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Warner, Bertelsmann's Arvato Mobile Launch P2P Movie Download Service

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 30, 2006 - 7:49am.
Burbank, Calif. - Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group announced on Monday that it has partnered with German media conglomerate Bertelsmann's Arvato Mobile unit to launch a German-language movie and TV show download service. In2Movies will utilize a peer-to-peer network to initially deliver more than 80 offerings, including "Batman Begins," "The O.C.," "Friends" and "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," as well as programming from local distributors and third-party content providers. Launching in March in Germany, Austria and German-speaking Switzerland, the service will use a centralized peer-to-peer network to ensure copyright protection and rights management, while a decentralized peer-to-peer network will deliver larger files like movies to users. Arvato Mobile has also partnered with major record labels Sony BMG and EMI to offer songs for download on its secure peer-to-peer network.
tags: Mobile | P2P | Bertelsmann | Download | Movie | Warner | Arvato |

AOL to Host Web-Exclusive Mark Burnett Reality Series

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 30, 2006 - 7:47am.
New York - America Online announced on Monday that it has signed a deal with Mark Burnett Productions, creators of "Survivor" and "The Apprentice," to produce a reality treasure hunt series that will air exclusively on its AOL.com website. Clues to the treasure in "Gold Rush!" will be placed throughout the AOL network, on websites including AOL.com, AIM.com, Moviefone.com and MapQuest.com, while the series will track the real-world challengers. "The world is changing and the Internet is about to become the next broadcast network," said Burnett. "With the volume of people able to watch content on their computers between 9am to 5pm, it could very well become the new primetime." AOL did not provide a launch date for the Web series.
tags: AOL | Mark Burnett | Web-Exclusive |

Warner to Sell Ringtones to Users of Skype Internet Telephone Service

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 30, 2006 - 7:46am.
New York - Major record label Warner Music Group announced on Monday that it has signed an agreement with Skype, a provider of Internet phone service, to offer master recording ringtones for purchase by Skype's 74 million registered users. Madonna will be the first featured artist on the Skype online retail store, which will also offer ringtones compatible with the Skype service from Warner artists including Green Day, T.I. and Paul Wall. Warner said the Skype retail store will also eventually offer ringback tones and other music-based personalization content.
tags: Internet | Ringtones | Skype | Warner | Telephone |

Norwegian Consumer Group Targets Online Music Store Terms

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 30, 2006 - 7:44am.
Hannover, Germany - A Norwegian consumer advocacy group has filed a formal complaint against Apple Computer, Microsoft and other providers of online music stores, arguing they violate Norwegian law, the German newspaper Heise Online reported. The Consumer Council of Norway is concerned with the fact that the terms of iTunes downloads may be changed after they are purchased; that Apple disclaims liability if iTunes is responsible for opening security risks on computers; and that purchased songs can only be played on an iPod. In addition, Apple stipulates that all of its European iTunes stores operate under the laws of Great Britain, which the CCN said is a violation of Norway's Marketing Control Act. The CCN is asking a court to compel Apple to change the terms and conditions of its Norwegian iTunes Store.
tags: Internet | Music | Norwegian |

After Soliciting Bids, NFL Opts to Air Prime-Time Games on NFL Network

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 30, 2006 - 7:43am.
New York - The National Football League (NFL) has announced that it will begin broadcasting live NFL games on its own NFL Network cable TV channel in November, ending a competitive bidding process for the rights to the games that included Comcast, NBC, News Corp., Turner Broadcasting and Verizon, Reuters reported on Monday. The NFL was reportedly seeking $400 million in annual fees for the rights to broadcast eight prime-time football games. Launched in 2003, the NFL Network is owned by the league's 32 teams and is now available in about 40 million homes, through providers including Comcast.
tags: Games | NFL | Prime-Time |

MPAA Sues Two Midwestern Movie File-Swappers

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 30, 2006 - 7:41am.
Los Angeles - The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) last week filed two copyright infringement lawsuits against individuals alleged to have swapped movies over Internet file-sharing networks. Tara Brown, of Omaha, Nebr. and Nada Stjelja, of Highland, Indiana each face up to five years in prison and fines of up to $150,000 if they choose not to settle with the MPAA and lose their cases in court. "Internet piracy is happening in cities all across America, from Omaha, Nebraska to Altoona, Iowa," said MPAA chairman and CEO Dan Glickman. "We won't stand by while people steal valuable copyrighted material with no regard whatsoever for the law or for the rights of creative people to be paid for their efforts."
tags: Movies | MPAA | Midwestern | File-Swappers |

Cox Expands VOD Library, Signs with Gemstar for Program Guides

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 30, 2006 - 7:40am.
Atlanta - Cox Communications, the nation's third-largest cable TV provider with 6.6 million customers, announced on Monday that it has expanded its video-on-demand library to over 1,300 available hours of programming. Cox added shows from MTV Networks, PBS Kids Sprout, G4, National Geographic Channel, Speed Channel, Fuse and TV Guide Spot to the service. The company said that some Cox Digital Cable subscribers will now be given free access to its video-on-demand service. Separately, Cox said it has signed a long-term agreement to use Gemstar-TV Guide's interactive program guide on its digital cable systems. As part of the deal, Cox will also offer Gemstar's TV Guide Channel and TVG horseracing and interactive waging networks.
tags: Deals | VOD | Gemstar | Library | Cox |

Instant Live to Offer Concert Downloads in SRS Surround Sound

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 30, 2006 - 7:38am.
Santa Ana, Calif. - SRS Labs, a developer of virtual surround-sound technology, announced on Monday an agreement with Instant Live, a firm that records live concert performances and offers them on CD and as downloads following the show. Under the deal, Instant Live will offer concert recordings in SRS' Circle Surround 5.1 format.
tags: Internet | Downloads | Instant Live | SRS |

Simon & Schuster to Publish Children's Audiobooks

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 30, 2006 - 7:37am.
New York - Publisher Simon & Schuster's audiobook publishing unit on Monday announced plans to enter the children's audiobook market, offering titles both for download and on CD. The first children's audiobook titles, set to launch in the summer of 2006, will include "Peter Pan in Scarlet," "Room One" and "Gideon the Cutpurse."
tags: Children | Audiobook | Simon & Schuster |

Viacom's The N Network to Offer "Degrassi" Webisodes

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 30, 2006 - 7:35am.
New York - Viacom's The N teen-focused cable TV network on Monday announced plans to launch "Degrassi Minis," an original series created for the Web that is based on Epitome Pictures' "Degrassi" franchise. The online series features a new cast of students, and will air in 2-3 minute shorts offered weekly through March 17.
tags: Viacom | The N Network | Degrassi | Webisodes |

Quova Media to Provide Geolocation Digital Rights Compliance

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 30, 2006 - 7:33am.
Mountain View, Calif. - Quova, a provider of Internet geolocation services, on Monday announced the launch of Quova Media, a new service intended for use in online digital rights compliance. The company's technology has already been used in the delivery of live sporting events over the Internet, ensuring that webcasts may be viewed only by users in locations where rights restrictions do not exist. Mountain View, Calif.-based Quova said content delivery network Limelight Networks is the first customer of the new service.
tags: Compliance | Digital | Quova Media | Geolocation |

Electronic Arts to Publish Crytek's "Crysis" PC Game

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 30, 2006 - 7:32am.
Redwood City, Calif. - Electronic Arts said on Monday that it has signed an agreement to publish developer Crytek's "Crysis" first-person shooter PC game. Coburg, Germany-based Crytek did not furnish an expected release date for the title.
tags: Games | PC Game | Electronic | Crysis |

Nintendo to Ship "Brain Age" for DS on April 17

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 30, 2006 - 7:31am.

Redmond, Wash. - Nintendo of America said on Monday that it plans to ship "Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day" for the Nintendo DS handheld on April 17. Based on similar games out of Japan, the title incorporates reading and mathematic exercises to help stimulate the brain. "Our brain-training series, led by Brain Age, builds on the popularity of word and number puzzles and acts as a treadmill for the mind," said Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of sales & marketing.
tags: Nintendo | DS | Brain Age |

Vivendi's Blizzard Takes Flak Over LGBT Guilds in "World of Warcraft"

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 30, 2006 - 7:29am.
Los Angeles - Vivendi Universal's Blizzard Entertainment game publishing studio has come under fire for allegedly preventing users from setting up player guilds based on sexual orientation within its popular "World of Warcraft" online game, GamesIndustry.biz reported. WOW subscriber Sara Andrews said she plans to cancel her account after being denied the ability to set up a "GLBT-friendly" guild. "Topics related to sensitive real-world subjects -- such as religious, sexual, or political preference, for example -- have had a tendency to result in communication between players that often breaks down into harassment," Blizzard told GamesIndustry.biz. "It seems to be okay for general chat to be flooded with [these terms], yet advertising for a GLBT friendly environment where we don't have to deal with such language is deemed inappropriate," Andrews replied. Blizzard said it plans to change language in the game's policies to "help avoid such confusion in the future."
tags: Blizzard | Vivendi | World of Warcraft | LGBT |