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President Bush Names Kevin Martin To Head FCC

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 16, 2005 - 3:06am.
Washington -- The White House announced on Wednesday that 38-year-old Kevin Martin has been named to lead the Federal Communications Commission, which has decided a number of groundbreaking telecommunications issues in recent years. Martin, who will replace Michael Powell, has served as an FCC Commissioner since 2001. Prior to his appointment to the FCC, he worked at the White House and served as a deputy general counsel on Bush's first campaign. Martin and Powell -- both Republicans -- were on different sides on a 2003 decision over how to promote competition among Baby Bell companies and their competitors. Some consumer groups and media watchdogs were critical of Martin's nomination. "Religious and conservative groups campaigned for the elevation of Mr. Martin [and] have succeeded in establishing a new 'litmus' test for the FCC chair -- someone who will be at the forefront of monitoring programming," Jeff Chester, executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy, told the Los Angeles Times.
tags: FCC | President Bush | Kevin Martin |

Reuters: FTC to Block Blockbuster Bid for Hollywood Video Rental Chain

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 16, 2005 - 3:03am.
Washington -- The Federal Trade Commission is planning to take Blockbuster to court to block its takeover bid of No. 2 video rental chain Hollywood Video, sources close to the case told Reuters on Wednesday. Blockbuster's general counsel, Edward Stead, told Reuters he believes FTC staff are opposed to the deal, adding, "It's apparent to us that they're living in the past -- we need an objective (judge) to get at this." While the FTC has until March 21 to take action, Hollywood has already rejected Blockbuster's takeover offer, in favor of a rival bid from Alabama-based Movie Gallery, the nation's third-largest video rental chain -- which the FTC has already green-lighted.
tags: Movies | FTC | Blockbuster | Reuters | Hollywood Video Rental |

Content Delivery Network Akamai Acquires Rival Speedera for $130 Million

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 16, 2005 - 3:01am.
Cambridge, Mass. -- Content delivery network Akamai Technologies announced on Wednesday that it has acquired rival Speedera Networks, in an all-stock transaction valued at about $130 million. Massachusetts-based Akamai expects the purchase to enable it to better compete against larger managed service providers, as well as offer a broader range of services to its customers. Both companies provide technology that speeds the delivery of content across the Internet, such as software applications, Web ads and online video. The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of 2005.
tags: Deals | Akamai | Rival Speedera | Content Delivery Network |

MPAA Hails Anti-Piracy Raid on Swedish ISP Bahnhof

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 16, 2005 - 2:53am.
Los Angeles -- The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) has hailed an anti-piracy raid conducted by Swedish authorities last week on the offices of Bahnhof, the country's largest Internet service provider. The Swedish anti-piracy group Antipiratbyran reportedly seized four servers that housed 1,800 movies, 5,000 warez files and 450,000 songs, in addition to data on as many as 20,000 Bahnhof users. "This was a very big raid," MPAA anti-piracy operations director John Malcolm told Reuters. "The material that was seized contained not only evidence of a piracy organization operating in Sweden but of online piracy organizations operating throughout all of Europe."
tags: MPAA | Anti-Piracy Raid | Swedish ISP Bahnhof |

EU Antitrust Boss Still "Undecided" on Microsoft Compliance

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 16, 2005 - 2:51am.
Brussels -- EU Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes announced this week that her office was still determining whether or not Microsoftis complying with last year's ruling against the U.S.-based software giant. Microsoft has been ordered to offer a version of its Windows operating systems without the Media Player video and music application. What's more, the company has had to share protocol information with its rivals in order to improve interoperability with their products. While Microsoft insists that it has complied fully with the landmark ruling, Kroes told the European Parliament's Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee on Tuesday that it was still premature to determine whether the company had done enough to meet her office's requirements.
tags: EU | Undecided | Microsoft Compliance |

Sony to Equip Cuban's Landmark Theatres With Digital Cinema Projectors

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 16, 2005 - 2:47am.
Las Vegas -- Movie theater exhibitor Landmark Theatres announced on Wednesday that it has signed an agreement with Sony Electronics, to outfit the chain's theaters for digital cinema with Sony's new digital SXRD projectors. The independent arthouse theater chain, owned by HDNet founder Mark Cuban's 2929 Entertainment, will equip six theaters for digital this summer, and plans to eventually install SXRD projectors in all 59 of its theaters in 22 markets. "Sony's 4K digital projectors allow us to project live concerts and sporting events, ultra high-resolution movies and presentations created using future technologies," said Cuban. "Most important, it provides a viewing experience for movies that far exceeds what other theaters are doing today with 2K projectors."
tags: Sony | Cuban's Landmark Theatres | Digital Cinema Projectors |

Survey: One in Three Play Video Games while Commuting

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 16, 2005 - 2:45am.
San Francisco -- Almost one-third of all game players say they play games during their daily travel to work, according to a survey conducted by Trymedia Systems, a provider of secure online game distribution technology. The company's online survey of more than 8,000 game players worldwide showed that 30% of commuters turned on their laptops, clicked on their mobile phones or used their portable gaming device to play games. Of those who played games to and from work, the average length of game play was 23 minutes per trip. Among air travellers surveyed, gaming was found to be a popular activity aboard airplanes, alongside reading, sleeping and watching in-flight movies. "The survey results reflect the fast-growing popularity of games being downloaded to PC and mobile phones," said Trymedia CEO Alex Torrubia.
tags: Survey | Play Video Games | Commuting |