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IFPI to Sue Another 24 Europeans for Music Copyright Infringement

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on June 8, 2004 - 2:48pm.
London -- The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), an international record label trade group, announced on Tuesday that it plans to sue an additional 24 individuals in Denmark for copyright infringement, with further actions in countries including France, Sweden and the U.K. on the horizon. In March, the IFPI sued more than 200 alleged file-swappers in Denmark, Germany and Italy, adding today that 17 Danish residents have settled their suits for an average of several thousand euros, while one German defendant will pay compensation of 8,000 euros ($9,800). The IFPI also quoted data from a recent survey that found that 70% of residents in France, Denmark, Germany and the U.K. are now aware that unauthorized file-sharing of copyrighted music is illegal. "Today's results show that litigation, combined with the rollout of new legal online music services, is having a real impact on people's attitudes to illegal file-sharing, and this in turn is affecting levels of file-sharing activity," said IFPI chairman and CEO Jay Berman. "On the strength of the developments in Denmark, Germany and Italy, we can confirm that there will be more legal actions in other countries in the near future."
tags: Law | IFPI | Sue | Europeans | Music Copyright Infringement |

FCC: U.S. Broadband Use Grew 42% in 2003 to 28.2 Million Lines

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on June 8, 2004 - 2:47pm.
Washington -- The number of U.S. high-speed Internet subscribers grew 42% in 2003 to 28.2 million, according to figures released on Tuesday by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The report shows that cable TV-based Internet services accounted for 16.4 million lines, while telephone-based DSL services made up 9.5 million subscribers, and satellite or other technologies represented the remaining 2.3 million lines.
tags: FCC | U.S. Broadband | Grew |

Electronic Arts to Lay Off 117 Amid Game Development Studio Closings

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on June 8, 2004 - 2:45pm.
Redwood City, Calif. -- Video game developer Electronic Arts disclosed in a recent SEC filing that it will lay off 117 employees in connection with the closure of development studios in Austin, Texas and Walnut Creek, Calif. The team in Austin consisted of Origin Systems employees working on the "Ultima Online" franchise, while the company's Maxis studio -- developer of "The Sims" -- was located in Walnut Creek. "The studio closures were the result of a strategic decision to consolidate local development efforts in Redwood City, California," the company said in the filing. The affected employees are expected to be laid off in the first quarter of the company's 2005 fiscal year.
tags: Closings | Electronic Arts | Game Development Studio |

CNET: Beatles Finally Looking to Distribute Music Online

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on June 8, 2004 - 2:43pm.
San Francisco -- CNET News.com reported on Tuesday that the Beatles, who have long refused to license their lucrative catalog to digital music services, are finally entering negotiations with multiple services to make their songs available online. Citing "sources familiar with the situation," News.com reported that the group is seeking a "considerable sum" in return for the exclusive rights to offer Beatles tracks, possibly for as long as a year. The group is also considering a Beatles-branded store that would be the only site to sell their music, videos and other products. Other long-time holdouts on digital distribution include Madonna and Led Zeppelin. "If [the Beatles] are able to come to some sort of licensing terms, it bodes very well for the online model, and would probably pave the way for some of the other holdouts to come online," Jupiter Research analyst Michael Gartenberg told News.com.
tags: Beatles | CNET | Music Online |

Toshiba to Ship Laptops Pre-Loaded With Napster Music Service

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on June 8, 2004 - 2:42pm.
Los Angeles -- Napster, the digital music service division of Roxio, announced on Tuesday that Toshiba Digital Products Division will include a free month of the Napster service on its Satellite line of notebook computers. The deal is the latest expansion for Napster, which recently launched versions of its digital music service in Canada and the U.K. "Professionals, students and families alike are becoming more and more mobile, and Napster's software allows them to take their music anywhere they need to go without having to be connected to the Internet," said Toshiba DPD vice president of marketing Taro Hiyama.
tags: Toshiba | Releases | Pre-loaded | Laptops | Napster Music |

Report: In-Game Ads to Spur Online Gaming Market to $4 Billion in 2008

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on June 8, 2004 - 2:41pm.
Scottsdale, Ariz. -- The online gaming market will grow from $1 billion in 2003 to nearly $4 billion by the end of 2008, according to a report from Arizona-based market research firm In-Stat/MDR. While only one-sixth of the U.S. population currently plays online games, that number is expected to grow to half the population in 2008. The firm said that online gaming, which includes both PC games and Internet-connected consoles like the Xbox and PlayStation 2, will grow as providers tap into the in-game advertising revenue opportunities historically bestowed upon TV networks. Currently, it costs an average of $1 per hour to play online games, and about $0.13 per hour to watch television. "When the costs of online gaming per hour starts to approach the level of TV, you can expect people to spend a comparable amount of time gaming," said In-Stat/MDR senior analyst Eric Mantion. "The secret strength of online games will be when the volumes of people playing grow to the point where advertisers will start buying ads that will not only be interactive, but also targeted at specific demographics of players."
tags: Reports | In-Game Ads | Online Gaming Market |

Ringtones Firm Xingtone Gets Investment from Siemens

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on June 8, 2004 - 2:38pm.
Los Angeles -- Xingtone, a developer of technology that allows cell phone users to create their own ringtones from their CD and MP3 collections, announced on Tuesday that it has secured an undisclosed first round of institutional financing, led by Siemens Mobile Acceleration. Although the music is copyrighted, Los Angeles-based Xingtone says its service allows users to make "fair use" of music they already own. The service, available for a one-time fee of $14.95, is available on U.S. wireless carriers using open networks, including Sprint PCS, Cingular, AT&T Wireless and T-Mobile. "This investment is a significant development both for our company and the burgeoning mobile entertainment industry," said Xingtone CEO Jonathan Schreiber. "We are honored to be receiving funding and support from a leading investor specializing in wireless applications and technologies, such as Siemens Mobile Acceleration."
tags: Ringtones | Investment | Siemens | Xingtone |

Take-Two in Deal to Distribute Sega ESPN Videogames Titles

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on June 8, 2004 - 2:34pm.
New York -- Take-Two Interactive, a publisher of video games including the "Grand Theft Auto" franchise, announced on Tuesday a multi-year agreement with Japanese video game developer Sega, whereby all Sega ESPN Videogames sports titles will be exclusively distributed by Take-Two in North America and Europe. Developed by Visual Concepts Entertainment, Sega ESPN Videogames titles include "ESPN NFL Football," "ESPN NHL Hockey," "ESPN NBA Basketball," "ESPN College Hoops" and "ESPN Major League Baseball." New York-based Take-Two also announced on Tuesday that it has named chairman Richard W. Roedel as CEO on a permanent basis. Roedel was named interim CEO in April after the resignation of Jeff Lapin.
tags: Take-Two | Deal | Sega ESPN Videogames |