Connecting People & Knowledge - Since May 2000
   
Featured Event:

 


November 5, 2003 -- About Us | Advertise | Events | Publications | Subscribe

Main Stories
o FCC Mandates "Broadcast Flag" Anti-Piracy in All Digital TVs by 2005
o MTV to Launch Download Store Next Year to Compete With iTunes
o Report: RIAA Tactics Spur 1.4 Million Households to Delete MP3s in August
o Sony to Introduce iPod Competitor, Details PSP Handheld Gaming Device
o Lycos Sues Overture for Breach of Contract Over Yahoo Merger
o Nokia "Pleased" with Sales Figures for N-Gage Gaming Handset


 > DMW Announcements:
 --Future of Television Forum | NYC | Nov. 21
 --DMW Publications - Digital Media Law Report, Game Industry Quarterly

 > Featured Advertisement:
  --Apple Seminar, Training & Events
 

o Briefly Noted: Silicon Integrated Systems - Microsoft Xbox, T-Online - video-on-demand, InterVideo - Pioneer, Topics Entertainment - Marvel Comics, MCI - Sony Online Entertainment, Nyko Technologies, Electronic Arts - "FIFA Soccer 2004," Majesco Games - "Cartoon Network Speedway" - "Maximum Chase," THQ - "Hot Wheels World Race"

 
> Job/Event/Marketplace Classifieds:
 --
Stay ahead of the competition with The Kiplinger California Letter
 --RepliWeb
 --Company Confidential - Division VP - Legal Affairs
 --
Documentum Developer  
 --
DYNCORP, A CSC Company. VoIP Principal Engineer VoIP
 --
Are You Saving Money and Profiting From Your Product Documentation?
 


o FCC Mandates "Broadcast Flag" Anti-Piracy in All Digital TVs by 2005

Washington -- The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced late Tuesday that by July 2005, all devices capable of receiving a digital TV signal, including PCs with TV tuners, must include technology that will prevent piracy of TV programs that contain a digital "broadcast flag". Broadcasters, who petitioned the FCC for such a ruling, will be able to insert the code into their programs, prohibiting the uploading of programs to the Internet, while maintaining limited ability for consumers to make personal copies of programs. Both the National Association of Broadcasters and the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) praised the ruling. "Because so few people are capable of trafficking in the large audiovisual files today, the economic impact today is probably fairly low," MPAA executive vice president for government relations Fritz Attaway told Reuters. "But we are trying to provide for the future." Digital civil liberties group the Electronic Frontier Foundation opposed the ruling. "The FCC has decided that the way to get Americans to adopt digital TV is to make it cost more and do less," said EFF staff technologist Seth Schoen.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-240759A1.pdf
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-240759A1.pdf
http://www.atsc.org/document_map/psip.htm
http://makeashorterlink.com/?V3A113476 
http://www.eff.org/IP/Video/HDTV/20031104_eff_pr.php
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-flag5nov05.story
_____________________________________________

o MTV to Launch Download Store Next Year to Compete With iTunes

New York -- MTV Networks is planning to launch a digital music download store during the first half of 2004, to compete with recent entries like Apple's iTunes, Napster 2.0 and BuyMusic.com, Reuters reported. MTV CEO Tom Freston did not give many details of the service, but told Reuters, "It will compete with iTunes and everyone else." The company's MTV.com website currently offers many streaming versions of songs and some promotional downloads.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?G2A064476 
http://www.mtv.com
_____________________________________________

o Report: RIAA Tactics Spur 1.4 Million Households to Delete MP3s in August

Port Washington, N.Y. -- During the month of August, 1.4 million households deleted all the digital music files saved on their PC hard drives, according to an ongoing survey of users' PC contents conducted by New York-based NPD Group. The firm credits the Recording Industry Association of America's (RIAA) anti-piracy legal campaign and related media attention for the drop. By contrast, 606,000 households deleted all digital music files from their PCs during May. The survey also found that 80% of the consumers who deleted files had fewer than 50 files saved, while just 10% had more than 200 files. "So far the RIAA's litigation has focused on users with the largest numbers of files to be shared, but it appears that the lawsuits are also having an effect on those with fewer files, indicating that the message that file sharing is illegal is getting through to mainstream consumers," said NPD Group vice president Russ Crupnick. With regard to the overall use of file-sharing software, NPD found the number of households acquiring digital music via peer-to-peer file-sharing services declined by 11% from August to September, while the total number of music files downloaded also decreased, by 9%.
http://www.npd.com/press/releases/press_031105.htm
____________________________________________

o Sony to Introduce iPod Competitor, Details PSP Handheld Gaming Device

New York -- Sony Corp. has announced plans to introduce a portable digital music player next year to compete with Apple's iPod, Reuters reported. The company did not provide details for the product, other than to say it would be available for as little as $60 -- hundreds less than any iPod model. The company also provided some details for its planned PSP handheld gaming device, designed to compete with Nintendo's Game Boy Advance and slated for release by year-end 2004. "PSP will be the Walkman of the future," Sony executive deputy president Ken Kutaragi told Reuters, adding that PSP is more a platform of related devices with the capacity to add or subtract features that enable it to function as a music and video player, as well as a cell phone. Reuters said a prototype of the device appeared somewhat similar to Nokia's N-Gage, but featured a larger screen more comparable to that of a portable television.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?P1F234476
____________________________________________

o Lycos Sues Paid Search Firm Overture for Contract Breach Over Yahoo Merger

Waltham, Mass. -- Search engine and global Internet portal Terra Lycos has sued Yahoo's pay-for-performance search listings unit, Overture Services, over unfulfilled contractual obligations that Lycos says Overture violated by its merger with Yahoo, CNET News.com reported. Specifically, Lycos says Overture violated terms of its contract when it did not first seek Lycos' approval on the Yahoo merger, and also when it shared confidential information about its business with third parties. Lycos also alleges it is still owed $800,000 from Overture.
http://news.com.com/2100-1032_3-5102316.html 
http://www.overture.com 
http://www.lycos.com
____________________________________________

o Nokia "Pleased" with Sales Figures for N-Gage Gaming Handset

Helsinki -- Finnish mobile-phone giant Nokia confirmed on Wednesday that it is pleased with current demand for its N-Gage video-gaming handset. The news comes amid reports of poor early sales and negative reviews by industry experts. Although the company has sold about 400,000 units to retailers, analysts say that only a fraction of that number represents actual sales to customers. Nada Usina, Nokia Entertainment and Media's general manager for the North and South American regions, said that Nokia is "pretty pleased" with the current uptake from consumers, but added that the company has "a lot to do to make sure our expectations are in alignment."
http://www.nokia.com

Top


 > DMW Events:

Future of Television Forum
November 21, 2003 - New York City
www.televisionconference.com

Digital Media Wire & NYU's Stern School of Business
are proud to present one of the premier television industry
events of the year, featuring following confirmed speakers:

Keynote Speakers
Joshua Sapan - President & CEO, Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc.
Mark Cuban - Chairman, HDNet, Owner, Dallas Mavericks
David Zaslav - President, NBC Cable

Panelists
Jeff Bader - EVP, Program Planning, Scheduling & Synergy, ABC
Dan Harrison - VP, Strategic Programming, Bravo Entertainment, NBC
David Poltrack - EVP, Research & Planning, CBS
Jeff Branman
- President,Interactive Technology Partners (QVC & Comcast)
Greg DePrez - VP, Subscription Video-on-Demand, Starz Encore Group
John Roberts - SVP, Interactive Online, Game Show Network
Jack Myers - Media Economist & Commentator, Jack Myers Report
Richard Hofstetter
- Partner, Frankfurt, Kurnit, Klein & Selz, PC
Al Lieberman - Exec. Dir., EMT Program, NYU Stern School of Business
Ned Sherman - Co-Founder & CEO, Digital Media Wire
Bruce Leichtman - Pres. & Principal Analyst, Leichtman Research Group
Sean Badding
- President & Senior Analyst, The Carmel Group
Robert Van Orden
- VP, Product Strategy, Scientific-Atlanta
Paul Sherman - Co-Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Potomac Tech Wire
Scott Fedewa - COO & Executive Producer, BillOReilly.com
Lydia Loizides - Senior Analyst, Jupiter Research
Brad Heureux - Director, Interactive Sales, Comcast
Barbara Bacci Mirque - SVP, Association of National Advertisers
Christina Tancredi - SVP, Mktg, Advertising & Sponsorship, MusicChoice
Kevin Carton
- Global Leader, Entertainment & Media Practice, PWC
Reggie Bradford - President, N2 Broadband
Reese Schonfeld - Author / Co-Founder & Former Chairman, CNN
Max Robins - Senior Editor & Columnist, TV Guide
Tom Tyrer
- SVP, Corporate Communications, Fox Cable Networks Group

Register Now!

 > DMW Publications:

Digital Media Law Report - Monthly - Subscriptions - Order
Available Now - October Law Report - 42 pages - Order

Game Industry Quarterly
- Subscriptions - Order
Available Now - Q3 Game Industry Quartertly - 105 pages - Order

Past Events | Sponsorship Materials | Partners & Clients
 

Top


> Featured Advertisement:


 

Top



o Briefly Noted:

(Taipei) Taiwan-based chipmaker Silicon Integrated Systems (SIS) announced on Wednesday that Microsoft has contracted the company to develop advanced media Input/Output technologies for use in future Xbox video game console products and services. Microsoft also announced this week that it would replace the main Intel chip that powers the Xbox with one from IBM, and has changed the graphics chip provider for the Xbox from Nvidia to rival ATI Technologies.
http://www.sis.com/news/press/sis_xbox.htm 
http://www.xbox.com

(Berlin) T-Online Germany announced on Wednesday that it has launched a new video-on-demand service, which includes movies from Dreamworks, MGM, Universal and Germany's Constantin Film. Under the service, customers will pay up to 4 euro ($4.60) to download movies, which will be available in streaming mode for 24 hours, the company said.
http://www.t-online.net/c/11/70/96/1170962.html

(Fremont, Calif.) InterVideo, a provider of DVD creation software, announced on Wednesday that its LinDVD software, which allows Linux-based devices to play DVD movies, will be included with consumer electronics firm Pioneer's new DVD recorder with TiVo service.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/031105/55260_1.html 
http://www.intervideo.com

(Renton, Wash.) Software publisher Topics Entertainment announced on Wednesday that it has partnered with Marvel Comics to distribute a CD-ROM featuring 100 complete Marvel comic books. "Marvel Comic Book Library Collection Collector's Edition Vol.1" contains the first 10 issues of 10 classic Marvel characters -- including Spider-Man, X-Men, Fantastic Four, Iron Man and Incredible Hulk -- and will be sold for $29.99 at software and comic book retailers.
http://www.topics-ent.com 
http://www.marvel.com

(Ashburn, Va.) Telecommunications firm MCI (formerly WorldCom) said on Wednesday that Sony Online Entertainment has contracted with the company to provide dedicated, high-speed Internet connectivity between its global IP backbone and Sony Online Entertainment's game servers at several locations within the United States. MCI said its service will help deliver scalable bandwidth to meet surges in demand for SOE's games during certain times of the day or new product launches throughout the year.
http://www.mci.com 
http://www.station.sony.com

(Los Angeles) Nyko Technologies, a manufacturer of video game accessories, announced on Wednesday that it has shipped its iType2 Controller with Mini-Keyboard for Sony PlayStation 2 to retailers. The controller features a keyboard that allows users to chat, share information and type messages to other players when playing titles with online gaming features enabled by Sony's Network Adaptor.
http://www.nyko.com

(Redwood City, Calif.) Game developer Electronic Arts on Wednesday released its "FIFA Soccer 2004" title for PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCume, Game Boy Advance and the PC. Developed by Electronic Arts Canada, the latest edition in the franchise adds Latin American teams and clubs from the lower divisions across Europe to make a total of 450 teams and 15,000 available players. The title features online multiplayer gaming through Electronic Arts' EA Sports Nation service.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/031105/55283_1.html 
http://www.fifasoccer2004.com

(Edison, N.J.) Majesco Games announced that it has released "Cartoon Network Speedway" for Nintendo Game Boy Advance. Developed by Montreal-based DC Studios, the title lets gamers play as characters from Cartoon Network series including "Courage the Cowardly Dog," "Cow and Chicken," "Ed, Edd n Eddy" and "Johnny Bravo." New Jersey-based Majesco also released "Maximum Chase" for Microsoft Xbox. A version of the title is already available in Japan; the U.S. version was developed by Tokyo-based Genki in conjunction with Microsoft.
http://www.majescogames.com/news/press/pages/nov042003.htm
http://www.majescogames.com/news/press/pages/nov52003.htm 
http://www.dc-studios.com 
http://www.cartoonnetwork.com 
http://www.genki.co.jp/en/top.html 
http://www.maximum-chase.com

(Calabasas Hills, Calif.) Video game developer and publisher THQ said on Wednesday that it shipped its "Hot Wheels World Race" title for PlayStation 2 and GameCube to retailers. Developed by U.K.-based Climax Entertainment, the game is based on toymaker Mattel's toy car line, and features a song written by Interscope Records artist Smash Mouth. THQ said versions of the game for Game Boy Advance and the PC will ship later this month.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/031105/55228_1.html 
http://www.hotwheels.com 
http://www.climax.co.uk

Top


> Classifieds:

> Stay ahead of the competition with The Kiplinger California Letter

To get ahead, you need to look ahead. The Kiplinger California Letter provides economic and financial advice and guidance for anyone with business investments, or residence interest in California. In-state reporters provide on the-scene perspective, while a D.C. editor adds the federal angle on Washington developments that affect the state. An annual subscription includes 24 bimonthly issues, delivered by mail or online. Review the current issue free at: http://www.kiplinger.com/partners/baytech/kcl/
___________________

> Looking to Replace Site Server (CRS)?

RepliWeb is the Cost Effective, Scalable and Secure solution for
web-content publishing and rich-media distribution. We offer turn-key
solutions for replacing CRS. Experience RepliWeb Today. Visit
http://www.repliweb.com/html/solutions/5sol_dm.html for more info.
___________________

> Company Confidential - Division VP - Legal Affairs

Online division of global entertainment company seeks VP of Legal Affairs based in New York to handle commercial transactions (content licensing, traffic, marketing and distribution deals) and other legal counsel, as well as to be responsible for ensuring compliance with editorial standards and intellectual property license terms.  Looking for 6 - 8 years' of experience.  A strong Internet background is required with in-house experience preferred.
Please send resume, cover letter and salary requirements to legalres58@yahoo.com
___________________

> Documentum Developer

A global IT organization in New York City is looking for a Documentum developer. The right candidate will be responsible for designing and implementing a Documentum 5 web application using WDK 5.2x and J2EE. In addition, experience will include a developer level knowledge of Oracle 8i, 9i and professional experience working with Documentum 5 and Documentum DFC API. Must also have experience with Java, J2EE, SQL, WDK and DQL. If interested please email resume to aglickson@hirestrategy.com or visit http://www.hirestrategy.com/quicklinks/hire145.asp
____________________

> DYNCORP, A CSC Company. VoIP Principal Engineer VoIP

Principal Engineer responsible for managing theVoIP infrastructure and engineering a national enterprise solution. Plan, evaluate and coordinate the installation of VoIP systems. Troubleshoot and solve VoIP problems. For details, please go to http://www2.dyncorp.com/jobs  and enter the keyword R15878.
____________________

> Are You Saving Money and Profiting From Your Product Documentation?

Product documentation is essential for hardware and software companies,
but its associated fixed costs are not. You can achieve significant cost
savings and improve your bottom-line profits by outsourcing your
documentation work to Burlington-based nSight. For 21 years, we've been
helping startups and companies like HP, Microsoft, and Philips produce
award-winning technical materials on time and under budget. We can do the
same for you. Contact Tom LeBlanc at 781-273-6300 or
tleblanc@nSightWorks.com for a free consultation. Visit
http://www.nsightworks.com/save-n-profit/


Top


About Us
Digital Media Wire, Inc. is a news organization, publisher and events company serving the digital media industry since May 2000. Our daily newsletter delivers original briefings on business, legal and financial developments shaping digital media and read by over 30,000 executives and professionals. To subscribe for free, please click here.

Digital Media Wire, Inc. is part of the Tech Wire Media Group, an international network of publications that includes Digital Media Law Report, Potomac Tech Wire, New England Tech Wire, Southeast Tech Wire, Bay Area Tech Wire, Tri-state Tech Wire and European Tech Wire. The network reaches more than 70,000 individuals from over 70 countries each business day.

Advertising & Sponsorship
Publications, Events & Information


Executive & Editorial Team
Chief Executive Officer: Ned Sherman
VP, Marketing & Events: Tinzar Than
Editor: Mark Hefflinger

Contact Us
Questions, Comments & Suggestions
News Tips & Press Releases

Unsubscribe

Top


Copyright 2003 Digital Media Wire, Inc. All Rights Reserved.