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L.A. Man Claims RIAA Filed Copyright Suit Against Him In Error

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 14, 2003 - 4:32am.
Los Angeles -- A Los Angeles man claims that the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) was in error when it sued him for copyright infringement on file-sharing systems, and a digital civil liberties group has asked the RIAA to drop its suit against him. Playa del Rey, Calif. resident Ross Plank believes the RIAA sued him in error because he contends the Kazaa software was not installed on his PC at the time in question, and says he doesn't listen to any Latin music, while the RIAA offered evidence of Latin songs downloaded to his PC. The San Francisco-based Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has asked the RIAA to dismiss its lawsuit against Plank. The RIAA has so far sued 261 individuals for using file-sharing software to infringe copyrights, and has withdrawn one suit due to a case of probable mistaken identity. "The recording industry's 'sue first and ask questions later,' policy caused this problem," said EFF Legal Director Cindy Cohn. "The RIAA recently told Congress that its members will contact individuals in the future before suing them -- but better yet would be to ensure that they cannot violate the privacy of people like Ross Plank in the first place until they have demonstrated to a judge that they have their facts straight."
tags: RIAA | Copyright | L.A |

Report: Vivendi Receives Offer for Videogames Unit

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 14, 2003 - 4:31am.
Paris -- According to French financial newspaper Les Echos, Vivendi Universal has received an all-cash offer of as much as 800 million euro ($932 million) for its video games unit, Vivendi Universal Games. Although the paper did not name the bidder, it reported that a "company in the games sector allied with a financial investor" had made the offer. Vivendi has been trying to sell the unit for months, but so far has rejected all offers for being below its reported asking price of $2 billion. Only last month, CEO Jean-Rene Fourtou said that the games unit was no longer even for sale. Vivendi has declined to comment on the report.
tags: Reports | Vivendi | Offers | Videogames |

U.S. Federal Trade Commission to Review NBC-Vivendi Deal

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 14, 2003 - 4:29am.
Paris -- After negotiations between the U.S. Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the latter has agreed to review the recent high-profile merger deal between General Electric's television network NBC and the U.S.-based entertainment assets for French media conglomerate Vivendi Universal. Neither the Justice Department nor the FTC has commented on the news, which was confirmed in a brief statement by an NBC spokesperson. Consumer advocates who fear that the NBC-VUE merger will hurt competition in the American TV production market have cheered the move.
tags: Deals | NBC | Vivendi | U.S | Federal Trade |

Vivendi Sells EMusic.com; New Owner Eliminates Unlimited Downloads

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 14, 2003 - 4:29am.
San Francisco -- Vivendi Universal has agreed to sell its EMusic.com downloadable MP3 store to private equity group Dimensional Associates, in a move that will spell the end of the service's popular unlimited download offering of tracks from hundreds of independent record labels. The deal, whose financial terms were not disclosed, is expected to close at the end of the month. Dimensional Associates also owns live concert webcaster Digital Club Network. The EMusic service's new owners intend to change subscription terms from the current offering of unlimited monthly downloads to a fee of $9.99 per month for 40 songs, or $14.99 for 65 songs. EMusic said in a note to subscribers that changes to its pricing scheme are being made as the result of "intense financial, legal and technological pressure." Vivendi originally purchased EMusic in 2001 for $24 million.
tags: Downloads | Vivendi | EMusic.com |

Game Developer Midway Raises $23.5 Million in Private Placement

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 14, 2003 - 4:28am.
Chicago -- Video game developer and publisher Midway Games announced on Tuesday that it has signed agreements to sell 9.3 million shares of its stock, in a private placement that will net the company $23.5 million in new funds. Chicago-based Midway will use the proceeds for game development, for working capital to finance inventory and receivables and for general corporate purposes.
tags: Games | VC | Midway | Private Placement |

AOL Time Warner to Officially Drop "AOL" from Name on Thursday

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 14, 2003 - 4:27am.
New York -- AOL Time Warner announced that it will officially drop the "AOL" from its corporate identity and become known officially as "Time Warner Inc." on Thursday, Oct. 16. The company's stock symbol on the NYSE will also be changed back to "TSX." The name change will further distance the company from the financial woes it has experienced since the 2001 merger of America Online and Time Warner.
tags: AOL | Time Warner | Name |

Warner, BMG Test Security for Mobile Song Downloads, Mobile P2P

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 14, 2003 - 4:26am.
Geneva -- A Norwegian firm has developed mobile music digital rights management (DRM) technology that major record labels Warner Music and BMG have utilized to launch a service that lets users download songs to their phones and share them with others. Oslo-based Beep Science's OMA (object management architecture) DRM will be used to protect content including songs from Warner's Dannii Minogue and BMG's Kemopetrol. The service, which will offer content including songs, images, video clips and other MMS content, will be available to subscribers of 50 wireless carriers on the Netsize premium messaging network. The first phone compatible with Beep Science's OMA DRM is the Nokia 6220.
tags: Mobile | Downloads | BMG | Warner | Musics | Mobile P2P |

Universal Pictures to Use Verance Audio Watermarking on All Films

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 14, 2003 - 4:24am.
Universal City, Calif. -- Universal Pictures announced on Tuesday that it has signed a multi-year agreement to use Verance Corporation's digital audio watermarking technology on all of its theatrical releases and DVD and VHS home video product, as well as pay-per-view, video-on-demand and free-to-air television broadcasts. The technology embeds inaudible data into a movie that provides content identification, forensic tracking and copy control information to Universal. Among other things, the watermark will allow the movie studio to track any potential piracy leaks back to their original source. "The security derived from the Verance watermark allows us to be more confident in the technology we use throughout all stages of product distribution," said Jerry Pierce, senior vice president of technology for Universal Pictures.
tags: Audio | Movies | Universal Pictures | Verance |

Germany's T-Online Negotiates Internet Movie Deal with MGM

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 14, 2003 - 4:23am.
Frankfurt -- T-Online International, the No. 1 ISP in Europe, announced on Monday that it has signed a deal with Hollywood studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) to show MGM's movies on the Internet. Under the deal, T-Online will have access to more than 4,000 titles in MGM's vast movie library. In a statement, MGM Worldwide Television Distribution President Jim Griffiths said that the "landmark" agreement "speaks to the promising future of video-on-demand worldwide." T-Online expects to launch its T-Online Vision service by year's end, allowing customers to download videos over the Internet and watch them on their TV sets. Financial terms were not disclosed.
tags: Deals | Internet | Movies | Germany | MGM | T-Online |

Universal Music, EBay Partner to Host Weekly Music-Related Item Auctions

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 14, 2003 - 4:23am.
Santa Monica, Calif. -- Major record label Universal Music Group announced on Tuesday that it has partnered with online auctioneer eBay, to offer weekly auctions for items such as rare albums, signed artist memorabilia, concert tickets, backstage passes, and invitations to video shoots. The first such promotion will launch on Oct. 16, when eBay will offer Bon Jovi signed guitars and handwritten lyrics, front row tickets to Jay-Z's upcoming performance at Madison Square Garden, and a personal drum lesson with Nickelback drummer Ryan Vikedal. "Through our collaboration, Universal can now tap into eBay's loyal user base and connect more fans to the music they love," said Universal Music Enterprises president Bruce Resnikoff.
tags: Deals | Universal Music | eBay | Auctions | Music-Related |

ISP Telstra to Offer Warner Songs in Australian Download Store

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 14, 2003 - 4:21am.
Sydney -- Australian broadband services provider Telstra has announced plans to launch the country's first digital music download store before Christmas, having signed a deal to include songs from one major label, Warner Music, Australian IT reported. The service will offer tracks in Microsoft's Windows Media Audio format for $2 Australian ($1.38) to subscribers of Telstra's BigPond broadband service. Telstra "had been approached by other labels and expects other labels to make further contact with BigPond to discuss options for potential deals," BigPond spokeswoman Kerrina Lawrence told Australian IT.
tags: Downloads | Musics | Australian | ISP Telstra |

Japanese Games Firm Konami to Establish North American HQ in L.A.

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 14, 2003 - 4:19am.
Los Angeles -- Japanese video game developer Konami announced on Tuesday plans to establish a new base for its global computer and video games business in Los Angeles. The company's executive corporate officer, Kazumi Kitaue, will serve as CEO of the new operation, dubbed Konami Digital Entertainment (KDE). The new KDE will focus on the areas of global product brand growth strategies, business development and licensing activities. The company will also rename its Redwood City, Calif.-based North American sales, marketing, and operations subsidiary, Konami of America, Inc., to Konami Digital Entertainment America (KDEA).
tags: Konami | North American | Japanese Games | HQ | L.A. |

ValueClick Buys Online Affiliate Marketing Firm Commission Junction

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 14, 2003 - 4:19am.
Westlake Village, Calif. -- ValueClick, a provider of Internet advertising technology, announced that it has acquired Commission Junction, a provider of affiliate marketing technology, for $58 million in cash and stock. Westlake Village, Calif.-based ValueClick said the purchase will double the size of its existing Be Free affiliate marketing network, which serves customers including Best Buy, CitiFinancial, Staples and Travelocity, and will add new customers like MSN, eBay and Overture Services.
tags: Internet | ValueClick | Commission Junction |