Rights Groups Ask Court to Block File-Swapper ID Subpoenas
New York
– A trio of consumer rights groups has filed legal briefs asking a court to
block subpoenas seeking the identities of alleged illegal movie downloaders,
saying the subpoenas "violate the individual users’ rights to due process
and anonymity." The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Electronic
Frontier Foundation (EFF) and Public Citizen Litigation Group are supporting
Time Warner Cable’s motion to quash or modify subpoenas for the identities of
thousands of its subscribers who allegedly downloaded certain movies using
BitTorrrent.
The groups note that the subpoenas improperly join thousands of
unrelated defendants into a single action, and were filed in a jurisdiction
(D.C.) where few, if any, of the defendants reside.
The briefs also argue that
the plaintiffs "failed to show sufficiently that they had reason to
believe the individual defendants did anything wrong before attempting to
obtain their identifying information and failed to give the individual
defendants notice and an opportunity to challenge the subpoenas."
"Members
of the movie industry have the right to challenge alleged copyright
infringement, but they must do so in a way that upholds the law and
individuals’ due process rights," said Aden Fine, staff attorney with the
ACLU Speech, Privacy and Technology Project.
"Lumping thousands of
unconnected individuals into a few cases in a court far from where they live,
without providing them adequate notice and a real opportunity to challenge the
subpoenas, is not that way."
Related Links:
http://snipurl.com/x1kws
http://snipurl.com/x1kx6
(Amicus briefs)
http://snipurl.com/x1mc2
(DMW previous coverage)
Nielsen Files to Raise Up to $1.75 Billion in IPO
New York
– Media measurement firm Nielsen on Thursday filed with the SEC for an initial
public offering that aims to raise up to $1.75 billion. J.P. Morgan Securities
and Morgan Stanley have signed on as underwriters.
Nielsen was acquired in 2006
for $10 billion by an investor group that included AlpInvest Partners, The
Blackstone Group, The Carlyle Group, Hellman & Friedman, Kohlberg Kravis
Roberts & Co. and Thomas H. Lee Partners.
The past year has seen Nielsen
divest many of its publications, including The Hollywood Reporter and
Billboard.
The company reported $4.8 billion in revenue and $1.3 billion in
earnings in 2009.
Nielsen plans to use proceeds from the offering to repay debt
and for other purposes.
Related Links:
http://snipurl.com/x1k28
(SEC filing)
http://snipurl.com/x1kmd
(WSJ)
Zynga Acquires Social Games Developer Challenge Games
San Francisco
– Social games publisher Zynga announced on Thursday that it has acquired
Austin-based developer Challenge Games.
Financial terms of the deal were not
disclosed.
Founded in 2007, Challenge is backed by Sequoia Capital and
Globespan Capital Partners; its titles include "Warstorm" and
"Ponzi."
San Francisco-based Zynga counts more than 230 million
active monthly players of its games, which include "FarmVille" and
"Mafia Wars."
Related Links:
http://www.zynga.com/about/article.php?a=20100603
Hearst Acquires Search Marketing Firm iCrossing for $325 Million
New York
– Hearst Corp. announced on Thursday that it has acquired search marketing firm
iCrossing.
While financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, The Wall
Street Journal pegged the purchase price at about $325 million, citing sources.
Hearst originally approached iCrossing with an offer late last year, but was rebuffed
as iCrossing sought out additional interested suitors.
Hearst said the deal
will provide it will global digital marketing capabilities, including paid
search, search engine optimization, Web development, mobile and social
marketing, and data analytics.
Scottsdale,
Ariz.-based iCrossing’s customers include Bank of America, Toyota and Coca-Cola.
Related Links:
http://www.hearst.com/press-room/pr-20100603b.php
Marin Software Lands $11.2 Million for Paid Search Management
San Francisco
– Marin Software, a provider of paid search management applications, announced on
Thursday that it has raised $11.2 million in a fourth round of funding, led by
Triangle Peak Partners.
Returning investors Amicus Capital, Benchmark Capital,
DAG Ventures and Focus Ventures also participated.
Founded in 2006, San
Francisco-based Marin counts over 180 customers and says its platform is used
globally to manage more than $1 billion on annual search ad spending.
Customers
include Razorfish, Ogilvy and the University
of Phoenix.
Related Links:
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/06/prweb4085904.htm
BookRenter Nabs $10 Million for Online Textbook Rentals
San Mateo,
Calif. – BookRenter, a provider
of online textbook rentals, announced on Thursday that it has closed a $10
million second round of venture capital financing, led by Norwest Venture
Partners.
Previous backers Storm Ventures and Adams Capital Management also
participated in the round, proceeds from which will be used to support growth
initiatives.
Launched in 2008, San Mateo,
Calif.-based BookRenter offers over 3 million textbook titles for rent, for up
to 75% off the retail price.
The company said its branded platform has to date
enabled 75 bookstore partners to create their own rental stores, serving more
than 1.3 million students.
Related Links:
http://snipurl.com/x1ikp
LucidMedia Gets $4.5 Million for Online Ad Platform
Reston, Va. – LucidMedia, the provider of an online
advertising demand-side platform with real-time bidding, announced on Thursday
that it has raised $4.5 million in new funding, led by MMV Financial.
Founded
in 1999, Reston, Va.-based LucidMedia says it
processes 25 billion ad impressions every month for hundreds of brand
advertisers.
The company, which previously raised funds in late 2008 from
investors including Lake Street Capital and Redleaf Group, said it will use the
new funding to expand its recently-launched self-service demand-side platform.
Related Links:
http://www.lucidmedia.com
WOWIO Raises $1.7 Million, Acquires WEvolt
Los Angeles
– WOWIO, an online distributor of digital media content and e-books, announced
on Thursday that it has raised $1.7 million in private financing, and acquired
WEvolt, a social network for artists and their fans.
The funding round was led
by WOWIO CEO Brian Altounian, and follows a $1 million seed round raised last
year.
WEvolt’s platform lets creators generate revenues by participating in ad
sales and merchandising activities, as well as submit their content for broader
distribution consideration.
Los Angeles-based WOWIO said the funding has helped
it pay off legacy obligations and set the stage for acquisitions.
Related Links:
http://snipurl.com/x1hug
Activision Blizzard, Nokia, and 'Alan Wake' Creator to Present at Pre-E3 Transmedia Event on June 14, 2010
LOS ANGELES, – Digital Media Wire today announced speakers
for the 2nd annual International Game and Film Lounge to be held at the Figueroa Hotel in downtown Los
Angeles, June 14, 2010, the day
the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) opens its doors at the LA
Convention Center.
The International Game
and Film Lounge –produced by Digital Media Wire in association with
Variety and Nordic Game – brings together an eclectic mix of leading
companies, talent and celebrities in film and games from the United States, Europe
and Asia, to share ideas about
international and transmedia aspects of the games and film industries
and how to create new business opportunities at the intersection of
these two exciting fields of media.
The event includes the
following keynotes and special presentations:
Matias Myllyrinne,
Managing Director, Remedy Entertainment, will give a
special presentation on how digital download/add–ons are continuing the
shelf life of the fiction his company is creating. Matias will also be
featured in an interview by Sten Selander,
Director of Business Development, Nordic Game, about his views and
experience with transmedia aspects of games, film and television.
Remedy’s latest project, Alan Wake,
published by Microsoft Game Studios, was recently released for Xbox 360
and is currently a top selling game in Europe
and the U. S. The story plays out in an episodic format, with a
television show-style presentation where each episode/chapter brings
another piece to the puzzle of the main plot. Remedy has confirmed that Alan Wake is only the first season of a bigger
story, opening the door for future sequels.
Dan Winters, VP, Developer Relations and
Acquisitions, Activision Blizzard, will be featured in a keynote
interview with Marty Poulin, CEO at
ShadyLogic Studios. Dan is an industry veteran of over 15 years, with
stints at Activision, Disney Interactive and Electronic Arts. Before
entering into the world of Video Games, Dan spent 4 years playing
professional baseball for the Oakland A’s, San Francisco Giants and New
York Mets. He also spent 6 years as an actor with appearances on day
time TV, commercials and various other TV shows. After getting his start
at Activision in 1993, working on various titles including Mechwarrior
2, he spent 10 years at Disney Interactive where he eventually became
Vice President of Product Development. Under Dan’s leadership, Disney
Interactive contributed to or co-released over 50 games including:
Kingdom Hearts, Tarzan, A Bug’s Life, Toy Story, Tron, etc… After a
stint at Electronic Arts as Executive Producer of Medal of Honor:
European Assault, Dan rejoined Activision in 2005 to oversee Developer
Relations and Acquisitions.
Ronald Azuma, Research Leader, Nokia
Research Center Hollywood will deliver a keynote
presentation on the future of mobile media and entertainment. At Nokia,
Ronald leads a team that is exploring the question: What are new forms
of compelling media that take advantage of the strengths of mobile
devices? In Dec. 2009, his team built and
performed The Westwood Experience, our first exploration into
location-based experiences. This is a new form of mobile entertainment
that blends a compelling story with physical locations augmented with
digital content.
Garry Schyman, Award Winning Transmedia
Composer, to deliver Keynote Presentation. Evocative motifs,
epic themes, aleatoric dissonance or apocalyptic intensity: composer Garry Schyman explores a stunning spectrum of
sonic possibilities. The creator of music for the multiple award-winning
video game BioShock – winner of Best Original Score from the
Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, Spike TV’s Video Games Best
Score Award, G4 Television’s Soundtrack of the Year and four awards from
the Game Audio Network Guild (G.A.N.G) including Music of the Year,
Best Interactive Score, Best Original Instrumental and Audio of the
Year– he has emerged as one of the medium’s foremost composers. A
composer whose work spans feature films, prime time television series,
mini-series, movies of the week, video games and documentaries, Garry
studied composition at the University of Southern
California and later, privately with the renowned composer George Tremblay. Just out of the university he
was then employed by the legendary Mike Post
and Pete Carpenter organization where he
worked on the team’s roster of top rated series.
Mike Reagan, Award-winning Film,
TV and Video Game Composer, joins Garry
Schyman, Transmedia Composer, to discuss sonic possibilities in
the intersection of games and film in a recently added session. An
award-winning composer, songwriter and music producer, Mike Reagan‘s scoring credits include the
romantic comedy UNBEATABLE HAROLD (starring Dylan
McDermott and Henry Winkler), the
animated television series APE ESCAPE (Nicktoons) and WOW WOW WUBBZY!
(Nickelodeon and Nick Jr.) and video games such as CONAN (THQ),
DARKSIDERS (THQ) and Sony’s best-selling franchise GOD OF WAR.
These individuals join a
top caliber speaker group that includes:
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Teemu |
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Event sponsors and
media partners include: Variety, Nordic Game, Donya, Team 17, Starbreeze
Studios, Imagination Studios, CRE Computer and Audiovisual Solutions, New York – Tokyo,
Social Radius and Terpin Communications.
For complete agenda,
registration, press pass and event details please visit: http://www.gamefilmlounge.com
Other prominent Digital
Media Wire events include LA Games Conference, NY Games Conference,
Future of Television Forum, Digital Music Forum East & West, Digital
Media Insider @ CES and Digital Media Conference East and West.
About Digital Media
Wire, Inc:
Digital Media Wire is
an events, news, and publishing company serving the digital
entertainment & media industry since May 2000.
Digital Media Wire produces executive forums featuring leading
executives in digital media and entertainment. Digital Media Wire also
publishes an authoritative daily email newsletter and industry news
portal. For more information, please visit: www.dmwmedia.com.
