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Past Editions

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DIGITAL MEDIA WIRE -- November 1, 2001
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To Subscribe For Free: http://www.digitalmediawire.com

o NBC, ABC, CBS Sue ReplayTV for Copyright Infringement
o Broadband Available to 75% of U.S. by End of 2001
o Sega in Joint Venture to Distribute Games Through ISPs
o Digital Rights Management Firm InterTrust Lays Off 40% of Staff
o Court Says AT&T CEO Must Reveal Valuation Process for Excite@Home
o Youth Entertainment Company Alloy Raises $32 Million
o Search Engine Firm Northern Light Technology Raises $20 Million
o Streaming Samples Provide Loudeye Lays Off 19% of Employees
o IPix Granted Continued Listing on Nasdaq
o Briefly Noted: AOL's ICQ - file-sharing, Digital Club Network - Koch
International, "Whatever happened to fair use?"
_____________________________________________

> Job Postings: Online Ad Sales Mgr., Web Research Assistant,
Web Designer

> Events/Services: "CATO: 'Intellectual Property in the Digital
Age'," "Shortspan Film & Video Festival," "FREE Digital Asset Management
Seminar," "CTAM Broadband Opportunity Conference," "Office Space - L.A.,"
"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 NBC, ABC, CBS Sue ReplayTV for Copyright Infringement

Los Angeles -- Three major television networks filed copyright
infringement claims on Wednesday against personal video recorder
manufacturer ReplayTV, saying the devices allow users to illegally share
programs with one another and skip through their advertisers' commercials.
The ReplayTV 4000 lets users record TV shows and send them to other
ReplayTV 4000 owners over the Internet. The device limits the number of
copies to 15, and includes copyright protection software from Macrovision
that networks can use to prevent copies from being sent. "I think we've
treaded softly," Sonicblue CEO Ken Potashner told the Associated Press.
Ironically, several networks, including ABC through its parent company
Disney, have invested in ReplayTV -- but say that new features in the
latest version of the device prompted the suit. "We do have an investment.
However, we never consented or would consent to the misuse of our
copyrighted works," Disney spokeswoman Michelle Bergman told AP. "We made
clear we expect the use of copyrighted materials to be licensed and this
technology does not allow for that. We're protecting ourselves."
http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,48065,00.html
http://news.webnoize.com/item.rs?eID=20011101&ID=14630
http://www.replaytv.com
http://www.sonicblue.com
_____________________________________________

o Broadband Available to 75% of U.S. by End of 2001

Boston -- Broadband Internet access will be available to 75 percent of
U.S. homes by the end of the year, according to recently published
research from Boston-based firm Yankee Group. This figure compares to 60
percent of homes that could order high-speed Internet access at the end of
2000. Cable modem access will continue to be more widely available to
consumers, with cable modem-based service available to 66 percent of U.S.
homes versus 45 percent of homes with DSL available. The report also found
that it costs providers an average of $360 to install cable modem access
for a new subscriber, but that this cost can drop as providers encourage
more new users to self-install cable modems purchased from retail outlets.
http://www.yankeegroup.com/webfolder/yg21a.nsf/press/488147089573221185256AF60066AFD8?OpenDocument
_____________________________________________

o Sega in Joint Venture to Distribute Games Through ISPs

Tokyo -- Japanese venture capital firm Softbank announced that it has
partnered with game developer Sega and Taiwan-based PC manufacturer Acer
on a joint venture to distribute video games over high-speed Internet
connections, Reuters reported on Thursday. Softbank will control 30
percent of the new company, Xsido, while Sega will own 14.6 percent. Xsido
will offer games through Asian Internet service providers at first, who
will in turn sell them to PC users or owners of video game consoles that
can connect to the Internet. Acer subsidiary Winstron will manufacture and
provide software that allows games to be played the same on any device.
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1006-200-7744553.html?tag=mn_hd
http://www.sega.net
http://www.softbank.com
http://global.acer.com
_____________________________________________

o Digital Rights Management Firm InterTrust Lays Off 40% of Staff

Santa Clara, Calif. -- InterTrust, a provider of digital rights management
technologies, announced that it will lay off 120 employees, or about 40
percent of its staff, as part of a restructuring plan aimed at increasing
"near-term revenue generation, while significantly reducing spending."
Santa Clara-based InterTrust has announced two previous sets of layoffs
this year, which eliminated a total of 88 positions. The company, which is
embroiled in a patent infringement dispute with Microsoft, also reported
lower revenue for the current quarter.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/011031/sfw086a_1.html
http://www.intertrust.com
_____________________________________________

o Court Says AT&T CEO Must Reveal Valuation Process for Excite@Home

Redwood City, Calif. -- The judge in Excite@Home's bankruptcy proceedings
has granted bondholder requests that AT&T reveal how they went about
valuing the company for its $307 million bid, CNET reported. Bondholders
are owed at least $750 million by Excite@Home, and are concerned that
AT&T's bid is too low. AT&T CEO C. Michael Armstrong will be among those
interviewed with regard to the valuation process for Excite@Home. AT&T
wouldn't comment on the litigation, but did say that at least one outside
opinion was culled while determining its bid. "We did in fact hire an
independent financial advisor, the Blackstone Group," AT&T spokeswoman
June Rochford told CNET.
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1004-200-7733363.html?tag=cd_mh
http://www.home.net
_____________________________________________

o Youth Entertainment Company Alloy Raises $32 Million

New York -- Alloy, a youth-focused entertainment company marketing
products through entertainment websites, announced on Thursday that it
will raise $32 million in new funds through the sale of 2,575,000 of its
shares in a private placement. New York-based Alloy markets products
through direct mail catalogs, Web sites, magazines, college and high
school newspapers and college guides, combining product offerings with
entertainment-related content. The company said net proceeds from the sale
will be around $30.1 million, and that the funds may be used for
acquisitions.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/011101/12123_1.html
http://www.alloy.com
_____________________________________________

o Search Engine Firm Northern Light Technology Raises $20 Million

Cambridge, Mass. -- Northern Light Technology, a provider of search and
content integration software, has raised $20 million in a round of equity
financing led by Gregory Whitten. Whitten is the former chief software
architect for Microsoft, where he spent 18 years leading the development
of Windows and other key Microsoft products before retiring in 1998.
Founded in 1995, Northern Light's licenses three different search-engine
products as well as an online business research library of over 7,100
full-text documents from over 60 business and news sources.
http://www.northernlight.com/docs/press_company_pr01_1031a.html
_____________________________________________

o Streaming Samples Provide Loudeye Lays Off 19% of Employees

Seattle -- Loudeye Technologies, a provider of streaming media samples of
music, movies and games to websites, announced on Thursday that it will
lay off about 19 percent of its staff, leaving the company with 215
employees. The layoffs, along with its plan to consolidate operations into
the headquarters of its recent acquisition, Activate, will save the
company $7 to $8 million annually. Loudeye will take a $1 million charge
in the fourth quarter to account for costs associated with the layoffs.
Last week, the company repurchased $2 million worth of its shares and
replaced company founder Martin Tobias with a new chairman. Seattle-based
Loudeye expects to become profitable by the end of next year.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/011101/sfth031_1.html
http://www.loudeye.com
_____________________________________________

o IPix Granted Continued Listing on Nasdaq

San Ramon, Calif. -- IPix, a developer of 360-degree video imaging
technology, announced on Thursday that the company has come in line with
the Nasdaq's minimum requirements and will continue to be listed on the
exchange. The Nasdaq informed San Ramon-based IPix of its intention to
delist the company in June; IPix requested an appeal and won after
effecting a one-for-ten reverse stock split and selling $22 million worth
of its stock.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/011031/nyw123_1.html
http://www.ipix.com
_____________________________________________

o Briefly Noted:

(Dulles, Va.) AOL has included new file-sharing functions in the latest
version of its ICQ instant messaging software. The feature allows users to
designate a directory on their computers to share with others on their
buddy lists. A graphic on the company's website shows music, movies and
pics in the shared files folder of a hypothetical ICQ user. The added
functionality gives ICQ many of the same functions as file-sharing service
Aimster, which AOL is suing for both trademark and copyright violations.
http://www.icq.com/products/whatsnew.html#third
http://www.aimster.com/whatsharing.phtml
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-7737609.html?tag=ch_mh

(Port Washington, New York) Koch International, a distributor of music and
other media, announced on Thursday that it will distribute live recordings
from the library of Digital Club Network (DCN), a provider of live concert
webcasts from around the country. "With DCN's vast and diverse catalog, we
need a distributor who can handle anything from a limited release in
targeted markets to a platinum mega-hit, and we believe that Koch can
cover all the bases," said DCN COO Usher Winslett. "Every week, DCN
records the live concert performances of the hottest up-and-coming artists
in the country. Some of those acts will go on to be superstars, while
others will maintain a niche following." DCN will be releasing its first
albums over the next several months, expanding to more than 20 live albums
a year.
http://www.dcn.com
http://kochint.com

(San Jose, Calif.) The San Jose Mercury News ran an opinion piece on
Thursday entitled "Whatever happened to fair use?" The article offers a
history of the copyright law revision that allows anyone to use
copyrighted material without permission as long as it falls into the
definition of "fair use," and describes challenges to those once legal
uses that are emerging today because of technological advances.
http://www.siliconvalley.com/docs/news/svtop/faruse110101.htm

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

> Internet Advertising Sales Manager, gantthead.com, Fairfax VA

Are you passionate about the Internet as a B2B advertising medium? We have
too many leads to pursue and need you if: you have 2+ yrs exp. selling
Internet advertising (required); BA/S degree; B2B agency/account contacts;
you can identify, pursue, and close deals. Creative, autonomous work
environment. Generous package: salary, commission, benefits.
Please send resume to: gina@gantthead.com. EOE, M/F/V/D.
For more information, see http://www.gantthead.com/Gantthead/jobs
______________________

> Katrillion, Web Research Assistant - Fort Lee, New Jersey

CityConnect, the first national city event guide for teens available on
all web and wireless platforms, is looking for an events-locating
super-sleuth to find content for posting on the web. The ideal candidate
must be -- able to find current information that may not be readily
available, a recent college grad, and possess a passion for pop culture
and teen trends. Internet savvy plus strong writing skills are essential.
Send resume and salary requirements to: ccstaff@katrillion.com
http://www.katrillion.com/cityconnect.com
______________________

> Bookspan, Web Designer - Long Island, New York

BOOKSPAN is seeking a Web Designer with preferably 1-2 years experience
for a freelance position (possible temp-to-hire). Work with a Sr. Designer
on the design of all-new web sites from top to bottom. PhotoShop,
Illustrator, hand-code HTML, and aptitude to learn proprietary
content-management software are an absolute must. Send resume in plain
text with URLs of your work, and list the three best-looking content or
e-commerce based sites you can find to: jgiannetti@booksonline.com
http://www.booksonline.com

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

> CATO CONFERENCE: Intellectual Property in the Information Age

Join the Cato Institute and Forbes ASAP for a comprehensive look at the
future of intellectual property in the digital economy. Speakers include
John Perry Barlow, Electronic Frontier Foundation; Rep. Rick Boucher
(D-Va.); and Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.). Wednesday, November 14, 2001 at
the Cato Institute in Washington, D.C. from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For
more information or to register, visit
http://www.cato.org/events/futureip 
______________________

> SHORTSPAN Film & Video Festival, FINAL DATES

SHORT MOVIES! Dreamspan presents the 9TH Annual Short Attention Span Film & Video Festival. Shortspan is a non-stop two hour program of ALL NEW
two-minute-or-shorter films, including ultra-short documentaries like
"Peekaboo Sunday," a story about raising miniature horses or "Exotic
World," an inside look at the lives of some of America's first burlesque
performers-- and 57 more shorts! The tour will travel to 30 North American
cities. The remaining dates on the tour include:

ATLANTA, GA: GSU Cinefest Theatre, Nov. 2-3, 10:00 PM
AUSTIN, TX: The Alamo Draft House, Downtown, Nov. 7-8, 9:30 PM
PITTSBURGH, PA: Pittsburgh Filmmakers, Nov. 16-18, Time TBA
NEW YORK CITY, NY: The Anthology Film Archives, Dec. 7-8, 9:30 PM
BIRMINGHAM, AL: WorkPlay, Dec. 20, 9:00 PM

More info: http://www.dreamspan.com/shortspan
______________________

> FREE Seminar - A Foolproof Business and an Invincible Brand 

A Digital Asset Management seminar introducing proven strategies for
strengthening global brands, improving productivity, enhancing
communication and increasing revenues. Artesia's experience with global
brands such as GM, AOL Time Warner and others has given us unprecedented
insight into how organizations can improve brand-building activities. For
more information: insidesales@artesia.com
http://www.artesia.com/seminar/
______________________

> CTAM Broadband Opportunity Conference, Nov. 6-8 -- Tysons Corner, VA

Get the FYI on HSI and iTV at CTAM's Broadband Opportunity Conference Nov
6-8, Sheraton Premiere Tysons Corner. Keynote speakers: Maggie Bellville,
Incanta; Christopher P. Bogart, Time Warner Cable Ventures; Charles F.
Dolan, Cablevision Systems Corporation & Steve Wadsworth, The Walt Disney
Internet Group. Call CTAM  at 703.549.4200. For more information contact:
tania@ctam.com
http://www.ctambroadband.com
______________________

> Office Space For Rent - Los Angeles  

Prime Sunset Boulevard location. Approx. 588 sq ft. Second floor, spacious
two + offices with private bathroom. Convenient parking. Recently
renovated. Quiet, nice work environment. Other tenants in building are
primarily entertainment and new media companies. DSL-ready. Rent is $1,175
per month.
For more information, please call 323-363-3620.
______________________

> 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