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ArchivesProposed Legislation Would Plug "Analog Hole" in Consumer ElectronicsAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on December 20, 2005 - 7:23am.
Washington - A new anti-piracy bill introduced in the U.S. House aims to plug the "analog hole," by outlawing devices that can convert analog video into digital unless they contain certain copy-protection technologies, CNET News.com reported. Backed by Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-Wisc.), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), the Digital Transition Content Security Act is also endorsed by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). "This legislation is designed to secure analog content from theft that has been made easier as a result of the transition to digital technologies," Sensenbrenner told News.com. "[Criminals] obtain copyrighted content and then redistribute for profit at the copyright owner's expense." The bill would affect PC TV tuners, digital video recorders and other devices that can make copies of copyrighted content, degrading their features so that, for instance, copy-protected shows could only be recorded for 90 minutes, and only in lower-quality format. The proposed legislation will likely not be taken up for several months, after Congress returns from its holiday break.
Leaked Oscar Screener DVDs Already Appearing OnlineAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on December 20, 2005 - 7:20am.
Los Gatos, Calif. -- Several of the advance DVD screener copies of movies up for Academy Awards, sent to members of the Academy for voting purposes, have already popped up on file-sharing services, according to BayTSP, an anti-piracy firm working with studios to monitor file-sharing networks. "Screeners have been distributed to Academy members and many of them are already appearing online," said BayTSP CEO Mark Ishikawa. "It's common knowledge in the pirate community that screeners are digitally watermarked and some groups make attempts, usually unsuccessfully, to erase those marks." The leaks come despite the well-publicized ouster of a member of the Academy last year for passing his screeners to several others, who were then prosecuted for posting them online. BayTSP did not disclose which studios it has worked with to watermark their screener DVDs, which Oscar contender films are now available online, or what actions are being taken to potentially identify any leakers.
Two Charged With Insider Trading in Connection With c to SiriusAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on December 20, 2005 - 7:18am.
Washington - Radio shock jock Howard Stern's former accountant has pleaded guilty to insider trading in connection with information he received about Stern's move to Sirius Satellite Radio. Gary Herwitz, formerly of Mahoney Cohen & Co., now faces up to 16 months in prison for buying shares of Sirius, after Stern told him in confidence that Sirius had made him an offer. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) also charged Herwitz and a former Sirius executive with insider trading, also for acting on information before the Sirius deal was made public. Both Herwitz and former Sirius executive Tracey Stanyer settled the SEC charges and agreed to pay fines without admitting wrongdoing.
Video Game Publisher Midway Games to Lay Off Up to 11% of StaffAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on December 20, 2005 - 7:16am.
Chicago - Video game publisher Midway Games, creators of the "Mortal Kombat" franchise, plans to lay off up to 11% of its global workforce, or up to 96 jobs, the company said in an SEC filing on Friday. The company said the cuts will "reduce the company's cost structure and increase product development synergy and efficiency," adding that it will incur $13 million in charges related to severance and other costs. Last week, the company shuttered its Midway Australia unit -- formerly developer Ratbag Studios -- only four months after completing the acquisition.
Music Publisher Apologizes to Lyrics Aggregation Software MakerAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on December 20, 2005 - 7:14am.
San Francisco - Music publisher Warner/Chappell Music has apologized to a lyrics website operator after sending a threatening cease-and-desist letter, and in fact now plans to collaborate with him, according to published reports. Publishers have taken steps to shut down websites that offer databases of song lyrics, which are copyrighted works owned by publishers and songwriters. But the operator of PearLyrics, a free software program that aggregates song lyrics available online and imports them into iTunes, received an apology from Warner/Chappell after becoming the target of similar action. "The goal of Warner/Chappell's prior letter to Pearworks was to gain assurance that PearLyrics operated according to [legal] principles," the apology reads. "However, in both tone and substance, that letter was an inappropriate manner in which to convey that inquiry. Warner/Chappell apologized to Walter Ritter and Pearworks."
Reuters Launches Free Video News Feeds for WebsitesAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on December 20, 2005 - 7:13am.
London - News agency Reuters has launched a new video news feature that lets any website host a Reuters video news feed with up to 20 stories daily. Usually such content is reserved for Reuters' network of newspaper and broadcast partners. Reuters partnered with video distributor Brightcove on the ad-supported service, which is aimed at increasing the agency's audience. "Video is a key part of our strategy," Stephen Smyth, vice president of the media division at Reuters, told CNET News.com. "What we want to do is offer another approach (to content distribution) and following the trends, we want to take advantage of the growing use of online video."
Tiscali UK to Offer PlayLouder Music ISP ServiceAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on December 20, 2005 - 7:11am.
London - PlayLouder MSP, the provider of an Internet access service that includes a private peer-to-peer music file-sharing network, announced that it has signed a distribution deal with European broadband provider Tiscali. Under the deal, Tiscali UK will offer the PlayLouder service to its ADSL customers. For about $47 per month, subscribers get both broadband Internet and unlimited downloads through PlayLouder's legal peer-to-peer file-sharing service, which uses audio fingerprinting to track distribution and compensate rights owners.
Jamster to Distribute Master Ringtones from Notorious B.I.G. AlbumAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on December 20, 2005 - 7:09am.
Mountain View, Calif. - Mobile entertainment publisher Jamster said on Tuesday that it will offer exclusive master recording ringtones from Bad Boy Records' "The Notorious B.I.G. Duets: The Final Chapter" album, which was released today. Bad Boy Records founder and CEO Sean "Diddy" Combs will also appear in a Jamster TV spot promoting the product. Jamster, a unit of VeriSign, has distribution rights to Warner Music Group's mobile personalization products catalog. In a related announcement, Virgin Mobile USA said the Biggie ringtones will first be offered exclusively to its subscribers through Jan. 30.
Groove Mobile Powers Mobile Music Service for Telecom New ZealandAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on December 20, 2005 - 7:08am.
Andover, Mass. - Groove Mobile, a provider of mobile digital music distribution services, announced on Tuesday that it has partnered with Telecom New Zealand, and will power the company's Telecom Music Store. Massachusetts-based Groove Mobile's service allows users to download full-track songs from major labels Universal, Warner and EMI. The New Zealand service is currently only available on the Sanyo 9000 handset, which features a 1GB mini-SD memory card.
"King Kong" Video Game Features Unlockable Alternate EndingAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on December 20, 2005 - 7:06am.
San Francisco - French video game publisher Ubisoft announced on Tuesday that its video game based on director Peter Jackson's "King Kong" features an unlockable alternate ending, in which players can "save the giant ape from his cinematic death, pilot an airplane and discover Kong back home on his native Skull Island." "I wanted the game to be able to take the audience a bit further than what the film could," said Jackson. "And the final climax of the game gave us an opportunity to do something that the film could not do, which was to have an alternate ending." "Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie" was released for PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, Xbox, GameCube, PSP, Nintendo DS and the PC.
Wikipedia Founder Criticized for Editing Own Online BioAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on December 20, 2005 - 7:04am.
San Francisco - Wired News reported on Tuesday on a new controversy surrounding Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia that has in recent weeks been criticized for its accuracy and editorial standards. A blogger recently discovered that Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales had edited his own biographical entry on the site, diminishing the contributions of co-founder Larry Sanger, as well as references to an adult site Wales once operated. "People shouldn't do it, including me," Wales told Wired News. "I wish I hadn't done it. It's in poor taste...People have a lot of information about themselves but staying objective is difficult." Sanger responded to the revelation in a posting on Wikipedia. "Having seen edits like this, it does seem that Jimmy is attempting to rewrite history. But this is a futile process because in our brave new world of transparent activity and maximum communication, the truth will out," Sanger wrote.
N.Y. Times: Walkman Inventor Finally Gets Credit, Royalties from SonyAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on December 20, 2005 - 6:58am.
New York - The New York Times recently reported on Andreas Pavel, a Brazilian who has finally won his claim to be the inventor of the Walkman. Pavel patented his idea for a portable tape player with headphones in several countries during the late 70's, and shopped his idea to electronics firms including Grundig, Philips and Yamaha, before Sony came out with its Walkman in 1979. Pavel eventually sued Sony, but lawsuits and negotiations dragged out for 25 years before he reached a reported eight-figure settlement with the company, which now also pays Pavel royalties on several Walkman models.
Digital Commerce SummitJan 31 2006 - 8:30am Jan 31 2006 - 6:00pm Etc/GMT Senators Propose Federal Ban on Sales of Violent Video Games to MinorsAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on December 19, 2005 - 8:09am.
Washington - Democratic Senators Hillary Clinton, Joe Lieberman and Evan Bayh on Friday introduced the Family Entertainment Protection Act, which would create a federal ban on the sale of violent and sexually explicit video games to minors. "Video games are hot holiday items, and there are certainly wonderful games that help our children learn and increase hand and eye coordination. However, there are also games that are just not appropriate for our nation's youth," said Senator Clinton. "This bill will help empower parents by making sure their kids can't walk into a store and buy a video game that has graphic, violent and pornographic content." The bill calls for a $1,000 fine or 100 hours of community service for a retailer's first offense, and $5,000 or 500 hours for each subsequent offense. It would also require an annual, independent analysis of game ratings; an annual undercover audit of retailers to determine compliance; the creation of a complaint filing mechanism; and an FTC investigation into "hidden content," like the "Hot Coffee" sexually explicit mini-game found in copies of "Grand Theft Auto" that were taken off store shelves earlier this year. The bill comes as similar statewide and local bans are routinely being struck down by the courts as unconstitutional restrictions on First Amendment free speech protections, although the Supreme Court has not weighed in on the issue. A federal judge earlier this month blocked enactment of an Illinois state video game sales ban; Washington's ban has also been overturned. The video game industry is additionally battling video game sales bans recently enacted in Michigan and California in the courts.
House Approves Feb. 17, 2009 Digital TV Transition, $1.5 Billion SubsidyAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on December 19, 2005 - 8:07am.
Washington - The U.S. House of Representatives on Monday voted on a digital television transition date of Feb. 17, 2009, the day when broadcasters will cease transmitting their analog signals and consumers will need either a digital TV or a special converter in order to receive a signal. Reuters reported that the deal, negotiated by Republicans in the House and Senate, would include a $1.5 billion subsidy, part of which would go to purchasing converters for those who can't afford new digital sets. The Senate had previously approved a $3 billion subsidy, and the House a $990,000 subsidy; the compromise bill must still be approved by the Senate. The subsidy has been a sticking point for the legislation, as current law requires that 85% of a market must be able to receive digital signals before broadcasters there are required to make the switch.
Report: Illegal File-Sharing Down 11% Since Grokster Supreme Court RulingAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on December 19, 2005 - 8:04am.
Port Washington, N.Y. - Illegal file-sharing in the U.S. has declined by 11% since the Supreme Court ruled in June that file-sharing networks could be held liable for copyright infringement, according to a report from market research firm NPD Group. The number of U.S. households that had downloaded at least one song from an illegal peer-to-peer service fell from 6.4 million households in June to 5.7 million in October. Prior to the ruling, NPD noted a steady increase in U.S. file-sharing throughout 2004 and 2005. Since the landmark ruling, which found Grokster and Streamcast Networks (Morpheus) guilty of copyright infringement, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has sent cease-and-desist letters to a number of similar services -- prompting several to either shut down or shift business tactics. "It wasn't until the Grokster decision that substantial reductions in the number of households downloading music occurred," said NPD music industry analyst Russ Crupnick. "If this trend continues throughout the remainder of the fourth quarter 2005 and into next year, it would signify a solid victory in the music industry's efforts against illegal music file sharing in the U.S."
Carmike Cinemas to Convert 2,300 Screens to DigitalAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on December 19, 2005 - 7:59am.
Morristown, N.J. - Carmike Cinemas, which owns 307 movie theaters in 37 states, announced on Monday that it has signed an agreement with Access Integrated Technologies, to deploy up to 2,300 digital cinema projection systems throughout the U.S. Carmike and AccessIT's Christie/AIX unit will begin installing digital projectors in January, and expects the rollout to be completed by November 2007. Christie/AIX said it also signed agreements with Disney, 20th Century Fox, Universal, Sony and DreamWorks, and will act as the financing intermediary between studios and theater owners receiving the digital cinema systems. In addition, AccessIT plans a secondary offering of shares in the very near future to provide equity funding for the deployment.
Report: Online Holiday Spending Up 16% to $18.6 BillionAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on December 19, 2005 - 7:57am.
New York - Online holiday shoppers have spent $18.6 billion in the first six weeks of the holiday season, up 16% from 2004, according to data from Goldman Sachs, Nielsen/NetRatings and Harris Interactive. Some 19% of the 6,500 adults polled said that they have yet to start their holiday shopping. Consumer electronics was the second most popular segment, after apparel, with $2.8 billion in spending, while toys/video games accounted for $1.4 billion in online revenue. "As online retail continues to mature as a sales channel, shoppers are provided the luxury of waiting to make holiday gift purchases until the last couple weeks of the season," said Nielsen/NetRatings senior retail analyst Heather Dougherty. "Online retailers are extending shipping deadlines later each year, which provides ample time to comparison shop for the best deal. Price remains one of the biggest motivators online and is reflected in large spikes in audience traffic."
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