archives

o RIAA Sues Launch Media for Copyright Infringement
o Report: Video Game-Related Sales to Rise 71% Over Next 5 Years
o Spanish Indie Record Label Sues Napster
o Gracenote Awarded Patents for Music Information Database
o Digital Rights Management Firm InterTrust Faces Shareholder Suits
o CNET: Industry Standard Makes Editorial Staff Reduction
> Note to Readers: Memorial Day
o Briefly Noted: Geocaching - "Planet of the Apes," 'Net movie tickets -
service fees, Streaming video games
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> Job Postings: Marketing Communications Specialist, Web Producer,
Webmaster/Developer, Business Development Manager,
Product Marketing Manager

> Events/Services: "Technical Recruiting & Retention Conference,"
"Email Newsletter Tactics," "SpyWorm's SEX* Awards," "Sensory Circus"

Full Job/Event descriptions listed below "Briefly Noted" section or at
http://www.digitalmediawire.com/postings.html

To Post a Job: http://www.digitalmediawire.com/jobs.html
To Post an Event: http://www.digitalmediawire.com/events.html
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o RIAA Sues Launch Media for Copyright Infringement

Santa Monica, Calif. -- The Recording Industry Association of America has
filed copyright infringement claims against digital music provider Launch
Media, saying the company's Launchcast streaming service is more
"interactive" than is allowed under the terms of the Digital Millennium
Copyright Act. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of RIAA member labels Sony,
EMI and BMG. Ironically, Sony and EMI both hold equity stakes in Launch.
The Launchcast service was taken down from the company's website, and the
company said it is currently negotiating with the RIAA to resolve the
issue. "We strongly believe that LaunchCast complies with the [Digital
Millennium Copyright Act], and we plan to continue talks with the RIAA to
ensure a positive outcome for both music lovers and the music industry,"
said Launch CEO David Goldberg. The RIAA also yesterday filed copyright
infringement claims against Aimster, a file-sharing service that
piggybacks on AOL's Instant Messenger service.
http://www.latimes.com/business/20010525/t000043711.html
http://www.thestandard.com/article/0,1902,26690,00.html
http://www.launch.com
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o Report: Video Game-Related Sales to Rise 71% Over Next 5 Years

Los Angeles -- A recent report from Informa Media Group predicts that the
global video game industry will see a 71 percent sales increase fueled by
new consoles and expanding markets in wireless and interactive television,
the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday. The report sees profits of
$49.9 billion in 2001 -- most of which will come Microsoft, Nintendo and
Sony battle for holiday spending on new consoles -- with profits rising to
$85.7 billion by 2006. Most pronounced will be growth in the market for
games played on cell phones and other wireless handheld devices,
skyrocketing from $762 million in sales this year to $11 billion five
years from now.
http://www.informa.com
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o Spanish Indie Record Label Sues Napster

Redwood City, Calif. -- Fonovisa Records, a Spanish-language music indie
record label home to artists including Los Tigres del Norte, has sued
Napster for copyright infringement, Bloomberg News reported on Friday. Van
Nuys, Calif.-based Fonovisa joins a lengthy list of plaintiffs -- most
notably the RIAA -- that have sued the music file-sharing service for
copyright infringements.
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-6043636.html?tag=cdshrt
http://www.fonovisa.com
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o Gracenote Awarded Patents for Music Information Database

Berkeley, Calif. -- Online music information database provider Gracenote
announced that it has been awarded two new patents relating to its
CD-recognition technology. The company's CDDB technology automatically
identifies a CD when a user plays it on a PC by connecting to an online
database containing information on artist names, album titles, and track
names and lengths. The new patents cover the technology that lets CDDB
send users information such as song lyrics, concert ticket alerts, CD
purchasing options and other data in addition to identifying the CD.
http://www.gracenote.com/press/2001052400.html
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o Digital Rights Management Firm InterTrust Faces Shareholder Suits

Santa Clara, Calif. -- InterTrust, a provider of digital rights management
technology, has been served with several lawsuits from its shareholders,
which allege false and misleading information was provided by a number of
the company's current and former directors, as well as several investment
banks, in connection with InterTrust's public offerings. Investment banks
Robertson Stephens, Morgan Stanley, Salomon, Credit Suisse and Merrill
Lynch are alleged to have collected excessive commissions for offering
InterTrust shares to their customers in exchange for commitments to
purchase additional shares in aftermarket trading. InterTrust said that
the lawsuits "are without merit" and "are part of a wave of similar
lawsuits filed recently against more than twenty companies that had IPOs
involving these investment banks during the stock market peak in late 1999
and early 2000."
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/010525/sff020.html
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/010524/2482.html
http://biz.yahoo.com/iw/010521/0202027353.html
http://www.intertrust.com
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o CNET: Industry Standard Makes Editorial Staff Reduction

San Francisco -- Internet economy news organization The Industry Standard
has laid off somewhere under 10 percent of its editorial staff -- all of
whom worked at TheStandard.com -- CNET reported on Friday. The article
cited sources that say that the company is expecting more layoffs to come.
"We're expecting a much larger reduction," the source told CNET. San
Francisco-based Industry Standard laid off 17 percent of its employees in
February, due in part to the declining advertising market.
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-6036107.html?tag=cdshrt
http://www.thestandard.com
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> Note to Readers: Memorial Day

In observance of the Memorial Day holiday, the next edition of Digital
Media Wire will be published on Tuesday, May 29.
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o Briefly Noted:

(Los Angeles) Film studio Twentieth Century Fox announced on Friday that
it will utilize a new digital scavenger hunt game known as "Geocaching" to
promote its upcoming film "Planet of the Apes." Players must own a Global
Positioning Satellite (GPS) unit, a device now offered in some cars and
used by sailors and other outdoorsmen to pinpoint their exact position.
Using coordinates supplied every Friday from the film's website, players
race each other to the location, the first to arrive winning a prop from
the film hidden in a cache at the location.
http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/f_headline.cgi?day0/211450123&ticker=
http://www.planetoftheapes.com

(New York) Inside.com reported on Friday on the service fees some online
ticketers are charging to moviegoers who purchase tickets ahead of time to
avoid lines at the box office. AOL Moviefone, Fandango and
Movietickets.com now all charge a convenience fee for at least some of
their advanced sales. At issue is whether or not distributors are entitled
to a share of the service fee collected by these e-commerce sites.
http://www.inside.com/jcs/Story?article_id=31656&pod_id=10

(San Francisco) Streamingmedia.com is currently running a feature on the
market for companies that use streaming and downloads to deliver video
games to online gamers. Profiled in the article are Intro Networks and
StreamTheory, which utilize Internet streaming; RealNetworks and GameSpy,
which offer paid downloads; and G-cluster, which is developing streaming
video games for wireless devices.
http://www.streamingmedia.com/article.asp?id=7432

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Job Postings:
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To Post Jobs: http://www.digitalmediawire.com/jobs.html

> Antenna Software, Marketing Communications Specialist - New York City

In this position, the candidate will assist in developing & implementing
product marketing materials, in addition to providing marketing
communications support for partnership opportunities & client events.
Manage trade shows, newsletters & press materials. Help develop & maintain
website. 2+ years in marketing of technology solutions to businesses. Send
resume to: careers@antennasoftware.com
http://www.antennasoftware.com
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> Screen Actors Guild, Web Producer - Los Angeles

Must have strong visual design skills and be able to work both
independently and as part of a team. Responsibilities will include but not
be limited to Web page creation (HTML), Graphic design / web graphics,
Information design / web architecture, Animation / Flash design, CGI
programming / Java script & Database front-end design. 3-5 years in web
design & scripting OR pertinent degree. Send resume and cover letter to:
jobs@sag.org
http://www.sag.org
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> City of Culver City, Webmaster/Developer - Los Angeles

Exciting opportunity for individual with good front end/graphics web
design skills. The City of Culver City is currently building a new web
site and intranet. Requires 2 years of demonstrable experience. This is a
temporary position, starting immediately and ending October 2001. Send
resume to: it.department@culvercity.org
http://www.culvercity.org
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> Rare Medium, Inc., Business Development Manager - San Francisco

Develop customer solution strategies and convert them to sales with the
participation of in-house subject matter experts. Ideal candidate will
possesses strong prospecting, persuasive presentation & closing skills
with at least 5 yrs. exp. in professional services industry. Working
knowledge of medium & large-scale web development imperative.
Send resumes to: john.ledterman@raremedium.com
http://www.raremedium.com
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> Wayport, Inc., Product Marketing Manager - Austin, TX

A minimum of 5+ years exp. in product management. Responsibilities include
working w/ external customers & internal engineering in product
definition, developing product features & functionality, as well as
developing product life cycle plans, pricing & product positioning. Must
have a strong financial background, negotiation skills and track record
working with wireless apps.
Send resumes to: debbie.primera@wayport.net
http://www.wayport.net

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Event Postings:
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To Post Events: http://www.digitalmediawire.com/events.html

> Technical Recruiting & Retention Conference, June 3-6 - Palm Desert, CA

You're not the only one who has to recruit through history's most
pronounced labor shortage. You're not the only one who has to finagle new
solutions under big time pressure. So why go it alone? Tap into the
expertise that Computerworld & ITcareers are bringing together at our
annual Conference. Meet hundreds of technical recruiters facing the same
challenges as you.
For more information: Diane_Bailey@computerworld.com
http://www.itcareersrecruiting.com/conf/ctrrc
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> E-mail Newsletter Tactics, June 14-15th - Reston, VA

Learn how to profit from e-mail newsletters! If you already produce one or
several e-mail newsletters, or are thinking about launching one, E-mail
Newsletter Tactics is a must-attend event. For an agenda, go to:
http://seminars.internet.com/email/va01/index.html. Special offer for
DigitalMediaWire subscribers -- SAVE 15% off the full conference price.
For details and to sign up, call 203-662-2857
or email aalessio@internet.com
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> SpyWorm's SEX* Awards, September 13 - Los Angeles

Webcasting production house SpyWorm is recruiting 30 filmmakers to each
create a 5-minute "reality-based" short on SEX*. Each candidate gets DV
gear, $100 lunch money and 3 days of post-production services. All
interested filmmakers are encouraged to e-mail their resumes & best short
pitch about SEX* by June 15 to:
pitches@spyworm.tv
http://www.spyworm.tv
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> Sensory Circus, June 9 - Los Angeles

Art, fashion, music, technology and film come together for the debut of
Sensory Circus at the Wyndham Bel Age Hotel. This electric and
sophisticated event will extend throughout every ballroom, terrace and
rooftop, showcasing new bands and DJ's, the latest fashions and visual,
technological and sculpture artists. To submit an artistic work, inquire
about sponsorship or register for the event, please visit:
http://www.sensorycircus.com
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