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Poll: Kids and Teens Understand Copyright Law, Use File-Sharing Anyway

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on May 19, 2004 - 8:05am.
Washington -- While 88% of kids aged 8-18 understand that music and movies are copyrighted, many admit to using file-sharing networks to download media anyway, according to a poll of 1,100 youth polled by Harris Interactive on behalf of the Business Software Alliance, an industry trade group. Fifty-three percent of those surveyed said they download music, while smaller groups say they download games (32%), commercial software (22%) or movies (17%). The poll found that young people worry more about accidentally downloading a computer virus from a P2P service (60%) than whether they can get in trouble with the law (50%), while only 29% worry that the act itself is "wrong". "What's most alarming is that eight out of 10 kids and teens understand the definition of copyright and nearly all of them, especially teens, are aware that software, music and movies are protected by copyright," said Diane Smiroldo, vice president of public affairs for the Business Software Alliance. "The fact that kids know stealing software is wrong, and yet they behave like it's okay, clearly illustrates a challenging ethical dilemma."
tags: File-Sharing | Teens | Poll | Kids | Copyright Law |

Kazaa Asks Industry for Infringer Identities; Aussie Judge Sets Gag Order

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on May 19, 2004 - 8:03am.
Melbourne, Australia -- Lawyers for Sharman Networks, which distributes the Kazaa file-sharing software, argued in Australian Federal Court last week that Sharman has not committed copyright infringement, and asked for the names and addresses of Kazaa users the recording industry believes have used Kazaa to infringe copyrights, Wired News reported. The Australian music industry conducted raids on Kazaa offices and executives' homes in March to gather evidence for a copyright infringement investigation. "Our evidence contains dozens of incidents of downloading," music industry attorney Richard Cobden said in court. "Why should we be asked now for the names and addresses of these people who operate by pseudonyms? We could not possibly do it, your honor, but we are going to suggest that the evidence is perfectly clear that the recordings are made available." Justice Murray Wilcox also placed a gag order on both sides, after an issue of Australian Personal Computer magazine was presented that included actual pictures from the raids. "Somebody has, we would submit, used the proceedings for the purpose of embarrassing, demeaning, however you like to describe it, our clients," said Kazaa attorney Robert Ellicott.
tags: Aussie | Judge | Kazaa | Infringer Identities |

Report: CD Buyers Increasingly Using Legal Digital Music Services

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on May 19, 2004 - 8:01am.
Port Washington, N.Y. -- The number of U.S. CD buyers who have also purchased music from a legal digital music service has more than tripled in 2004, with just under 5% of CD buyers reporting having used a legal digital music service, as opposed to just 1.7% in 2003, according to data from New York-based market research firm NPD Group. The likelihood that a CD and download purchaser also downloaded a song through an unauthorized service in 2004 has also fallen, from 64% last year to 42% in 2004. "Our research shows that it's the people who are really into music that are beginning to adopt paid digital services as an additional way of acquiring and enjoying music, and so far these services are living side by side with traditional CDs," said NPD Music president Russ Crupnick. The report found that CD buyers who also used an online music subscription service, such as RealNetworks' Rhapsody, in the past twelve months purchased an average of 11 CDs last year; those who paid for a song download from a service like iTunes purchased 10 CDs; those who used a P2P file-sharing service purchased eight CDs; and those who did not download or stream music from the Web bought six CDs.
tags: Reports | CD | Digital Music |

Report: Global Telco Digital TV Subscribers to Reach 14 Million in 2008

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on May 19, 2004 - 8:01am.
Scottsdale, Ariz. -- The number of worldwide subscribers to digital TV services provided by local telephone companies is projected to grow to 14 million by 2008, when the services will pass an estimated 75 million households, according to a report from Arizona-based In-Stat/MDR. The firm expects 100% growth in subscriber figures for 2004, and credits the increasing availability of DSL as well as advances in video compression technology that will expand the territorial reach and number of streams that may be delivered. "Competitive threats and fixed line revenue pressures are encouraging telcos to become active in offering digital TV to their subscribers," said In-Stat/MDR senior analyst Michelle Abraham. "The possibility of gaining an additional $60 per month in revenue, while becoming less likely to lose $30 a month to your competition, is an important factor in the business case." In related news, U.S. telco Verizon announced on Wednesday that it will begin offering video services to business and home users in the second half of 2005, and is currently engaged in securing cable franchise licenses and agreements with cable TV networks.
tags: Reports | Subscribers | Digital TV | Global Telco |

Nielsen/NetRatings: Kerry Overtakes Bush Online

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on May 19, 2004 - 7:59am.
Milpitas, Calif. -- While the polls won't officially open for several more months, the race for the White House online appears to be favoring Democratic hopeful John Kerry, according to new information from Nielsen//NetRatings, a provider of Internet audience measurement services. Traffic to the John Kerry for President website attracted 1.6 million unique Americans during the month of April, while the Bush Cheney '04 Web site drew 1.5 million. Kerry's site continued its three-month lead over the Bush site, though Kerry also conducted more online advertising than Bush during the period. The firm also said that during April, Kerry's online advertising campaign registered 52 million online advertising impressions, compared with just 5,000 during the same period for Bush-Cheney '04. "Despite most political campaigns' continuing comfort level with TV as the preferred medium, the Kerry for President camp and the RNC appear to be embracing online advertising," said Greg Bloom, a senior Internet analyst for Nielsen//NetRatings.
tags: Internet | Nielsen/NetRatings | Bush | Kerry |

Broadband Video Network Provider Kasenna Acquires ViewNow

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on May 19, 2004 - 7:58am.
Mountain View, Calif. -- Kasenna, a maker of broadband video network systems, announced that it has purchased the business of ViewNow, a provider of video-on-demand programming, management and marketing services to cable and telecom providers. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The ViewNow business will become a division of Kasenna, and will operate from its current locations in Bend, Ore. and Santa Monica. Steve Roberts, the president of ViewNow, also will remain with the combined company as president of the new division. Kasenna said that the deal will allow it to offer video-on-demand infrastructure and applications, as well as video-on-demand programming.
tags: Kasenna | Broadband Video | ViewNow |