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Movie Studios, NFL Petition FCC to Ban TiVo Content-Sharing Feature

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on July 23, 2004 - 4:45am.
San Jose, Calif. -- A number of Hollywood movie studios and the NFL have filed papers with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), seeking to block approval of a service from digital video recorder firm TiVo that would allow users to send recorded programs to laptops and PCs, the Associated Press reported. The TiVo To Go feature would also enable users to share shows with a limited number of friends -- but the copyright holders do not believe TiVo has installed sufficient safeguards against piracy. "We don't have a problem if you want to move the content to your summer home, or your boat, but the TiVo application does not require any kind of relationship with the sender," Motion Picture Association of America executive vice president Fritz Attaway told AP. "It could be to a nightclub in Singapore."
tags: TiVo | NFL | FCC | Movie Studios | Ban | Content-Sharing |

Sony, Gamania Form Joint Venture to Launch Online Games in Asia

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on July 23, 2004 - 4:44am.
Taipei, Taiwan -- Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) announced on Friday the formation of a joint venture with Asian online game publisher Gamania, which will distribute Sony's online titles, such as "EverQuest," in a number of Asian countries. Sony formed a new subsidiary, SOE Asia Licensing Inc., which will have a branch office in Taiwan and act as the investor in the joint venture. The joint venture will work to "culturize" SOE's "EverQuest II" massively multiplayer online roleplaying game for release in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Korea, as well as Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines. Under the agreement, SOE will license game technology to Gamania, and Gamania will license the publishing rights for "EverQuest" in the Asian nations. The companies also said their joint venture will investigate potential investments in the Chinese game development market.
tags: Games | Internet | Sony | Asia | Gamania |

Netflix Faces Shareholder Class Actions Over "Churn Rate" Numbers

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on July 23, 2004 - 4:43am.
Los Angeles -- A number of law firms have announced the filing of shareholder class action lawsuits against online DVD rental firm Netflix, alleging the company misled investors by not disclosing accurate subscriber cancellation numbers. The lawsuits argue that Los Gatos, Calif.-based Netflix "consistently understated its subscriber churn rate," and "failed to disclose the number of subscriber cancellations… even as they repeatedly touted the large number of new subscribers being added." Following a recent earnings release that for the first time stated subscriber cancellations, the company's stock declined 38% in value, to $20 per share. The suit further states that Netflix executives sold approximately $13 million in Netflix shares when the stock was trading closer to $40 per share.
tags: Netflix | Shareholder | Churn Rate |

Strong Game Sales Boost Electronic Arts' Revenue, Profits

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on July 23, 2004 - 4:42am.
Redwood City, Calif. -- After selling more than 1 million copies each of its games involving Harry Potter, professional boxing and European soccer, video game developer Electronic Arts on Thursday reported substantial increases in quarterly revenue and profits from a year ago. The company posted net income of $24 million, up 32%, on revenue of $432 million, up 22%. Earnings per share of $0.08 eclipsed consensus analyst estimates of $0.05, according to a survey by Thomson First Call. EA said that it got a large boost with" Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," "EA Sports Fight Night 2004" and "UEFA Euro 2004" each reaching platinum status. The trend seems to be continuing, with sales of the company's NCAA Football title tracking over 50% ahead of last year after its first week, and pre-orders of EA's Madden NFL game at record levels. However, the company's shares fell nearly 8% on Friday after posting a conservative outlook and predicting flat sales for the key holiday season.
tags: Games | Sales | Electronic Arts | Profits |

BBC Union to Strike on Olympics Opening Weekend

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on July 23, 2004 - 4:42am.
London -- U.K. broadcasting union Bectu said on Friday that it plans to go on strike on July 30-31 and Aug. 13-14, dates that respectively coincide with horse racing events and the opening of the Olympic Games in Greece. The decision to strike comes in protest of the proposed $3.7 billion sale of the BBC's Technology unit to German IT service giant Siemens. Bectu members currently comprise about a fourth of BBC's Technology's 1,400 employees, and the union said it believes the BBC will be "hard-pressed" to continue normal service during the strike. However, John Varney, head of technology at the BBC, said his company has prepared several contingency plans. "We do not expect a problem with the Olympics or anything else," he said. "These are things that are set up days or weeks in advance, and a short stoppage by Bectu members would not disrupt output." Bectu, which is calling for a three-year guarantee on current conditions and a pay increase of 2.5% above inflation, complains that consultation is being rushed in order to make the Sept. 1 sale target date.
tags: Olympics | Strike | BBC Union |

Silver Lake Partners to Invest $500 Million in Thomson

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on July 23, 2004 - 4:41am.
Paris -- Silver Lake Partners, a Silicon Valley-based private equity firm, said on Friday that it planned to invest more than $500 million in Thomson, a French provider of technology for the media industry and owner of consumer electronics unit RCA. Thomson said the investment would take the form of privately held bonds that will not be transferable and cannot be hedged, thereby giving Silver Lake control of 7.5% of the French firm's share capital. Thomson made headlines earlier this week when its board decided to oust CEO Charles Dehelly and replace him with acting France Telecom chief financial officer Frank Dangeard. The company said the management change and the recent investment would speed up its transition to supplying equipment and services to the media industry. "We chose to work with Silver Lake because we believe they will serve as a strategic partner for Thomson as the company enters its next stage of growth and development," said Thomson chairman Frank Dangeard.
tags: Deals | VC | Thomson | Silver Lake |