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DIGITAL MEDIA WIRE -- September 24, 2002
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Today's Edition Sponsored By:
Streaming Media East 2002 | New York | Sept. 30 - Oct. 3
http://www.streamingmedia.com/east
o Video-On-Demand Firm Intertainer Sues Movie Studios Over "Price-Fixing"
o Microsoft Pays $375 Million for U.K. Game Developer Rare Ltd.
o Digital Magazine Technology Firm Zinio Systems Raises $8.4 Million
o Report: Mobile Games Will Drive Revenue on 2.5G, 3G Wireless Networks
o Microsoft to Launch Xbox Video Game Console in Singapore
> Digital Media Wire Event: "Interactive Marketing" | NYC | Oct. 15
> Digital Media Wire Event: "iTV Visions" | NYC | Nov. 14
> Featured Section: Streaming Media East, Online Grad. Cerfiticate
o Briefly Noted: HP - NTT DoCoMo- mobile streaming, Pace - "free-to-air"
PVR, In Demand, Miramax Films - Qatsi.org, Palm Digital Media - Stephen
King, RealNetworks, Vivendi Universal Publishing - Crave Entertainment -
Tolkien Enterprises, LodgeNet - FelCor Lodging Trust, E.Digital - MP3.com,
Microsoft - Xbox hardware update
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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 Video-On-Demand Firm Intertainer Sues Movie Studios Over "Price-Fixing"
Culver City, Calif. -- Video-on-demand provider Intertainer has sued AOL
Time Warner, Vivendi Universal and Sony for anti-trust violations,
alleging the companies have conspired to fix prices in the digital
distribution of entertainment. Specifically, Culver City, Calif.-based
Intertainer alleges that the movie studio arms of these companies fixed
prices for video-on-demand agreements and engaged in a joint licensing
boycott of Intertainer, as they worked to implement their own
video-on-demand joint venture, Movielink. The suit, filed in the U.S.
District Court for the Central District of California, also alleges that
Sony hired former Intertainer employees who violated confidentiality
agreements with Intertainer in helping to build Movielink. "The actions
taken by these leading studios will, in effect, eliminate consumer choice,
produce higher prices, reduce output and lower quality services that would
prevail in a competitive market," said Intertainer CEO Jonathan Taplin.
http://news.com.com/2100-1023-959149.html?tag=cd_mh
http://www.wired.com/news/digiwood/0,1412,55346,00.html
http://www.intertainer.tv
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o Microsoft Pays $375 Million for U.K. Game Developer Rare Ltd.
Redmond, Wash. -- Confirming earlier reports, Microsoft announced on
Tuesday that it has acquired U.K.-based video game developer Rare Ltd. for
$375 million in cash. Rare is responsible for creating titles such as the
James Bond-themed "GoldenEye 007," "Perfect Dark" and "Donkey Kong 64" for
Nintendo, which sold its 49 percent stake in Rare to facilitate the
transaction. Microsoft said Rare's first Xbox title, "Kameo," will be
released next spring. Rare is also working on a "Perfect Dark" sequel for
Xbox, and will develop and release at least five games over the next two
years for Microsoft.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/020924/sftu025a_1.html
http://www.rareware.com
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o Digital Magazine Technology Firm Zinio Systems Raises $8.4 Million
Brisbane, Calif. -- Zinio Systems, a provider of digital format
distribution services for magazine publishers, announced on Tuesday that
it has raised $8.4 million in a recent round of venture capital financing.
Apax Partners led the investment round; Intel Capital and previous Zinio
investors New Enterprise Associates, Odyssey Capital, IDEO Ventures and
NetOyster also participated. Brisbane, Calif.-based Zinio's technology is
used by publishers including IDG, Ziff-Davis and Pearson to create and
distribute digital versions that exactly match their print publications.
The company will use the funds to fuel growth, and expects to become
profitable by the fall of 2003.
http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/f_headline.cgi?day0/222670197&ticker=
http://www.zinio.com
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o Report: Mobile Games Will Drive Revenue on 2.5G, 3G Wireless Networks
Dallas -- Mobile games will be the first service to generate significant
revenue for high-speed 2.5G and 3G wireless networks, initially
overshadowing revenue from business-related services, according to a
report released on Tuesday by Dallas-based research firm Alexander
Resources. The report forecasts the marketing, pricing, billing, sales and
support plans and programs the firm thinks are needed to succeed in the
mobile games market. The report predicts that phones offering unique
gaming controls, audio features and displays, coupled with specific
billing options, will increase brand loyalty for handset manufacturers and
lock in subscribers for carriers. It also suggests that wireless carriers
be involved in the development, promotion and distribution of games, but
should partner with content aggregators rather than develop proprietary
content. Finally, the report suggests that carriers adopt enhanced billing
systems and clearinghouse services to manage disparate contracts and
interfaces with business partners.
http://www.alexanderresources.com/reports/Report10/index.html
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o Microsoft to Launch Xbox Video Game Console in Singapore
Singapore -- Microsoft said it plans to launch its Xbox video game console
in the country of Singapore before the winter holidays, CNET News.com
reported on Tuesday. The console will be sold at an as yet undisclosed
price, and will come bundled with the smaller controller engineered
specifically for the Japanese version of the Xbox. Titles including
"Halo," "Project Gotham Racing" and "Blink" will be sold at launch;
Microsoft said it will offer a range of both English and Chinese game
titles in Singapore. The company previously announced plans to launch the
Xbox in Hong Kong, Korea and Taiwan before the end of the year.
http://news.com.com/2100-1040-959119.html?tag=cd_mh
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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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iTV Visions: Technology Transforming Entertainment
New York City | Thurs. November 14 | 1:30-7:30 PM
In association with the Interactive Television Alliance
Sponsors: Etronica | ITA | Filter Media | AIM
This half-day executive forum will present views on the future of
entertainment based on next generation interactive television technologies
emerging today. Thought leaders from leading edge companies that are
driving these technologies into the marketplace will gather to show how
entertainment is on the verge of yet another radical transformation.
For more information and to register:
http://www.digitalmediawire.com/events/itv_visions_111902.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: Sept. 30 - Oct. 3, Exhibition: October 1 - 3
All attendees are invited to attend all Streaming Media and Internet World
keynote addresses!
Jon Miller, Chairman and CEO, AOL; Chris Liotta, SVP and GM, Content
Delivery Bus. Unit, Network Appliance; William T. Esrey, Chairman and CEO,
Sprint; Charles Fitzgerald, GM of Platform Strategies, Microsoft; Tony E.
Scott, CTO, General Motors; John Patrick, President, Attitude LLC; Yogesh
Gupta, CTO and SVP, Computer Associates International, Inc.
Visit http://www.streamingmedia.com/east for full information and
registration.
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Univ. of Bridgeport Creates Online Training for E-Commerce Managers
"Managing the Digital Enterprise" is a new online graduate certificate
program offered by the U. of Bridgeport (CT). Specifically for working
adults, the 4 courses required for the Certificate are offered online,
available 24/7, and can be accessed from anywhere, anytime. The courses
for this program lead to an understanding of the business, management, &
technical issues that drive e-commerce and the digital economy as a whole.
More info: ubonline@bridgeport.edu or call 800-470-7307.
http://www.bridgeport.edu/scps/managdigital.htm
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Briefly Noted:
(Palo Alto, Calif.) Computer and peripheral hardware maker HP announced
that it has partnered with Japanese wireless network operator NTT DoCoMo
to jointly develop technology that will enable rich multimedia content to
be streamed over advanced wireless networks to millions of users. The
companies said their Mobile Streaming Media-Content Delivery Network
(MSM-CDN), currently only a prototype, will eventually be able "scale to
support large numbers of mobile users and adapt video streams to match any
user's device."
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/020923/230706_1.html
(Shipley, England) Pace Micro Technology on Tuesday released what it says
is the U.K.'s first digital video recorder specifically manufactured to
take advantage of free-to-air digital television programming available in
the U.K. The "Twin Digital TV Recorder," expected to retail for about $544
in stores this holiday season, features two digital TV tuners and a 20GB
hard drive for recording programs from the U.K.'s current 20-channel
offering of free digital TV transmissions.
http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/f_headline.cgi?day0/222670283&ticker=pic.l
http://www.pace.co.uk
(New York) In Demand, a provider of video-on-demand and pay-per-view
services to cable TV operators, said that it is now serving over 2.5
million active video-on-demand subscribers, and expects this number to
climb to 5 million by the end of the year. New York-based In Demand also
recently announced a distribution agreement with New Line Cinema, adding
to existing agreements to deliver films from studios including Artisan
Entertainment, DreamWorks, MGM, Sony Columbia Tri Star, Twentieth Century
Fox, Universal Studios and Warner Bros.
http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/f_headline.cgi?bw.092302/222660725
http://www.indemand.com
(New York) Miramax Films has launched Qatsi.org, a multimedia site
promoting the upcoming film "Naqoyqatsi ('Life as War,')" the third
installment in director Godfrey Reggio's trilogy. The film, which deals
with the impact of technology on modern culture, was executive produced by
Stephen Soderbergh and again features a score composed by Philip Glass.
The Qatsi.org site invites users to submit "digital materials related to
the impact of technology and globalization on our cultural and personal
lives," which will be collected in an online forum. "This online forum is
designed to give the worldwide audience a destination to share their
experiences and relate their concerns through creative means using the
tools of technology itself," said "Naqoyqatsi" director Godfrey Reggio.
http://www.qatsi.org
http://www.naqoy.com
(Sunnyvale, Calif.) Palm Digital Media said on Tuesday it will offer the
e-book version of author Stephen King's new title "From a Buick 8,"
published by Simon & Schuster imprint Scribner, for a promotional price of
$16.95. The title will also be featured in an informational e-book segment
aired in-flight on United Airlines routes during October.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/020924/sftu056_1.html
http://www.palmdigitalmedia.com
(Seattle) RealNetworks on Tuesday announced the Gold release of its
RealOne Player v.2.0, one month after releasing the beta version of its
player supporting Windows Media, QuickTime MPEG 4 and over 50 digital
media types. The Gold release features improved CD burning and ripping
functionality, support for additional portable MP3 players, and is the
first version of the player to use Seattle-based RealNetworks' recently
developed Helix streaming media server platform. The basic version of the
player is free, and can be upgraded to a premium version for a one-time
fee of $29.95.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/020924/sftu043_1.html
(Los Angeles) Vivendi Universal Publishing said on Tuesday it has acquired
the worldwide publishing rights for game developer Crave Entertainment's
"Whirl Tour," a music-themed game for Nintnedo GameCube and Sony
PlayStation 2 due for release later this year. Los Angeles-based VU
Publishing also announced new titles in development as part of an existing
deal with Tolkien Enterprises. Both "The Lord of the Rings: Middle-earth
Online," a massively multiplayer online roleplaying game, and "The Lord of
the Rings: The War of the Ring" will be developed by VU Games' Black Label
Games studio. Two previously announced titles based on the license,
currently in development at Black Label Games and Sierra Entertainment,
are still scheduled for release in 2003.
http://www.vivendiuniversalpublishing.com/english_news.html
http://www.vugames.com
http://www.cravegames.com
(Sioux Falls, S.D.) LodgeNet, a provider of digital video and high-speed
Internet services to hoteliers, announced on Tuesday that it has expanded
its agreement with FelCor Lodging Trust, a hotel real estate investment
trust. Under the new agreement, South Dakota-based LodgeNet will
additionally provide video-on-demand, digital music and other interactive
services to the 20,000 FelCor rooms it already supplies high-speed
Internet services. FelCor also has the option to add LodgeNet services to
another 30,000 of its rooms. FelCor-owned hotels include Embassy Suites,
Doubletree and Holiday Inn properties.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/020924/mntu005_1.html
http://www.felcor.com
http://www.lodgenet.com
(San Diego) Consumer electronics manufacturer E.Digital said on Tuesday
that it has partnered with Vivendi Universal Net USA's MP3.com, and will
offer music from "The Download" -- MP3.com's nationally-syndicated college
radio show -- on its soon-to-launch digital music website. Music from the
show will also be pre-loaded on some E.Digital MP3 player models.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/020924/240302_1.html
http://www.mp3.com
http://www.edig.com
(San Francisco) CNET News.com reported on Tuesday that Microsoft has
changed the hardware configuration of its Xbox video game console, partly
in an attempt to thwart hackers and also to cut manufacturing costs. The
article reported that a number of hackers' attempts to install "mod chips"
-- unauthorized hardware designed to make the Xbox boot non-Microsoft
software or play unauthorized games -- failed in Xbox consoles featuring
the new configuration.
http://news.com.com/2100-1040-959084.html?tag=cd_mh
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STREAMING MEDIA EAST 2002: Javits Convention Center, NY
Conference: September 30 - October 3
Exhibition: October 1 - 3
***CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION OPEN NEXT WEEK***
FREE Exhibition Registration at:
http://www.streamingmedia.com/east/registration.asp
Exhibition attendees have full access to both the Streaming Media and
Internet World Exhibition floors and Keynotes.
Visit http://www.streamingmedia.com/east for full information.
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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
_____________________________________________
==========================
CLASSIFIEDS - MARKETPLACE
==========================
To Post Marketplace:
http://www.digitalmediawire.com/marketplacepostingpage.htm
_____________________________________________
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Copyright 2002 Digital Media Wire, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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