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Universal Music Europe Digitizes Entire Catalog for Online Sales

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 3, 2004 - 7:03am.
London -- The world's largest record label, Universal Music, said on Wednesday that its European unit has digitized its entire catalog of music, and will market the songs for sale by online retailers. The 300,000-song library will initially be available through U.K.-based digital music distributor OD2, which services online retailers including HMV and Microsoft's MSN. The songs will also become available on European versions of Apple's iTunes and Napster, when these services launch in the region.
tags: Internet | Europe | Universal Music | Catalog |

Court Debates Law Designed to Shield Kids from Internet Porn

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 3, 2004 - 7:02am.
Washington, D.C. -- The Bush administration's top lawyer is pushing the Supreme Court to let stand a 1998 law designed to protect children from Internet porn, but assailed by some as a violation of free speech. Solicitor General Theodore Olson told the court that the government has a responsibility to shield children from porn, since it is "persistent and unavoidable," the AP reported. For the second time since the bill was originally signed by President Clinton in 1998, the court is deciding on the legality of the Child Online Protection Act (COPA), which has twice been struck down by a federal appeals court on separate constitutional grounds. The law would impose criminal penalties on commercial web sites that fail to make good faith efforts to restrict the access of sexual content to children under the age of 17. The ACLU, however, argues that such a law would inevitably block the access of adults, as well, making it unconstitutional.
tags: Internet | Law | Porn | Court Debates | Shield Kids |

WorldSpace Corp. to Offer Multinational Satellite Radio Subscriptions

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 3, 2004 - 7:00am.
Washington -- WorldSpace Corporation, developer of a multinational satellite radio delivery service, announced on Wednesday that it will begin selling receiver equipment and $9.99 monthly subscriptions for its service in mid-April. The company, which has been broadcasting since 1999, said that its initial marketing push will be towards American and British expatriates living in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Radio programming includes shows produced by Fox News, National Public Radio (NPR), Bloomberg, the BBC and Virgin Radio UK. Washington-based WorldSpace also noted that it produces four of the channels available on the U.S.-based XM Satellite Radio service.
tags: Subscriptions | Satellite Radio | WorldSpace Corp | Multinational |

Napster to Launch Music Service in U.K. by Summer

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 3, 2004 - 7:00am.
London -- Music download retailer Napster announced on Wednesday that it plans to launch a service for U.K. music buyers by the end of this summer. The news means that Napster will not beat out rival Apple, which plans to launch its iTunes Music Store in Europe sometime during the second quarter. Napster said its U.K. unit -- which can be reached at napster.co.uk when it is launched -- will feature localized content, genres and promotions. However, the company declined to give details on pricing. The decision to move into the U.K., the third-largest music market outside the U.S. and Japan, comes as part of Napster's country-by-country strategy for Europe, and the London office ultimately will serve as headquarters for its European operations, Napster said.
tags: Napster | U.K | Music Service |

Online Ad Firm DoubleClick to Acquire Marketing Software Firm SmartPath

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 3, 2004 - 6:58am.
Research Triangle Park, N.C. -- DoubleClick, a New York-based provider of online marketing technologies, has agreed to acquire SmartPath, a venture capital-backed provider of marketing support software based in Research Triangle Park, N.C. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. DoubleClick said that the acquisition will allow it to provide planning and operational solutions, in addition to its existing offerings in channel execution, data/analytics and optimization. SmartPath's software supports the management of traditional marketing channels, such as print and television, and is expected to strengthen DoubleClick's position in vertical markets, such as pharmaceuticals and financial services.
tags: Internet | DoubleClick | Marketing Software | SmartPath |

Ubisoft Acquires "Shadowbane" Game Developer Wolfpack Studios

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 3, 2004 - 6:57am.
San Francisco -- Video game developer and publisher Ubisoft announced that it has acquired Austin-based developer Wolfpack Studios, creator of the "Shadowbane" massively multiplayer online PC game. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The company will remain headquartered in Austin. San Francisco-based Ubisoft currently hosts "Shadowbane" from its servers at Ubi.com. "The acquisition of Wolfpack takes our strategy in the [multiplayer game] segment one step further as it strengthens our internal expertise and it will allow us to develop quality content under our own brands, which we feel is critical to succeed in the long run," said Ubi.com managing director Gilles Langourieux.
tags: Games | Ubisoft | Shadowbane | Wolfpack |

CNET Networks to Acquire Wireless Gaming Review

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 3, 2004 - 6:57am.
San Francisco -- Technology publisher CNET Networks announced on Wednesday that it has signed a letter of intent to acquire WGR Media, publisher of the Wireless Gaming Review website, and related assets. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Established in 2001, Cambridge, Mass.-based Wireless Gaming Review offers coverage of the mobile games market. The company's co-founders will be relocated to San Francisco, where WGR content will be integrated with CNET's GameSpot.com video game destination.
tags: Wireless | CNET Networks | Gaming Review |