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Senate Debates Controversial Anti-Piracy "Induce Act"

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on July 22, 2004 - 4:52am.
Washington -- The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday heard debate on a controversial bill -- the Inducing Infringement of Copyrights Act or "Induce Act" -- that has the potential to shut down peer-to-peer networks and outlaw other technologies that simply "induce" people to infringe copyrights. Testifying at the hearing were representatives from the RIAA, Business Software Alliance and the U.S. Copyright Office, which announced its support for the legislation on Thursday. While copyright holders in the music, film, software and other industries say the law is badly needed to quell piracy, critics say the bill is worded vaguely and could be applied to potentially copyright infringement-inducing devices like Apple's iPod, or the PC itself. A group of technology firms including CNET Networks, eBay, Google, Intel, MCI, TiVo, Verizon, Sun Microsystems and Yahoo sent a letter to Senators, saying the Induce Act "would chill innovation and drive investment in technology [overseas]."
tags: Anti-Piracy | Senate | Induce Act |

Report: U.S. Video Game Sales Down 2.5% in First Half of 2004

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on July 22, 2004 - 4:50am.
Port Washington, N.Y. -- Sales of U.S. console and portable video game hardware, software and accessories fell 2.5% during the first half of 2004, to $3.4 billion, while overall unit sales were up 1% in the first six months of the year, as compared with the first half of 2003, according to data compiled by New York-based market research firm NPD Group. Only video game console and accessories sales were up, 4% and 8% respectively, spurred by reduced prices for PlayStation 2 and Xbox, as well as interest in Internet components and specialty controllers. "While the first quarter of 2004 was showing double-digit losses in console hardware unit sales, with the help of lower price points for the Xbox and PS2 during the second quarter of 2004, the industry actually saw double digit increases in unit sales for the entire second quarter of the year," said NPD senior games analyst Richard Ow. NPD also reported the top-selling game titles for January through June, with Electronic Arts taking three of the top five spots ("Fight Night 2004" for PlayStation and Xbox; "MVP Baseball 2004" for PlayStation), accompanied by Midway's "NBA Ballers" (PS2) and Nintendo's "Pokemon Colosseum" for GameCube.
tags: Reports | U.S | Video Games | First Half |

Clear Channel to Spend $100 Million on Digital Radio Transition

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on July 22, 2004 - 4:49am.
San Antonio -- Radio giant Clear Channel announced on Thursday the launch of an advanced technology initiative, with plans to install digital broadcasting technology in 95% of its top 100 markets in the next three years. Clear Channel Radio CEO John Hogan told The New York Times on Thursday that the company will spend $100 million over the next decade on advanced technologies, and equip 100 stations for digital in the next year. The company named Kevin Lockhart to the new position of senior vice president of technology development for Clear Channel Radio. "Digital radio is a transforming application and Clear Channel Radio is committed to passing on its benefits to our listeners," said Lockhart. "The ability to deliver radically improved, CD-quality radio programming and reception, along with data and related services, is a powerful advantage for the radio industry and an important advance for listeners."
tags: Clear Channel | Digital Radio | TransitionSan Antonio -- Radio giant Clear Channel announced on Thursd |

Report: Record 1.1 Billion Pirate CDs Sold Worldwide in 2003

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on July 22, 2004 - 4:49am.
London -- Despite reaching a record 1.1 billion discs in 2003, global sales of pirated music CDs have spread more slowly in recent years due to stepped up enforcement efforts, according to a report from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI). CD piracy in 2003 grew at its slowest rate in four years (4%), although total estimated illegal music sales were valued at $4.5 billion, or about 15% of all recorded music sold. The IFPI also identified 10 countries -- including Brazil, China, Pakistan and Russia -- where "governments urgently need to crack down on rampant illegal music sales." "Commercial music piracy dominates large swathes of the world's music markets, despite an encouraging slowdown in growth in 2003," said IFPI chairman and CEO Jay Berman. "The responsibility now is for governments -- and especially on the 10 priority countries our report names -- to act decisively against the problem. This means proper enforcement, deterrent sentences against pirates, effective regulation of disc manufacturing and, above all, the political will to make sure real change happens."
tags: Reports | Records | Worldwide | Pirate CDs |

Sony Wins U.K. Copyright Case Against PlayStation "Mod Chips"

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on July 22, 2004 - 4:47am.
London -- The U.K. High Court on Wednesday set a landmark ruling when it said that "mod" chips, used to alter Sony's PlayStation 2 so that it can play imported or pirated games, violates the newly implemented European Union Copyright Directive. The court ruling outlawed the sale, possession, use and advertising of mod chips in the U.K. Like DVD players, game consoles have "regional coding" that prevents games sold in the U.S., for example, from playing on PlayStations sold in Europe or Asia. "This case… confirms in the clearest possible terms that Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has the right to prevent the illegal infringement of our intellectual property rights, and those of third party games developers," said Sony Computer Entertainment Europe president David Reeves. "We are sending a clear message to manufacturers and distributors of mod chips throughout the PAL territories that we will continue to pursue legal action against them." Despite the U.K. ruling, mod chips have been found to be a legal option for gamers in other regions like Italy and Australia. Mod chip advocates say that the devices often allow them to play games that publishers have not seen fit to release in their region.
tags: Law | Sony | Copyright | U.K | PlayStation | Mod Chips |

Report: U.K. Online Ad Revenues Surge by 80%

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on July 22, 2004 - 4:46am.
London -- Surging demand for corporate-sponsored search listings in the U.K. has increased online advertising revenues by 80% year-on-year, according to a new study by the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB). The online ad market came to more than $646 million last year, a figure that has exceeded most analysts' predictions by far, IAB said. "The whole marketing industry is changing, and online is at the heart of the new media mix," said IAB CEO Danny Meadows-Klue. "Years ago, many claimed online (advertising) would wipe away traditional media, but today we realize it supports them, accelerating their effects and stretching their reach." The IAB said the online ad market was on track to surpass the 600-million-pound mark by 2006 and overtake commercial radio in terms of revenues generated.
tags: Internet | Reports | U.K | Surge |