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Electronic Arts, NBA Partner on European Exhibition Tournament

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on June 14, 2005 - 9:43am.
Detroit -- Video game publisher Electronic Arts announced on Tuesday that it has partnered with the NBA and Euroleague Basketball, to sponsor a European basketball exhibition featuring four NBA teams that will compete against Euroleague teams in five European countries. Under the two-year partnership, Electronic Arts' EA Sports -- which produces the company's "NBA Live" game franchise -- will sponsor the NBA Europe Live tournaments, which will take place in October 2006 and 2007. EA's "NBA Live 06," due for worldwide release in October, will be featured in promotion of the events throughout Europe and the U.S. The NBA's last visit to Europe was in 2003, for the NBA Europe Games preseason exhibition tournament.
tags: Deals | NBA | Electronic Arts | Tournament | European Exhibition |

AOL to Offer Exclusive Video, Music Content for Free

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on June 14, 2005 - 9:42am.
Dulles, Va. -- Looking for a way to boost its advertising revenue, America Online plans to make the bulk of its subscription music and video offerings available for free, the Associated Press reported on Tuesday. The Internet company, which has seen its subscriber base dwindle with the rise of broadband access, plans to go live with a new test version of its AOL.com portal on June 21, and formally launch it next month amidst a blitz of online, radio and print advertising. Subscribers will still have exclusive access to some content, including sections for kids and teens, and other features such as e-mail security, parental controls, software and support. With internal studies showing that AOL's exclusive content wasn't having a major effect on its ability to retain subscribers, "the company decided to make that available to a wider audience for free in hopes of gaining more online real estate to sell to advertisers," the AP reported. AOL's revenue dropped 3% in the first quarter, and its subscriber base -- once approaching 27 million -- has now fallen below 22 million.
tags: Video | AOL | Free | Musics |

Universal Music Group, EMI Music Publishing Partner on Digital Services

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on June 14, 2005 - 9:40am.
New York -- Major record label Universal Music Group and EMI Music Publishing, the publishing unit of the major record label, on Tuesday announced that they plan to introduce a line of joint digital music services in North America, MarketWatch.com reported. The agreement covers music videos distributed via video-on-demand, download services and on DualDisc format, in addition to digital song download stores and mobile music features like ringtones and ringback tones.
tags: Deals | Universal Music Group | EMI Music | Digital Services |

EMI, Sony BMG Add Copy-Limiting Technology to CD Albums

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on June 14, 2005 - 9:38am.
Los Angeles -- Major record label EMI Group plans next month to begin distributing CDs with copyright protections that allow them to be burned to a blank CD only three times, the Los Angeles Times reported. The anti-piracy technology also prevents consumers from making any copies of their copies. EMI will join fellow major label Sony BMG, which now says similar copy-limiting technology is present on about half of its U.S. album releases. Both labels are using technology developed by Arizona-based SunnComm and several other companies. EMI told the Times that artists whose CDs will feature the copy-limiting technology include OK Go and 30 Seconds to Mars.
tags: Sony BMG | CD | EMI | Albums | Copy-Limiting |

Singapore TV Producer to Broadcast Drama Series for 3G Cell Phones

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on June 14, 2005 - 9:36am.
Singapore -- Mediacorp, a state-owned TV production firm in Singapore, plans to launch Asia's first TV series for cell phones later this month, Reuters reported. The romantic drama "PS I Luv U" will air in 30 three-minute episodes for cell phone subscribers in Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Malaysia, prior to airing in a single 90-minute TV program in early 2006. Mediacorp told Reuters it plans to produce at least 10 additional mobile TV series for 3G mobile phone services in 2006.
tags: TV | Singapore | Cell Phones | 3G | Broadcast | Drama |

Nielsen Media Research Acquires Ad Verification Firm AudioAudit

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on June 14, 2005 - 9:34am.
New York -- Nielsen Media Research, the provider of TV ratings and related services, announced on Tuesday that it has acquired New Jersey-based AudioAudit, a provider of broadcast verification technology for the advertising industry. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. AudioAudit's AdVantage software embeds audio watermarks into advertisers' TV commercials, which can then be monitored to verify that the ads run as scheduled. New York-based Nielsen said it will integrate AudioAudit's software with its SIGMA verification service, which continually monitors TV stations in 210 markets to verify the broadcast of clients' commercials and other video content.
tags: Nielsen Media | Verification | AudioAudit |

Copy-Protection Developer Macrovision Acquires Zero G Software

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on June 14, 2005 - 9:32am.
Santa Clara, Calif. -- Macrovision, a developer of electronic licensing, installation and CD and DVD copy-protection technologies, said on Monday that it has acquired San Francisco-based Zero G Software, a privately held provider of software deployment and delivery technologies for multi-platform operating system environments. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Dan Stickel, an executive vice president for Macrovision, said that the acquisition will allow his company to offer software publishers and their customers with "a seamless software installation experience across all platforms." Zero G Software will become part of Macrovision's Software Technologies Group and expand Macrovision's product portfolio in the software value management category. Macrovision will continue to provide support for all of Zero G's products.
tags: Macrovision | Copy-Protection | Zero G Software |