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Main Stories
o Four Exemptions to Anti-Circumvention Clause of Copyright Act Allowed
o Napster Re-Launches As Paid Download Service
o Sony, Toshiba Sued by Researchers Over PlayStation 2 Chip
o Universal Pictures to Promote Films Using TiVo Long-Form Ad Format
o Web-Accessible Digital Video Developer LiveWave Raises $4 Million

o Briefly Noted: SunnComm - A to Z Music Services, Sennari - "Rocky & Bullwinkle" - Vegas.com, ESPN Videogames - T.J. Ford, Activision - "Call of Duty," Ubisoft - "Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six," Got Game Entertainment - "Conspiracies," Electronic Arts - "The Sims Makin' Magic," Faith West, Amazon.com full-text search - author backlash

Washington -- The Librarian of Congress has delivered his triennial ruling of what, if any, exemptions should be made to the portion of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) that prohibits the circumvention of copyright protections on a digital device. Advocates had argued that it should not be illegal to defeat copy-protected CDs, DVD regional coding, or the encryption on DVDs that prevent owners from making back-up copies. However, the Librarian took the recommendations of the Register of Copyrights, and allowed the following exemptions, in which cases copyright protections may be legally defeated: when accessing lists of websites blocked by commercial filters; for programs protected by "dongles" that prevent access due to malfunction or damage and which are obsolete; for computer software or video games for which the original media or hardware is "no longer manufactured or is no longer reasonably available in the commercial marketplace;" and for encrypted e-books for the purpose of enabling read-aloud software. "Consumers are the real losers in today's ruling, because the Librarian of Congress is ignoring the rights of nearly everyone who has purchased CDs and DVDs," said Electronic Frontier Foundation staff attorney Gwen Hinze.
http://www.copyright.gov/1201/index.html
http://www.eff.org/IP/DMCA/20031028_1201_pr.php
http://makeashorterlink.com/?P1DA53066 
http://news.com.com/2100-1028-5098639.html
http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,60996,00.html
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o Napster Re-Launches As Paid Download Service

Los Angeles -- Napster, a division of CD and DVD burning software developer Roxio, on Wednesday announced its official re-launch as a paid downloadable music service. The company is hosting a launch party in Los Angeles Wednesday evening at which artists including Ludacris, Interpol, Metric and Dashboard Confessional are slated to perform. The new service will initially offer over 500,000 tracks from all five major labels and many independents, all available for $0.99 each or $9.95 per album. Napster will also regularly offer tracks from live sessions recorded in its Los Angeles studio, having already released tracks from artists including Guided By Voices and MxPx. The company is also offering a $9.95 premium monthly service that includes unlimited online and offline listening, over 40 commercial-free, interactive radio stations and additional community features. Beginning next month, Napster will begin selling $14.85 prepaid download cards at a range of retailers.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/031029/law058_1.html
http://news.com.com/2100-1027_3-5099002.html 
http://www.napster.com
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o Sony, Toshiba Sued by Researchers Over PlayStation 2 Chip

Madison, Wisc. -- A group of researchers in Wisconsin have sued Sony and Toshiba for patent infringement, in a case that concerns the chip used in Sony's PlayStation 2 video game console that Sony co-developed with Toshiba. The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) sued the companies last week in federal court in Madison. A WARF representative told CNET News.com the patent in question relates to the PlayStation 2's "Emotion Engine," that several companies have already licensed the WARF technology, and that the group hopes the lawsuit "will encourage [Sony and Toshiba] to bargain in good faith."
http://news.com.com/2100-1043-5097776.html 
http://www.warf.ws
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o Universal Pictures to Promote Films Using TiVo Long-Form Ad Format

San Jose, Calif. -- TiVo, a provider of digital video recorder services, announced on Wednesday that it has signed a multi-film promotional agreement with Universal Pictures. Universal Pictures will promote over 20 films and DVD titles using TiVo Showcases, a promotional platform that allows advertisers to distribute long-form branded content to TiVo subscribers. Universal previously used the format to promote films including "Bruce Almighty," an ad San Jose, Calif.-based TiVo says was viewed by over 65% of its subscribers. The deal will also see TiVo promoted on DVD releases of major Universal films.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/031029/sfw050_1.html
http://www.universalpictures.com 
http://www.tivo.com
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o Web-Accessible Digital Video Developer LiveWave Raises $4 Million

Newport, R.I. -- LiveWave, a developer of digital video and camera control systems, announced that it has raised $4 million in its fourth round of venture capital, led by Zero Stage Capital. Rhode Island-based LiveWave has recently added some key government customers including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Navy and the New York Police Department. The company's technology allows users to view video and control cameras on standard PCs and wireless mobile handheld devices. Its customers also include commercial broadcasters such as Fox Sports, NBC News, Time Warner and Discovery.
http://www.newsalert.com/bin/story?StoryId=Cp59jubKbmZaYyJKWntm
http://www.livewave.com

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(Phoenix, Ariz.) SunnComm, a developer of CD copy-protection technology, announced on Wednesday that it has signed a licensing and revenue agreement with A to Z Music Services, a provider of design, replication, printing and fulfillment services to independent record labels. New York-based A to Z's services have been used to create albums released by artists including Cibo Matto, Super Furry Animals and They Might Be Giants. Major label BMG is also using Arizona-based SunnComm's CD copy-protection technology.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/031029/295167_1.html 
http://www.sunncomm.com 
http://www.atozmusic.com

(Los Angeles) Wireless game developer Sennari on Wednesday announced an agreement with Bullwinkle Studios, a joint venture between Classic Media and Jay Ward Productions, Inc., to create games, screen savers and ringtones based on animation franchises such as Rocky & Bullwinkle, Boris & Natasha and Dudley Do-Right. The company will also create wireless entertainment based on Classic Media properties including "Casper the Friendly Ghost," "Underdog" and "Mr. Magoo." Separately, Los Angeles-based Sennari said it has partnered with Vegas.com to create wireless, play-for-fun casino games like poker, craps and slots, in addition to Vegas-themed ringtones, trip-planning services, show ticket sales and hotel reservations.
http://www.sennarigames.com 
http://www.bullwinklestudios.com 
http://www.classicmedia.tv 
http://www.vegas.com

(San Rafael, Calif.) Video game publisher ESPN Videogames said that it has signed T.J. Ford, the Naismith and Wooden Award winner from the University of Texas, as the spokesperson and cover athlete for its upcoming college basketball title, ESPN College Hoops. Ford was chosen in the first round of the 2003 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks.
http://www.newsalert.com/bin/story?StoryId=Cp5YMubKbmZaWyJK0mt

(Santa Monica, Calif.) Game developer Activision on Wednesday released its "Call of Duty" PC title. The game was developed by Infinity Ward, a studio Activision holds a 30% stake in that includes much of the team that created "Medal of Honor: Allied Assault."
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/031029/law045_1.html 
http://www.activision.com 
http://www.infinityward.com 
http://www.callofduty.com

(San Francisco) Ubisoft Entertainment, a developer and publisher of video games, announced that it has shipped its "Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six" title for Microsoft Xbox to retailers. Ubisoft's Montreal studio developed the game, which feature multiplayer online gameplay and voice-activated commands available through Microsoft's Xbox Live online gaming service.
http://www.ubisoft.com

(Weston, Conn.) Video game developer Got Game Entertainment said on Wednesday that it has shipped its "Conspiracies" PC game to retailers. The title was developed in Greece by Anima Ppd-Interactive.
http://www.gotgameentertainment.com/conspiracies 
http://www.anima-ppd.com

(Redwood City, Calif.) Game developer Electronic Arts on Wednesday released "The Sims Makin' Magic," another expansion pack for its popular "The Sims" PC game. The title was developed at EA's Maxis studio.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/031029/295258_1.html 
http://www.thesims.com

(San Francisco) Faith West, the U.S. arm of Japanese wireless entertainment publisher Faith Inc., announced that it has promoted Carolynne Schloeder from executive vice president to the position of president of the company.
http://www.faithwestinc.com

(New York) Publisher's Weekly online edition on Wednesday reported on a potential backlash from authors to Amazon.com's recently launched feature that lets users search the entire text contents of books, and view and print limited pages from the works. Groups including the Authors Guild have objected to Amazon's lack of author permissions for the service, and several of its authors have said they have requested their books not be included in the service. "I feel we have a duty to our authors to make sure that people can't read or re-purpose their entire book," publishing house Penguin's CEO David Shanks told Publisher's Weekly.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?A15C31066
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/browse/-/10197021/ref=sib_merch_gw

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