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ArchivesMovie, Music Industries Target File-Sharing on Internal Campus NetworksAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on April 28, 2006 - 9:16am.
Washington - The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) this week launched an anti-piracy campaign against file-sharing on college campuses, targeting students using local area networks (LAN) and software such as Direct Connect, MyTunes and Our Tunes. The entertainment industry trade groups sent letters to 40 university presidents in 25 states, alerting them of LAN piracy problems and "encouraging immediate action to stop and prevent theft by such means." Software such as MyTunes and Our Tunes was developed by independent programmers to allow sharing of songs within Apple's iTunes over a local network. The RIAA and MPAA said blocking and filtering devices are available to help administrators restrict the inappropriate uses of campus networks. "As we prioritize our focus on campus LAN piracy in the coming year, we hope administrators will take this opportunity to fully evaluate their systems and take action to stop theft by all means," said RIAA president Cary Sherman. The groups have previously targeted campus file-sharing through copyright infringement lawsuits against students.
Report: Chinese Online Game Market to Grow to $2.1 Billion by 2010Authored by Mark Hefflinger on April 28, 2006 - 9:09am.
Silicon Valley, Calif. - The Chinese online games market, which accounts for 84% of all gameplay among the country's estimated 27 million gamers, will grow from $683 million this year to $2.1 billion by 2010, according to Silicon Valley-based market research firm Niko Partners. Massively multiplayer titles are extremely popular, and 29% of the country's gamers play more than 60 hours per month, often at one of the country's 265,000 Internet cafes. Niko Partners also predicts strong growth for casual games, which are forecasted to account for 40% of the market by 2010. "Chinese gamers' passion for massively multiplayer online role-playing games has extended to the casual and premium casual segments. Premium casual games provide new gamers greater access to the online game market and open up an alternate source of entertainment for hardcore gamers," said Niko Partners managing partner Lisa Cosmas Hanson.
Netflix to Raise $105 Million Through Sale of 3.5 Million SharesAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on April 28, 2006 - 9:07am.
Los Gatos, Calif. - Online DVD rental service Netflix announced on Friday plans to sell 3.5 million shares of its stock, priced at $30 each. The transaction is expected to close on May 3. The company said it will use the approximately $105 million in proceeds for general corporate purposes. Earlier this week, Los Gatos, Calif.-based Netflix reported that it now counts 4.87 million subscribers, and also raised its year-end subscriber target from 5.9 million to 6.3 million.
Digital Cinema Firm Ballantyne to Acquire Cinema Services ProviderAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on April 28, 2006 - 9:06am.
Omaha, Nebr. - Ballantyne of Omaha, a manufacturer of film and digital cinema equipment, announced on Friday that it will acquire the assets of National Cinema Service Corp. (NCSC), a provider of cinema services including film and digital projector maintenance, repair and installations. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. "The planned acquisition of NCSC is consistent with our strategy to launch a service network to address the near- and long-term opportunities in the digital cinema market," said Ballantyne president and CEO John P. Wilmers. NCSC currently provides cinema services to customers in 31 states, and has annual revenues of $5 million.
Game Developer Destineer Gets $12 Million Equity InvestmentAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on April 28, 2006 - 9:01am.
Minneapolis, Minn. - Destineer, a developer and publisher of video games and virtual training simulations, announced this week that it has received a $12 million equity investment from The Exxel Group. Founded in 2001 by a former executive at Microsoft's Bungie games studio, Destineer has developed titles including "Close Combat," "Elite Warriors: Vietnam" and "Starship Troopers"; the company also develops virtual training simulations for government, military, and intelligence organizations around the world. "The venture capitalists of the videogame industry have traditionally been the large publishers, because they're the ones who have funded most game development until now," said Destineer CEO Paul Rinde. "But, this new trend of private-equity firms investing in the games industry gives creative companies like Destineer much more flexibility to make games the established publishers are less likely to create." The company will use the funds for several as yet unannounced titles for consoles and the PC, as well as to expand distribution and product development in Latin America.
Samsung Wins MP3 Processor Contract for Next-Generation iPodsAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on April 28, 2006 - 8:59am.
Napa, Calif. - Korea's Samsung Electronics announced that it will supply the MP3 media processors to be used in Apple's next-generation iPods, replacing former partner PortalPlayer, EE Times reported. In addition to the MP3 processors, Samsung also provides a large quantity of the NAND flash memory used in Apple's iPod Nano models.
U.K. Broadcaster Channel 4 to Offer ABC TV Shows on VOD, WebsiteAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on April 28, 2006 - 8:56am.
London - U.K. broadcaster Channel 4 announced that it has signed a deal with Disney/ABC's Buena Vista International Television that will bring episodes of "Lost" and "Desperate Housewives" to both its website and video-on-demand system. Channel 4 will offer two seasons of "Lost" in HD and the second season of "Desperate Housewives" on video-on-demand services from cable TV firm ntl/Telewest. The "Lost" episodes will also be available for 24-hour download via Windows Media Player from Channel 4's website. All episodes will cost 99 pence (about $1.25) each.
MSN Video to Offer Free Live Webcast of New Orleans Jazz FestivalAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on April 28, 2006 - 8:54am.
Redmond, Wash. - Microsoft has announced that its MSN Video unit will provide an exclusive live webcast and on-demand video highlights from the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. In addition to performances, MSN will offer artist photos, interviews, feature stories, playlists and other content. Beginning on April 30, MSN Video will webcast performances from artists including Bruce Springsteen, Herbie Hancock, Elvis Costello, Keb' Mo' and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. MSN plans to donate all advertising proceeds from the show to New Orleans Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.
Exent Provides In-Game Ads Without Game Source CodeAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on April 28, 2006 - 8:52am.
Tel Aviv, Israel - Exent Technologies, a developer of in-game advertising, this week introduced software that allows firms to insert in-game ads without the need to access a video game's source code, enabling publishers to place ads in games that were not originally designed to support them. Israel-based Exent said the technology also allows revenue generation from pirated copies of video games, and from game demos.
Sega Announces Some E3 TitlesAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on April 28, 2006 - 8:51am.
San Francisco - Japanese video game developer Sega this week announced several of the upcoming titles it plans to display at the industry's Electronic Entertainment Expo next month in Los Angeles. They include "Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz," in development at Sega Studios for the Nintendo Wii; "Virtua Tennis 3," which is being developed for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 for release in the spring of 2007; and "World Pool Championship 2007" for PlayStation 2 and PSP, from U.K.-based studio Blade Interactive, which will be published in the fall of 2006.
Sony Playstation Extends Sponsorship of UEFA Champions LeagueAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on April 28, 2006 - 8:47am.
London - lSony Computer Entertainment Europe announced on Friday that it will maintain its sponsorship of UEFA Champions League. The company has sponsored the European soccer league since 1997; the new deal extends the sponsorship agreement through the 2008-2009 season.
Electronic Arts Signs Reggie Bush for Cover of "NCAA Football 07"Authored by Mark Hefflinger on April 28, 2006 - 8:27am.
Redwood City, Calif. - Electronic Arts announced on Friday that it has signed USC running back and 2005 Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush to be the cover athlete for its "NCAA Football 07". The game is in development at Florida-based EA Tiburon for release in July for PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, Xbox and PSP.
LucasArts to Use NaturalMotion's Euphoria Engine in "Indiana Jones" TitleAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on April 28, 2006 - 8:24am.
San Francisco - Video game developer LucasArts announced that its upcoming "Indiana Jones" game for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 will utilize the Euphoria behavioral simulation engine developed by NaturalMotion. The game will be on display at next month's Electronic Entertainment Expo, and is scheduled for release in 2007.
Activision's "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance" to Feature 140 SuperheroesAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on April 28, 2006 - 8:22am.
Santa Monica, Calif. - Activision said this week that its upcoming "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance" title will feature over 140 characters from the Marvel Comics universe, of which about 20 will actually be playable. The game is slated for release in the fall of 2006 for both next-generation and current-generation titles, as well as for handhelds and the PC.
Ubisoft Ships "Paradise" PC Game to RetailersAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on April 28, 2006 - 8:19am.
San Francisco - Video game publisher Ubisoft has shipped its "Paradise" PC game to retailers. The title was developed by designer Benoit Sokal and his France-based White Bird Productions Studio.
WSJ: Verizon, Cingular Strictly Censoring Mobile Phone Media ContentAuthored by dmw on April 28, 2006 - 6:22am.
New York - The Wall Street Journal reports that U.S. wireless carriers Verizon and Cingular have developed mobile phone content decency guidelines that go "far beyond" the federal regulations for TV and radio. A Verizon guidelines document obtained by The Journal says the company prohibits sexually explicit images such as "nipple shadow" and "see-through underwear," and also states that a "penis must not appear erect underneath clothing." The document also prohibits use of 83 words deemed profane by Verizon, as well as "glorification or promotion of tobacco, alcohol or drug use" and even derogatory references to Verizon itself. Cingular's guidelines more generally ban nudity, violence and hate speech, while a forthcoming safety filter for children under 12 will censor words including "condom" and "lesbian". People familiar with the situation told The Journal that some media providers have already had to alter or remove various content from their offerings. A Sprint spokeswoman told The Journal the company had not yet developed its own content guidelines.
Movie, Music Industries Target File-Sharing on Internal Campus NetworksAuthored by dmw on April 28, 2006 - 6:20am.
Washington - The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) this week launched an anti-piracy campaign against file-sharing on college campuses, targeting students using local area networks (LAN) and software such as Direct Connect, MyTunes and Our Tunes. The entertainment industry trade groups sent letters to 40 university presidents in 25 states, alerting them of LAN piracy problems and "encouraging immediate action to stop and prevent theft by such means." Software such as MyTunes and Our Tunes was developed by independent programmers to allow sharing of songs within Apple's iTunes over a local network. The RIAA and MPAA said blocking and filtering devices are available to help administrators restrict the inappropriate uses of campus networks. "As we prioritize our focus on campus LAN piracy in the coming year, we hope administrators will take this opportunity to fully evaluate their systems and take action to stop theft by all means," said RIAA president Cary Sherman. The groups have previously targeted campus file-sharing through copyright infringement lawsuits against students.
Disney, Hollywood Unions Reach Pay Agreement for "Lost" MobisodesAuthored by dmw on April 28, 2006 - 6:18am.
Los Angeles - Disney has reached agreements with the Hollywood labor unions on how participants in the production of its cell phone "mobisodes" for ABC's "Lost" TV series should be compensated. Disney's Touchstone Television negotiated with the Writers Guild of America, Screen Actors Guild and Directors Guild of America on the deal, which provides the writers, actors and others provisions of minimums, residuals, pension and health benefits, and writing credit provisions for "Lost" mobisodes. All of the parties said the agreement also "provides a flexible template for future negotiations, when the companies and content creators address issues related to emerging technological platforms." Under the deal, residuals will kick in after 13 weeks, similar to the pay television model; provisions also include distribution via the Internet, and greater compensation if the Internet use is ad-supported. "By coming to an agreement, the quality and integrity of the stories we tell in this new medium will be consistent with that of the network show," said Carlton Cuse, a writer and executive producer on "Lost."
tags: Deals | Mobile | Video | Law | Mobile TV | TV | Disney | Unions | Union Deals | Compensation |
Microsoft Increases Xbox 360 ShipmentsAuthored by dmw on April 28, 2006 - 6:16am.
Seattle - Microsoft has increased production of its Xbox 360 next-generation video game consoles, now projecting that it will have sold between 5 and 5.5 million units by June 30, up from an earlier estimate of 4.5 to 5.5 million. "We made a conscious decision to be very aggressive on selling Xbox 360 consoles to get as much into the installed base as we possibly could ahead of Sony's launch," Microsoft chief financial officer Chris Liddell told Reuters. The company faced supply shortages when it launched the Xbox 360 in November that left many pre-orders for the console unfulfilled. Sony has said it plans to ship 6 million PlayStation 3 consoles by March 2007.
Oklahoma Legislature Approves Ban on Violent Game Sales to MinorsAuthored by dmw on April 28, 2006 - 6:14am.
Oklahoma City, Okla. - The Oklahoma state legislature has approved a bill that would place video games in the same category as pornography and make it a felony to sell violent video games to minors. The proposed legislation now heads to Gov. Brad Henry (D), who has indicated he will sign it into law, GamePolitics.com reported. A bill that similarly aimed to deem such games as obscenity failed to make it out of the Utah state legislature. The video game industry has so far successfully sued to have any restrictions on the sales of video games to minors overturned, with courts in California, Illinois, Michigan and Washington, as well as the city of Indianapolis and St. Louis County ruling unanimously that the laws are unconstitutional on First Amendment free speech grounds.
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