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Internet Metrics Firm ComScore Launches Search Engine Measurement Service

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on April 29, 2003 - 10:25am.
San Bruno, Calif. -- In another step in the constant bid to improve Internet metrics, comScore Networks, a provider of Internet audience measurement services, has launched a new system designed to measure consumer search queries across 25 major search engines and portals. The information will help search providers, marketers and financial analysts gain a deeper understanding of the sector. Previously, marketers gauged search activity using counts of "unique visitors" to search engines sites, or data reported by search providers themselves. omScore's system, however, will rely on information from a cross section of more than 1.5 million Internet users on its network.
tags: Internet | comScore | Search Engine | Measurement Service |

Record Industry Sends Individual Warnings to Online Song-Swappers

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on April 29, 2003 - 9:47am.
Los Angeles -- The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), a trade group representing major record labels that has served as the industry's voice against online music piracy, has stepped up its campaign against file-sharing services by sending individual instant messages to users of Kazaa and Grokster, warning them of the penalties of criminal copyright infringement. "When you offer music on these systems, you are not anonymous and you can easily be identified," reads part of the message sent to around 200,000 file-sharing service users on Tuesday. The RIAA told Reuters that at least one million users will receive the message by the end of the week. "We're going to be sending messages to the very people who are offering music, in real time, as they do it," RIAA president Cary Sherman told CNET News.com. "The hope is that this way we'll be reaching the people who need to know that they are not anonymous, that there are risks of legal consequences if they continue, and also that there are risks to privacy and security."
tags: Internet | Records | Song-Swappers | Warnings |

Vivendi Universal to Invite Bids for U.S. Entertainment Assets

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on April 29, 2003 - 9:46am.
Paris -- As part of its 16-billion-euro ($17.6 billion) asset disposal program, beleaguered French media giant Vivendi Universal has announced that it will invite bids for its U.S. assets, including Universal Studios. The company has asked U.S.-based executives to prepare detailed financial information for bidders who may be interested in Vivendi's studios, theme parks or cable channels. Potential buyers are expected to receive the "information packs" within the next 10 business days. The company is currently straddled with more than 12 billion euro ($13.2 billion) in debt.
tags: Vivendi Universal | U.S | Entertainment Assets |

Dow Jones: Game Publisher Take-Two Mulling Bid for Vivendi Games Unit

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on April 29, 2003 - 9:43am.
Paris -- According to a Dow Jones report, New York-based video game publisher Take-Two Interactive, whose Rockstar Games division created the popular "Grand Theft Auto" game franchise, is currently "mulling a bid" for Vivendi Universal Games, the video game unit of the debt-laden media conglomerate. A source familiar with the situation told Dow Jones that Take-Two would have financial partners to aid its bid, and that the company has valued VU Games at $1 billion, below Vivendi's reported asking price of $1.6 billion. The report also stated that other suitors for VU Games include Thomas Lee Partners, General Atlantic and Francisco Partners, as well as Bain Capital with TA Associates. http://biz.yahoo.com/djus/030428/1143001118_2.html
tags: Games | Take-Two | Vivendi Games | Dow Jones |

CinemaNow Licenses MGM Films for Internet Video-on-Demand Service

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on April 29, 2003 - 9:41am.
Marina del Rey, Calif. -- CinemaNow, a provider of video-on-demand programming and delivery technologies, announced on Tuesday that it has signed an agreement with MGM Home Video, a unit major motion picture studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, to offer MGM films for streaming and download from its CinemaNow service. Under the deal, Marina del Rey, Calif.-based CinemaNow will offer MGM's new release films -- such as "Barbershop" and "Bulletproof Monk" -- the same day they become available in their traditional pay-per-view window, along with previously released movies from MGM's vast film library. CinemaNow is majority-owned by film studio Lion's Gate Entertainment. http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/030429/295214_1.html
tags: Internet | Movies | CinemaNow | MGM | Video-on-Demand |

Wireless Entertainment Publisher PlayPhone Announces Launch

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on April 29, 2003 - 8:46am.
San Jose, Calif. -- PlayPhone, a publisher of wireless entertainment content, on Tuesday announced its launch. The company announced strategic alliances with Japanese game manufacturer Sammy and Latin American wireless entertainment distributor Atrativa, and said its ringtones are already available in pre-paid packs at 4,000 retail locations including Rite Aid and Fred Meyers. San Jose, Calif.-based PlayPhone expects to have at least fifteen branded packs in more than 10,000 stores by the end of the third quarter of 2003, with retail packs featuring mobile Java games launching in the second quarter of this year. The packs are universally accessible and will work with most phones from all of the major North American carriers.
tags: PlayPhone | Launch | Wireless Entertainment |

Korean Independent Game Developer NCSoft Announces E3 Titles

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on April 29, 2003 - 8:29am.
Seoul -- Korean independent online game developer NCSoft on Tuesday announced the slate of new games it plans to feature at next month's Electronic Entertainment Exposition (E3) video game convention in Los Angeles. The company plans to unveil "Lineage II: The Chaotic Chronicle," a sequel to its popular massively multiplayer online game, as well as "City of Heroes," developed by Cryptic Studios; "Guild Wars," developed by ArenaNet; "Exarch," developed by Realm Interactive; and two titles developed by Phantagram: "Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders" for the Xbox, and the massively multiplayer online title "Shining Lore" for the PC.
tags: Games | Korean | E3 Titles | Independent | NCS |