New York – RightsFlow said on Wednesday that performing
rights organization ASCAP will offer its members the company’s mechanical
licensing services. ASCAP members will receive a 25% discount on usage of
RightsFlow’s Limelight online utility.
Related Links:
http://www.rightsflow.com
Stockholm, Sweden – An as-yet-unreleased cable within the
possession of whistleblower site WikiLeaks purports to show the U.S. actively
compelled Swedish authorities to take action to protect copyrights, and pursue
file-sharing hub The Pirate Bay, TorrentFreak reported, citing Swedish
Television.
Pressure from the U.S. led to a raid by Swedish authorities on The
Pirate Bay’s servers in 2006, but in 2008 the U.S. Embassy also reportedly gave
Sweden a "to-do" list of six items related to battling online piracy — five of which had been addressed a year later.
Swedish Justice Minister Beatrice Ask denied Sweden responded to any U.S.
pressure, and countered that the writer of the unreleased cable made the
remarks in a bid for a pay raise.
"We all knew for a long while that the
US was behind the raid and pressured Sweden, but that they’re still doing it
was news to us," Peter Sunde, one of the four convicted operators of The
Pirate Bay, told TorrentFreak.
"And that the Minster of Justice just says that
the cable writer is lying ‘to get a higher salary’ shows that she doesn’t even
care if her government is corrupt."
Related Links:
http://tinyurl.com/24vt4od
(TorrentFreak)
Dublin, Ireland – Irish ISP Eircom on Wednesday announced
the launch of a new digital music service for its subscribers, as it reaffirmed
its partnership with record labels to implement a "three strikes"
disconnection penalty for file-swappers.
The MusicHub service offers unlimited
free streaming for all Eircom subscribers, who can pay an additional $7.94 per month
for 15 song downloads or $17.22 for 40 downloads.
For non-subscribers,
unlimited streaming runs $9.27 per month, or $15.90 with 15 bundled downloads,
and $30.49 with 40 downloads.
The launch of Eircom’s MusicHub comes a day after
U.K. satellite broadcaster BSkyB announced plans to shutter its similar Sky
Songs digital music service.
The move by Eircom to warn and then disconnect
repeat file-swappers comes after the ISP was sued by the major record labels.
"Eircom is proceeding with implementation of the protocol which could
result in the suspension and ultimately disconnection of broadband service for
those customers who deliberately and persistently infringe copyright," the
company said in a statement.
After three warnings of suspected copyright
infringement on file-sharing networks, an Eircom subscriber now faces a
seven-day suspension of his or her Internet access; another infraction results
in a year-long disconnection.
Related Links:
http://pressroom.eircom.net/press_releases/article/eircom_launches_musichub/
http://tinyurl.com/2fgyyog
(TorrentFreak)
London – Spotify, the European streaming music service that
had promised to launch in the U.S. by year’s end, will not meet that
self-imposed deadline, CEO Daniel Ek told All Thngs D.
"It’s a business
problem and a product problem at the same time," Ek remarked, on the
reasons for the delay.
Spotify offers a free, ad-supported music streaming
service in a number of countries in Europe that is attracting some 10 million
users, in addition to a paid service that counts around 750,000 subscribers.
The
company has reportedly been in talks with the major record labels for a year on
a U.S. launch, but has yet to reach a deal with any of them.
Ek added that
although the company is not currently in the midst of raising new financing,
the company would not rule it out.
Related Links:
http://tinyurl.com/29zsjo7
(All Things D)
Thank you for your interest in performing at the 11th Annual Digital Music Forum East!
Please read below for some brief guidelines:
Performers must be available on February 24 from 6-7pm for the closing party. For soundcheck and set up, please arrive at 5pm or earlier. Performers are responsible for transportation, accommodation and equipment. More details will be agreed upon after confirmation. Please note – this is not a paid performance but you will have the opportunity to showcase your talent in front of hundreds of the industry’s elite executives and decision-makers.
Beverly Hills, Calif. – Netflix (NASD: NFLX) on Wednesday announced a new
agreement with Disney, to offer hundreds of episodes of programs from Disney’s
ABC, Disney Channel and ABC Family on its streaming video service. The catch with
the new deal is that episodes of current shows like "Grey’s Anatomy"
and "Desperate Housewives" will not be available on Netflix until 15
days after their initial telecast.
The deal also adds "Brothers &
Sisters" to Netflix, every episode of "Lost" and "Ugly
Betty," and Disney Chanel and ABC Family movies like "High School
Musical" and "Avalon High."
Related Links:
http://tinyurl.com/2bfgyjb
New York – Chinese online video portal Youku announced on
Wednesday that its initial public offering of shares on the New York Stock
Exchange has raised $202.85 million. Launched in 2006, Youku (NYSE: YOKU) currently attracts
264 million monthly unique visitors, and claims a 40% share of total user time
spent viewing online videos among Chinese Internet users.
The company had
raised a total of $120 million in venture capital, from backers including
Farallon Capital Management, Chengwei Ventures, Sutter Hill Ventures, Brookside
Capital and Maverick Capital.
"Today, Youku became the first Internet
television company to be listed on New York Stock Exchange, which I believe
will elevate our brand, solidify our leadership, extend our lead in the market,
and increase further the entry barriers," said Youku founder and CEO
Victor Koo.
"This step will position Youku for future development and
growth to be the primary video content provider for Chinese Internet users
across all Internet-enabled devices."
Related Links:
http://tinyurl.com/2dyufb3
Woburn, Mass. – Monotype Imaging, a publisher of fonts and related software,
has acquired smartphone font specialists Ascender for $10.2 million.
Founded in
2004, Ascender has created typefaces for Google’s Android operating system and
Microsoft’s Windows Phone, and before that worked on the TrueType font system.
Woburn, Mass.-based Monotype said all twelve of Ascender’s employees will join
the company.
Related Links:
http://ir.monotypeimaging.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=535668
Boulder, Colo. – Giveo, a provider of cause-marketing
software, announced on Wednesday that it has raised $1.5 million in its first
round of financing, led by Access Venture Partners.
Grotech Partners and
Sentinel Trust also participated in the investment round.
Launched in April,
Colorado-based Giveo offers marketing software that can help organizations
create, promote, and measure cause-related marketing campaigns.
Clients include
the Food Family Farming Foundation and the Salad Bar Project.
Related Links:
http://www.giveo.com
