Seattle - RealNetworks CEO Rob Glaser on Tuesday posted responses on the company's blog to questions posed by PaidContent.org's Rafat Ali, about the upcoming RealPlayer upgrade that will allow for downloading of most any streaming Web video. During the exchange, Glaser addresses copyright issues posed by the ability of the application to record any streaming video. "The new RealPlayer is just like a VCR, a DVR, or a photocopier: It knows nothing about whether or not a piece of content is copyrighted. Like these earlier video players, the new RealPlayer facilitates many legal and appropriate uses, for instance downloading public domain content and content for which the owner has given permission." The full exchange is available at the link below.

Digital initiatives prexy Jim Moloshok, business development VP John Penney, and EVP new media programming Carmi Zlotnik are all leaving HBO in an exodus of its execs who were leading the pay cabler's online media efforts.  It's believed that HBO will continue exploring digital distribution possibilities out of its New York office, though the departure of several senior execs is a sign those efforts may slow.
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117967209.html

Washington - SaveNetRadio, a coalition with ties to the Digital Media Association, a trade group of large webcasters, said that 31 artists traveled to Washington today to meet with more than 50 lawmakers to discuss the effect new royalty rates will have on Internet radio services. The visit to Capitol Hill followed an open-air concert on the lawn of the U.S. Senate last night. SaveNetRadio is seeking support for the bipartisan Internet Radio Equality Act, which would vacate the Copyright Royalty Board's recent decision to hike the rates webcasters must pay to stream music online.

Palo Alto, Calif. - HP announced on Tuesday that it has partnered with Trans World Entertainment to launch an on-demand DVD manufacturing service that will feature specialty and "long-tail" titles not readily available in stores or online. Orders placed via Trans World's fye.com online store will be manufactured and mailed by HP, usually within 24 hours. "Through this service, we're enabling customers to tap into a vast selection of content that until now has been locked away in a Hollywood vault," said Willem de Zoete, vice president and general manager of HP's Digital Entertainment Services.