMW Panel Discussion: The State of Wireless | Oct. 10 | San Francisco
> Seminar: How Bush's Tech Policy Will Affect Your Business | McLean, VA
o Briefly Noted: Vitaminic - Edel Music, XingMail - bands,
SportsVoices.com, ESPN - Next Generation Network, Bay TSP, Terrorism -
online ad market
_____________________________________________

> Job Postings: Account Mgr., Marketing Associate, Sr. Level BizDev,
Research Asst.

> Events/Services: "Digital Media Revolution in the Americas"

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 Napster Settles Lawsuit and Licenses Songs from Music Publishers

Redwood City, Calif. -- Napster announced on Monday that it has reached a
preliminary agreement with songwriters and music publishers to settle
their lawsuit against the company and license songs for Napster's planned
subscription service. Terms of the agreement -- which still needs approval
from U.S. District Court Judge Marilyn Hall Patel and the other plaintiffs
in the case -- calls for Napster to pay $26 million for past infringements
as well as a $10 million advance on future royalties. Royalties will be
paid under a payment structure based on the Audio Home Recording Act,
which affords one-third of the royalty to songwriters and publishers and
two-thirds to the record labels. The Harry Fox Agency will license music
and collect royalties for the Napster service. National Music Publishers'
Association CEO Edward P. Murphy thanked legislators including Senators
Patrick Leahy and Orrin Hatch, whom he said "helped to ensure that the
parties kept talking productively until an agreement could be reached."
Murphy added, "The good faith displayed by Napster while negotiations
proceeded, and its agreement to pay fair compensation to creators and
copyright owners for past and future uses of musical compositions on its
service, led to a proposal that songwriters and music publishers can
embrace." Napster intends to launch its new service later this year.
http://www.napster.com/pressroom/pr/
http://www.nmpa.org
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-7283716.html?tag=cd_mh
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o RealNetworks Releases New Media Player; MusicNet to Launch in 60 Days

Seattle -- Media delivery provider RealNetworks announced on Monday a new
edition of its software that enables users to download or stream and play
digital media. The new software -- called RealOne -- will eventually
replace its RealPlayer and RealJukebox programs. The RealOne Player will
also be the foundation of the MusicNet subscription service. The company's
RealOne service -- which it expects to launch within sixty days -- will be
latched to RealNetworks' $9.95-per-month GoldPass subscription service,
which currently claims 400,000 subscribers and offers subscribers streamed
pro basketball and baseball games. The music segment of the RealOne
service will offer users a limited selection of songs from artists on
labels owned by AOL Time Warner, Bertelsmann, EMI Recorded Music and
Zomba. RealOne will offer both song downloads and streaming music on
demand for under $10 per month.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/010924/sfm095_1.html
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010924/tc/media_realnetworks_dc_2.html
http://www.wired.com/news/mp3/0,1285,46970,00.html
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o Microsoft Delays Xbox Launch By One Week

Redmond, Wash. -- Microsoft announced late on Friday that it will postpone
the launch of its Xbox video game console until Nov. 15, one week later
than its previously scheduled Nov. 8 launch date. The company did not
revise the number of consoles it would supply to retailers at launch,
which it previously said would be between 600,000 and 800,000. The Los
Angeles Times cited an analyst last week who said that number would likely
be halved. Microsoft did say it would ship between 1 million and 1.5
million Xbox consoles to North American retailers this holiday season,
with replenishment of more than 100,000 Xbox units each week. The company
also did not divulge its reasoning for the delay, telling CNET, "This
turned out to be the best time to launch for us, for our partners and our
customers." Nintendo's rival GameCube console is due to be released on
Nov. 18, now just three days after the Xbox's launch.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/010921/sff032_1.html
http://www.latimes.com/business/la000075655sep21.story?coll=la%2Dheadlines%2Dbusiness
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1006-200-7250541.html?tag=cd_mh
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o Pacific Bell Bans Newsgroups Used for Music, Movie Trading

Los Angeles -- High-speed Internet access provider Pacific Bell has
eliminated some Usenet Newsgroups due to the likely trading of copyrighted
material among their members. "After evaluating possible copyright
infringement issues, newsgroup usage and the cost of providing newsgroup
access, we will no longer offer some alt.binary newsgroups," the company
wrote in an email to its subscribers. Pacific Bell recently partnered with
Prodigy to provide hosting services for its newsgroups, and directed users
to an updated faq on its website for details on exactly which groups would
no longer be accessible. "Groups that will not be offered are alt.binaries
with some combination of the following suffixes: sounds, mp3, cd.image(s),
movies, multimedia, warez, vcd. Due to their nature, these are the groups
that contain multi-part postings of digital files that are likely to
contain copyrighted material."
http://global.pacbell.net/usenet_faq.html
_____________________________________________

o EMI Takes Stake in Retail Store Kiosk Firm Virtual Music Stores

London -- Major record label EMI Group announced on Monday that it has
taken a five percent equity stake in digital distributor Virtual Music
Stores (VMS), the Financial Times reported on Monday. The label is using
London-based Virtual Music Stores' in-store kiosks to let consumers create
and purchase custom CDs featuring music from EMI artists. VMS is currently
conducting a trial of the technology in London HMV stores and plans to
expand into 1,000 stores next year.
http://globalarchive.ft.com/globalarchive/article.html?id=010924001408&query=emi
http://www.vmusicstores.com/home.html
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o Out of Money, News Site UpsideToday Ceases Operations

San Francisco -- UpsideToday, an online technology news site operated by
Upside Media, has ceased operations due to lack of funding. "We have
fought long and hard to stay afloat, but now we must say good-bye," the
editorial staff wrote in a note on the company's website. Upside Media
will continue to publish Upside Magazine, its monthly print publication.
The staff dedicated the site to the memory of its founder Aaron Bunnell --
the son of Upside Media CEO David Bunnell -- who died of an apparent
accidental overdose in July of last year.
http://www.upside.com/texis/mvm/story?id=3bab6cd51
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-7285091.html?tag=cd_mh
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o Nintendo Invests in Game Controller Maker Gyration

Saratoga, Calif. -- Gyration, a developer and manufacturer of wireless,
motion-sensing electronic devices, announced on Monday that it has
received an investment from console and game maker Nintendo, in the form
of an undisclosed stock purchase. Saratoga-based Gyration's motion-sensing
controllers use gyroscopic technology to determine the yaw and pitch of a
controller in a player's hand, and can thereby control the movement of
action in a video. The company did not announce when it would offer a
controller based on GameCube or any other Nintendo console or handeld.
http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/f_headline.cgi?day0/212671010&ticker=
http://www.gyration.com
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o ArtistDirect Lays Off Online Staffers, Makes New Hires At Its Label

Los Angeles -- ArtistDirect, a provider of online marketing and fan clubs
for musical acts, has laid off 25 employees in its online division and
hired approximately the same amount to work at its newly-established
record label, Webnoize reported. The company believes the label --
established as part of new CEO and former Interscope Records head Ted
Field's contract -- will fare better than its struggling online division.
Los Angeles-based ArtistDirect provides online fan sites and marketing
services for acts including Pearl Jam, Backstreet Boys, Superchunk and
Master P.
http://news.webnoize.com/daily.rs?y=2001&m=09&d=21
http://www.artistdirect.com
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> Digital Media Wire Presents a Panel Discussion:
"Microsoft vs. AOL: The Battle of the Internet Titans"

Los Angeles | Friday, September 28th at the Four Seasons Hotel

This panel of journalists, legal experts 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/LAbattle.html

MODERATOR:
Jim Griffin - CEO of Cherry Lane Digital, Founder of Evolab,
Co-founder of the 'pho' list

SPEAKERS:
Sonia Arrison - Director, Center for Technology Studies | Pacific Research
Bob Badal - Attorney | Heller Ehrman
Mark Frauenfelder - Editor | WIRED
Jon Goodman - Executive Director | EC2 Incubator Project @ USC
Dave Wilson - Technology Columnist | Los Angeles Times

SPONSOR: Heller Ehrman
SUPPORTING ORGANIZATION: larta

For more information and to register:
http://www.digitalmediawire.com/LAbattle.html
_____________________________________________

> Digital Media Wire Presents a Panel Discussion:
"The State of Wireless: Delivering Content Across Today's Mobile
Landscape"

San Francisco | Wednesday, October 10th at The City Club

This panel of top wireless, content and technology executives and
professionals will discuss the necessary steps in streamlining an array of
applications in order to lay a workable infrastructure for the delivery of
emerging products.

For more information and to register:
http://www.digitalmediawire.com/SFwireless.html

FEATURED SPEAKERS:
Seamus McAteer - Sr. Analyst | Jupiter Media Metrix
Rick Onyon - Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer | fusionOne
John Trobough - Chief Executive Officer | Gravitate
***Additional Panelists TBA***

For more information and to register:
http://www.digitalmediawire.com/SFwireless.html
_____________________________________________

> Potomac Tech Wire Seminar:
How Bush's Tech Policy Will Affect Your Business

Sponsors:
Womble Carlyle
National Journal's Technology Daily

Panelists:
-Wayne Crews, Director of Technology Policy, Cato Institute
-Kevin Jones, Attorney, Womble Carlyle
-John Palfoutas, Sr. VP Domestic Policy, American Electronics Association
-Ken Wasch, President, Software & Information Industry Association
-Bara Vaida, Senior Writer, National Journal's Tech Daily
Paul Sherman (moderator), Editor, Potomac Tech Wire

When: Wednesday, September 26, 2001
7:30 - 8 AM: Registration and Networking
8 - 9:30 AM: Breakfast, Panel, Q&A
Where: The Ritz Carlton, McLean, VA

For more information and to register for this event:
http://www.potomactechwire.com/seminar10.htm
_____________________________________________

o Briefly Noted:

(Milan, Italy) Vitaminic, a music entertainment site and provider of
subscription services, announced on Monday that it has signed a
distribution deal with European independent music distributor Edel Music.
Under the agreement, Edel will make its songs available on Vitaminic's
European local websites, which Milan-based Vitaminic will market both as
"a la carte" downloads and as part of its subscription services. Vitaminic
operates separate websites catering to the language and pop music in
Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, the Netherlands,
Sweden, Denmark and Ireland.
http://www.vitaminic.com
http://www.edel.com

(Hollywood, Calif.) XingMail, a provider of branded, Web-based email
services, announced on Monday the launch of its artist-based email address
service, giving fans access to email addresses related to their favorite
musicians and giving musicians the ability to update fans about new albums
and tour dates. Hollywood-based XingMail has recruited artists including
Eminem, Metallica, Korn, Dr. Dre and Randy Travis to participate. The
XingMail service enables fans to register email accounts, for example,
that end in @metallica.com.
http://www.xingmail.com

(New York) SportsVoices.com, a site that offered audio interviews with
players, coaches and other sports figures from professional and NCAA
sports, has ceased operations and is selling its archive of 40,000
interviews. The company cited "current economic and new business funding
conditions" as the reason for its decision to liquidate its assets. New
York-based SportsVoices.com said its archive of RealAudio files originally
cost over $350,000 to produce.
http://www.sportsvoices.com/archives.html

(Bristol, Conn.) Twenty-four hour cable sports network ESPN said on Monday
that it has partnered with in-store digital TV provider Next Generation
Network (NGN) to provide programming to NGN's network of 7,200 screens.
NGN places TVs that stream continuously updated news and ad content in
stores such as 7-Eleven and McDonald's in cities including Los Angeles,
New York City and Washington, D.C.
http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/f_headline.cgi?day0/212660031&ticker=
http://www.ngn.com

(San Jose, Calif.) Bay TSP, a provider of anti-piracy, copyright tracking
and enforcement services, announced that it has hired Bill Attinger as its
new CEO. Most recently, Attinger founded and served as chairman and CEO of
Covalent Communications, a provider of customer relationship management
services. Former CEO and company founder Mark Ishikawa will remain with
San Jose-based Bay TSP as chairman and CTO.
http://www.baytsp.com/01_whatsnew/pr/pr_01092001.html

(San Francisco) CNET featured an article on Monday on the affects of the
U.S. terrorist attacks on the already-slumping online advertising market.
"The bottom line is it's not good for the advertising market," said
Merrill Lynch analyst Henry Blodget. "With an already weak and
deteriorating advertising environment, this clearly has a short-term
impact where the networks and online media companies pull ads off their
systems. But this could potentially have a longer-term impact if consumer
confidence weakens the economy." However, companies including Sony and
Microsoft have said they have no plans to curtail their online ad
campaigns.
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-7252209.html?tag=cd_mh

===================================================
Job Postings:
===================================================
To Post Jobs: http://www.digitalmediawire.com/jobs.html

> Mamisi Digital Media Services, Account Manager - Los Angeles

New Co. - Position requires knowledge of film/tv production process with
solid understanding of Digital Media and Business Internet Functionality.
Solid sales background with the ability to contribute/implement sales
strategies. Entrepreneurial spirit, ability to manage accounts and desire
to grow career and lead. 5+ years. Send resumes to: pmking@mamisi.com
http://www.mamisi.com
______________________

> Bluefly, Marketing Associate - New York City

Manage marketing relationships with online companies for leading retailer
of designer fashions at outlet prices. Traffic creative to advertising
partners, as well as track and evaluate creative performance. Implement
marketing promos and customer retention programs. Assist in implementing
an affiliate program, as well as email marketing initiatives. Must have
atleast 6 months exp. in Internet advertising/marketing. Send resumes to:
marketingjobs@bluefly.com
http://www.bluefly.com
______________________

> Roxio, Sr.-Level Business Development Position - Silicon Valley

Hey... are you a closer? Do you like to win? If you answered yes to these
questions and you are an experienced dealmaker, we have an MBA's (or
ex-lawyer's) dream job waiting for you at Roxio, Inc., the leading digital
media company.
Send resumes to: elizabeth@cruelworld.com
http://www.roxio.com
______________________

> VentureOne, Research Assistant - San Francisco

In this entry-level position you will perform secondary research through
web browsing, review of journals and other publications, plus primary
research through direct contact with venture capital firms and start-up
companies. Update profiles of venture capital firms and start-up
companies. Review company data, proofread, and enter data. Assist in
surveys, analyses and general administrative support. College degree.
European language skills a plus. Send resumes to: jobs@ventureone.com
http://www.ventureone.com

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

> Digital Media Revolution in the Americas, 11/29-12/01 -- Pasadena, CA

Presented by the Institute of the Americas and Annenberg School for
Communication, this 2 1/2 day forum will include Sr. Exec. Networking w/ a
special focus on Latin Americas & U.S. Hispanic markets, copyright, rights
mgmt., dist., infrastructure, digital film, iTV, streaming, device trends,
content financing. Early-bird 40% off till 9/30. Keynote Steven Bandel,
Pres. - The Cisneros Group. Sponsors: JP Morgan, Motorola, Global
Crossing, Walt Disney Company, Digital Media Wire, Cahners International
TV, iHollywood, Motion Picture Assoc., National Assoc. of TV Prog. Exec.,
National Assoc. of Theatre owners. For more information:
martin@iamericas.org
Register at: http://www.iamericas.org/events
______________________

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Copyright 2001 Digital Media Wire