Los Angeles - A 2006 album from current "American Idol" contestant David Cook that was the top-seller at Amazon.com's MP3 store over the weekend, besting even Mariah Carey's new album, has now been removed from the store, FoxNews.com reported. [more..]

Brussels - The European Commission has recommended that the video game industry there invest further in its ratings system, as well as adopt a code of conduct on the sale of games to minors within two years. [more..]

New York - Video game publisher Activision has affirmed plans to extend its wildly popular "Guitar Hero" franchise beyond the guitar and bass to other instruments, a la rival music-based game "Rock Band," Activision CEO Bobby Kotick said in an interview with Portfolio.com. [more..]

Redmond, Wash. - As a result of Microsoft shuttering its MSN Music store in favor of its Zune Marketplace, the company has told MSN Music customers that the licenses for the songs they purchased can be updated for the last time up until Aug. 31 -- after which time the songs cannot ever again be transferred from the devices on which they are currently stored, according to reports. [more..]

Washington - The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) spent nearly $2.1 million in 2007 lobbying Congress for favorable copyright laws, Ars Technica reported, citing the group's disclosure via the Lobbying Disclosure Act. [more..]

San Francisco - ZVUE, a maker of portable media players and operator of an online entertainment network that includes eBaumsWorld.com and Putfile.com, said on Wednesday that it has received notice from the Nasdaq that its shares are in danger of being delisted from the exchange. [more..]

Shanghai, China - The9, an online game operator in China, announced on Wednesday that it has made an equity investment of $38 million in Korean game developer G10 Entertainment. [more..]

Foxboro, Mass. - Play Hard Sports, a developer and publisher of casual online sports games, on Wednesday announced its launch and a $5 million first round of financing, led by New Enterprise Associates. [more..]

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New York - A federal judge has dismissed former Ramones drummer Richard "Richie Ramone" Reinhardt's lawsuit that sought nearly $1 million in what he claimed were unpaid digital royalties, the Associated Press reports. [more..]

Los Angeles - GetBack Media has launched its social network targeted at users over the age of 35, featuring partnerships with a range of firms to provide music and video content, according to The Hollywood Reporter. [more..]

Los Angeles - Digital media financing and syndication company 60Frames Entertainment announced on Wednesday the premiere of "Carbangers," a new original video sketch from comedy troupe The Kids in the Hall. [more..]

San Antonio - AT&T has announced that it will provide an exclusive live webcast from the 2008 Coachella music festival this weekend from its broadband AT&T blue room site. [more..]

San Francisco - Linden Lab, the developer of 3D virtual world Second Life, has named Mark Kingdon as its new CEO, replacing company founder Philip Rosedale, who will remain chairman. [more..]

San Francisco - Advance movie ticket seller Fandango said on Wednesday that it has partnered with Microsoft's Tellme to add voice-activated movie information for mobile phones. [more..]

Redwood City, Calif. - Electronic Arts said on Wednesday that it has signed former Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan as the cover athlete for the PlayStation 3 version of its "NCAA Football 09" game, scheduled for release in North America on July 15. [more..]