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ArchivesWSJ: Microsoft Ends Subscription Service Licensing Talks With LabelsAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on October 4, 2005 - 3:15am.
New York - The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that Microsoft cited high royalty rates as it ended talks with the major record labels towards licensing their songs for a digital music subscription service. Microsoft has not yet announced such a service, which would be similar to offerings from Napster, Yahoo and RealNetworks, but is expected to enter the market. The breakdown of licensing negotiations will likely indefinitely postpone a launch, The Journal reported, citing two people close to the situation. The labels were reportedly seeking $6 to $8 per month per user for access to their songs for a subscription service, which label sources said was standard; while Yahoo's subscription service costs $4.99 per month, Napster's and RealNetworks' are both around $15 per month.
Report: RIAA Has Wrongly Sued "Hundreds" of File-SwappersAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on October 4, 2005 - 3:14am.
San Francisco - Wired News on Tuesday cited legal experts who said "hundreds" of people are being wrongly sued by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for copyright infringement on file-sharing networks. Last week, a judge in Michigan dismissed a RIAA lawsuit against a woman who claimed the file-sharing was done by one of her children, and that the RIAA engaged in abusive behavior to try to get her to settle. "My impression is that the majority of those sued are innocent," Ray Beckerman, an attorney with Beldock Levine & Hoffman, told Wired News. "What really rankled me is the bullying tactics they use, and I don't like bullies. Prior to retaining lawyers, when (defendants) talk to the settlement support center, they are threatened with criminal prosecution, ruin of their credit, publication of their names." Some say that many of the IP addresses the RIAA collected from anonymous file-swappers, and later connected to Internet account owners through ISPs, have been matched with the wrong individuals. An RIAA spokeswoman told Wired News the RIAA has "complete confidence in the litigations we have filed and in the judicial process to resolve the issues raised in those cases." The RIAA has sued over 14,000 file-swappers for copyright infringement, and has so far settled some 3,300 of those cases out of court.
Peter Jackson Signs On to Film Adaptation of "Halo" Xbox GameAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on October 4, 2005 - 3:11am.
Los Angeles - Microsoft announced on Tuesday that director Peter Jackson ("The Lord of the Rings," "King Kong") and his wife Fran Walsh have been named as executive producers for the movie adaptation of its "Halo" Xbox video game. The film, based on a script from Alex Garland ("28 Days Later," "The Beach") will be shot in New Zealand using Jackson's production facilities; a director for the film has not yet been announced. "I'm a huge fan of the game and look forward to helping it come alive on the cinema screen," said Jackson. The film is currently scheduled for release in mid-2007 by Universal Pictures (domestic) and Twentieth Century Fox (international).
Motorola Licenses Universal Songs for iRadio Phone/Car Stereo ServiceAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on October 4, 2005 - 3:10am.
Schaumberg, Ill. - Motorola announced on Tuesday that it has licensed Universal Music Group's catalog for its iRadio service, which will let consumers transfer streaming music and Internet talk radio onto cell phones, and then listen both on their phones and on car stereos through a Bluetooth connection. While Universal is the first major label to sign on to the service, EMI has also expressed interest in iRadio, whose launch was recently delayed from the fall until next spring. The service is expected to cost between $5 and $7 per month, while iRadio handsets will cost about $200, and a Bluetooth car stereo adapter will be another $65. "The innovative Motorola iRadio service can securely deliver a customized choice of radio stations right to the fans of virtually any artist. So now, consumers can hear album tracks or discover new performances through their existing car stereo or their always-with-you mobile phone," said Mike Gaumond, vice president and general manager, Motorola iRadio.
Nintendo's "Pokemon" Game Franchise Nears 150 Millionth SaleAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on October 4, 2005 - 3:07am.
Redmond, Wash. - Nintendo of America announced on Tuesday that its Pokemon game franchise, which has garnered $15 billion in worldwide retail sales, is nearing its 150 millionth game sale. Pokemon was launched on Game Boy in Japan in 1996, and in North America in Sept. 1998. The most recent title, "Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness," was launched on Tuesday for Nintendo GameCube.
Midway Games Acquires U.K.-Based Pitbull Syndicate for $3.1 MillionAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on October 4, 2005 - 3:06am.
Chicago - Extending its presence in the U.K., video game publisher Midway Games announced on Tuesday that it has acquired Newcastle-based game development studio The Pitbull Syndicate, which is currently at work on Midway's "L.A. Rush" title. Midway paid about $3.1 million for the company, offering just under 200,000 Midway shares. Founded in 1996, The Pitbull Syndicate has also developed the 5.5 million unit-selling "Test Drive" game franchise; the studio will be renamed Midway Studios Newcastle. Midway's "L.A. Rush" title for PlayStation 2 and Xbox is scheduled to ship to retailers on Oct. 10.
Memory Card Firm SanDisk Introduces Sansa Line of MP3 PlayersAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on October 4, 2005 - 3:04am.
Sunnyvale, Calif. - SanDisk, a maker of flash memory storage products used in consumer electronics -- including Apple's iPod Nano -- on Tuesday introduced its own line of portable MP3 players. The Sansa m200 series includes models in 512MB ($79), 1GB ($119), 2GB ($159) and 4GB ($199) capacities. The devices, which are compatible with Microsoft-supported portable subscription services from Napster, Yahoo and RealNetworks, are slated to ship in November. RealNetworks said it will offer an $80 rebate on the devices -- essentially giving users the $79 model for free -- when they sign up for a six-month subscription to Rhapsody.
Web Music Video Site ManiaTV Raises $12 MillionAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on October 4, 2005 - 3:02am.
Denver, Colo. - ManiaTV, a provider of a 24-hour live Internet music channel, announced on Tuesday that it has raised $12 million in its second round of venture capital financing. Investors participating in the round included Centennial Ventures, Intel Capital and Benchmark Capital. Denver-based ManiaTV offers interactive, live music video shows hosted by on-air personalities via webcam, and recently added several on-demand channels featuring short video and sports-related content. The company claims it attracts nearly 2 million viewers monthly. The funds will be used to further develop the company's programming and infrastructure.
Ad-Supported VOD Network RipeTV Gets $5 Million from Hearst-ArgyleAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on October 4, 2005 - 3:01am.
Los Angeles - Hearst-Argyle Television, an owner of 27 TV stations and a number of radio stations in the U.S., announced on Tuesday that it has made a $5 million investment in Hollywood-based Ripe Digital Entertainment, the developer of an on-demand, advertiser-supported network offered for free to subscribers. RipeTV plans to launch on Oct. 28 on MSN, Akimbo, Comcast.net and its own Ripe.tv website, as well as for mobile TV providers; RipeTV was launched on Comcast's digital cable video-on-demand service in July. The company offers "immersive advertising" that appears on-screen during its programming, which varies in length from 3 to 15 minutes; 40% of RipeTV programming are original productions. RipeTV shows at launch include "Bikini World," "Supermodel TV," "Ed's Night Party" and "Kung Faux." Hearst-Argyle Television said it will assist RipeTV in advertising, distribution and new market endeavors.
U.K.-Based Mobile Games Firm Player X Raises $7 MillionAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on October 4, 2005 - 2:58am.
London - Player X, a U.K.-based mobile games publisher and distributor, announced that it has raised $7 million in first round venture capital financing. Venture capital firm Arts Alliance and sports rights company Bullion International led the round. Player X said it would use the funds to build its mobile games publishing business and move into other mobile entertainment areas. The company is also expanding its global reach by opening a number of new regional hubs, like the office opened in Beijing in July 2005. Separately, the company also announced that it has strengthened its board of directors by appointing Sega veteran Nick Alexander as chairman and Fox Kids Europe founder Ynon Kreiz as a non-executive board member.
Copyright Office Solicits Comments on Anti-Circumvention ExceptionsAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on October 4, 2005 - 2:57am.
Washington - The U.S. Copyright Office has requested public comments on whether a provision of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act that prohibits the circumvention of piracy protections has any adverse effects on users attempting to make "fair use" of certain works for non-infringing purposes. The Librarian of Congress is empowered to exempt certain classes of works from the anti-circumvention provision. The Copyright Office invited copyright owners, educational institutions, libraries and archives, scholars, researchers, and members of the public to submit comments by Dec. 1.
Sirius Satellite Radio Adds 359,000 Subscribers in Q3Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 4, 2005 - 2:56am.
New York - Sirius Satellite Radio, a provider of subscription radio programming, announced on Tuesday that it added 359,000 new net subscribers during the third quarter of 2005, a 97% increase over the number added during the same period a year ago. The company now counts 2.17 million subscribers, and expects to have 3 million by the end of the year. By contrast, rival XM Satellite Radio yesterday said it added 617,000 new net subscribers in the third quarter, and expects to count 6 million by the end of 2005.
tags: Subscribers | Sirius Satellite Radio |
Ruckus Signs Babson, Wesleyan, Bridgewater for Campus DownloadsAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on October 4, 2005 - 2:54am.
Herndon, Va. - Ruckus, a provider of legal campus music and media download services, announced on Tuesday that it has signed new agreements to offer its service on the campuses of Babson College, Wesleyan University and Bridgewater State College. More than 20 schools now offer the service, which allows users to join a social network, share playlists, and download music and movies.
Milwaukee Orchestra Creates Online Label for Digital DistributionAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on October 4, 2005 - 2:52am.
Milwaukee, Wisc. - The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra on Tuesday announced the formation of MSO Classics, an online record label created specifically to distribute its recordings through digital retailers like iTunes, Napster and Yahoo. The catalog of 300 live performances, dating back to 1970, will be available exclusively on iTunes for the next 90 days; MSO Classics will also join the Independent Online Distribution Alliance (IODA). "For the first time, an American orchestra is making available its archives on iTunes and other commercial download sites, finally realizing the promise of the groundbreaking American Federation of Musicians Internet Agreement of 2000," said MSO musician Robert Levine.
U.K. Carrier Orange Launches Live Mobile TV Cricket ChannelAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on October 4, 2005 - 2:50am.
London - U.K. mobile carrier Orange on Tuesday launched a live mobile TV service offering cricket coverage. The Cricket channel on Orange TV will initially cover the ICC Super Series; other channels on Orange TV include CNN, ITN, Cartoon Network and "Big Brother."
GameFly, USPS Team to Speed Delivery of Online Game RentalsAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on October 4, 2005 - 2:48am.
Los Angeles - Online video game rental service GameFly on Tuesday announced the launch of a service that it says will improve delivery times by as much as three days. Developed in partnership with the USPS, the FastReturn service will ship the next game in a subscriber's queue as soon as the local post office scans a returned video game rental.
EA Offers Bonus "Madden" Content on SanDisk PSP Memory CardsAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on October 4, 2005 - 2:47am.
Sunnyvale, Calif. - Flash memory storage media manufacturer SanDisk announced on Tuesday that it has partnered with Electronic Arts to offer bonus content for EA's "Madden NFL 06" title for the Sony PSP, on Memory Stick PRO Duo game cards sold for the device. The game cards range in price from $49 (256MB) to $114 (1GB).
Atari Announces Xbox 360 Launch TitlesAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on October 4, 2005 - 2:45am.
New York - Atari on Tuesday announced the roster of titles it will ship in conjunction with the launch of Microsoft's Xbox 360 console. The company will offer "Alone in the Dark" (Eden Games), "Driver: Parallel Lines" (Reflections Interactive), "Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure" (The Collective), "The Matrix: Path of Neo" (Shiny Entertainment), "Time Shift" (Saber Interactive) and "Test Drive Unlimited (Eden Games). Separately, Atari announced on Tuesday that it has signed an agreement with Marathon Animation to license the company's "Totally Spies" TV property, which airs on Cartoon Network. Atari said its first title based on the series will be published for Game Boy Advance in November; Atari also plans versions for PlayStation 2 and Nintendo DS.
Atari Announces Xbox 360 Launch TitlesAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on October 4, 2005 - 2:45am.
New York - Atari on Tuesday announced the roster of titles it will ship in conjunction with the launch of Microsoft's Xbox 360 console. The company will offer "Alone in the Dark" (Eden Games), "Driver: Parallel Lines" (Reflections Interactive), "Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure" (The Collective), "The Matrix: Path of Neo" (Shiny Entertainment), "Time Shift" (Saber Interactive) and "Test Drive Unlimited (Eden Games). Separately, Atari announced on Tuesday that it has signed an agreement with Marathon Animation to license the company's "Totally Spies" TV property, which airs on Cartoon Network. Atari said its first title based on the series will be published for Game Boy Advance in November; Atari also plans versions for PlayStation 2 and Nintendo DS.
THQ Announces Xbox 360 Launch TitlesAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on October 4, 2005 - 2:44am.
Calabasas Hills, Calif. - Video game publisher THQ on Tuesday announced several of the titles it will offer for Microsoft's Xbox 360 console. Among them are "MotoGP Ultimate Racing Technology" (Climax Group), "Saint's Row" (Volition) and "The Outfit" (Relic Entertainment). Separately, Calabasas Hills, Calif.-based THQ said it shipped its "everGirl" title for PC and Game Boy Advance, based on the popular lifestyle brand for tween, and "Bratz: Rock Angelz" for PlayStation 2, GameCube, Game Boy Advance and the PC, based on the fashion doll line.
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