Connecting People & Knowledge - Since May 2000
   
Today's Sponsor


April 29, 2004 -- About Us | Advertise | Events | Publications | Subscribe

Main Stories
o Google Files for $2.7 Billion IPO
o Viacom Chairman Redstone to Buy Controlling Stake in Midway Games
o Court To Hear Dismissal Motions in Napster Case on June 14
o Ecast, TouchTunes Settle Digital Jukebox Patent Litigation
o WeatherBug Raises $23 Million in Venture Capital
o EMusic to Sell Live Concert Recordings on Keychain Hard Drives

 > DMW Announcements:
 --Washington Digital Media Conference - June 18, 2004
 --Digital Media Law Report - Volume 3 - March/April  

 > Featured Advertisement:
 --PricewaterhouseCoopers' Entertainment and Media Outlook
 --Reach Federal Contractors Selling Technologies for Homeland Security
 

o Briefly Noted: Song - in-flight entertainment, O-3, Atari, THQ - LEGO, SNK NEOGEO USA, Midway Games, Majesco, Vivendi Universal Games, Hard drive makers - DVR add-ons, AllofMP3.com - $0.05 downloads

 
> Job/Event/Marketplace Classifieds:
--Digital Media Content Manager
--IT Perm and Contract Placement Services
--HireStrategy - Treasury Manager
--Account Executive
--Regional Manager, Business Development
--Director Business Development (DBD)
--Infrastructure Sales Executive
--Sr. Account Executives
--Advanced Selling for High Tech Professionals
--2nd Annual BNA Contracting and Homeland Security Forum -- May 10-12
--Supplier Diversity Summit at SUPERCOMM 2004, June 21, Chicago, IL
--Customized Your Corporate Logo With Quality Products!
 


o Google Files for $2.7 Billion IPO

Mountain View, Calif. -- Search engine giant Google on Thursday announced that it plans to raise as much as $2.7 billion in an initial public offering of shares, according to documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The company did not announce a date for the offering, or whether it would be on the Nasdaq or New York Stock Exchange, but did reveal that it would offer shares via an online auction to level the field between large and small investors. "It is important to us to have a fair process for our IPO that is inclusive of both small and large investors," said Google co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page. "Many companies have suffered from unreasonable speculation, small initial share float, and boom-bust cycles that hurt them and their investors in the long run. We believe that an auction-based IPO will minimize these problems." In the SEC filing, Google said that its 2003 revenues were $961.9 million, and that it made a net profit of $106.5 million for the year as sales rose 177% over 2002 totals.
http://money.cnn.com/2004/04/29/technology/google
_____________________________________________

o Viacom Chairman Redstone to Buy Controlling Stake in Midway Games

New York -- Viacom chairman Sumner Redstone has announced his intention to purchase a controlling stake in Chicago-based video game developer Midway Games. In an SEC filing, Redstone said he intends to increase his stake in the company, which has created games including "Mortal Kombat" and "The Suffering," from 49.3% to 60%. "Do not look at this as a Viacom agenda ... it's a personal investment," Redstone told Reuters. "I have absolutely no intention to dispose of Midway. Midway will be owned by myself and National Amusements, my company." Midway this week reported financials for the first quarter of 2004, saying it suffered an operating loss of $14.2 million -- up from a loss of $9.3 million in Q1 2002 -- and revenue that fell from $45.8 million last year to $20.1 million in Q1 2003. "You will see very soon an enormous infusion of great creative talent to Midway -- and I mean very soon," Redstone added.
http://biz.yahoo.com/rc/040428/media_midway_redstone_3.html
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content/pub/3371 
http://www.midway.com  
____________________________________________

o Court To Hear Dismissal Motions in Napster Case on June 14

San Francisco -- A federal judge in San Francisco has set June 14 to hear motions to dismiss lawsuits claiming investors in Napster cost the music industry $17 billion in lost sales, Reuters reported. The suit contends that Bertelsmann's $90 million investment in Napster helped keep the service operating illegally for an additional eight months. In addition to the Bertelsmann case, Universal Music and EMI Group have also sued venture capitalists Hummer Winblad, claiming the firm's $15 million investment decisions about Napster also promoted illegal piracy. Napster later filed for bankruptcy and its assets and name were purchased by Roxio, which is now offering a pay-for-use service under the Napster brand.
http://biz.yahoo.com/rc/040427/media_napster_1.html
____________________________________________

o Ecast, TouchTunes Settle Digital Jukebox Patent Litigation

San Francisco -- Ecast and TouchTunes, two makers of digital music jukeboxes placed in bars and restaurants, announced on Thursday that they have agreed to settle outstanding patent infringement suits filed against one another. Under the terms, San Francisco-based Ecast agreed to pay Las Vegas-based TouchTunes a total of $4 million. The companies also agreed to cross-license each other's technology. Both companies offer products that download MP3 files over the Internet in order to update jukebox selections, unlike CD-based jukeboxes that rely on traveling reps to physically install new CDs in each jukebox in operation.
http://biz.yahoo.com/iw/040428/066534.html 
http://www.touchtunes.com 
http://www.ecastinc.com
____________________________________________

o WeatherBug Raises $23 Million in Venture Capital

Gaithersburg, Md. -- WeatherBug, which runs one of the most popular Internet-based weather applications, announced on Thursday that its parent company, AWS Convergence Technologies, has secured $23 million in financing. Investors in the round included Sequoia Capital and Polaris Ventures -- both new investors -- as well as HarbourVest, the lead investor in the company's initial financing. Last week, WeatherBug, which provides localized weather information, announced a partnership with AOL Instant Messenger to launch an integrated service.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040429/nyth102_1.html 
http://www.weatherbug.com
____________________________________________

o EMusic to Sell Live Concert Recordings on Keychain Hard Drives

New York -- Digital music distributor eMusic, now a unit of private equity firm Dimensional Associates, will launch a new service on May 21 that lets concertgoers take home a keychain hard drive containing a recording of the performance they just attended in MP3 format, the Associated Press reported. A pilot of the eMusic Live program will launch at Maxwell's in Hoboken, N.J., where automated kiosks will be installed to sell the reusable keychain drives for $20 each, plus $10 for the concert recording. The mostly independent artists using the service will have control over sound quality and get a cut of the profits. "This is a tool that allows fans to take home and share some of the best independent music from small live venues around the country," said Dimensional Associates CEO Daniel Stern. Recordings offered on eMusic Live feature artists including Calla, The Walkmen, The Polyphonic Spree and The Dismemberment Plan.
http://www.wired.com/news/digiwood/0,1412,63273,00.html  http://www.emusic.com/features/emlive

Top


 > DMW Events:

Washington
Digital Media Conference

June 18
, 2004  |  Washington, DC
www.digitalmediaconference.com

OVERVIEW

Media and entertainment companies are going through a digital transformation, which is impacting traditional business models and changing the way we distribute, access and market media and entertainment.

Washington Digital Media Conference brings together decision-makers from the leading media, entertainment and technology companies in the Greater Washington, DC area for a 1-day executive forum focused on business, legal/policy and technology developments impacting digital media.

Get a unique view of the future of media and entertainment from the inside. Gain insight into new business opportunities driving the transformation of entertainment and media businesses. Take a hard look at how traditional challenges to sustainable business models are dissolving, only to be replaced by new obstacles, and how we can prepare now to overcome them. Examine media and entertainment-based technologies emerging today and explore how these technologies are driving the transformation of the media and entertainment industries.

How are traditional business models being reinvented? What are the challenges and opportunities involving digital media? What do you need to do to stay competitive in the technology age? Be a part of this inaugural event, which brings together the business and government leaders who are transforming the Greater Washington, DC area into a center for digital media innovation and development.

REGISTRATION
Early Bird Registration: $195 (until May 24th)
Pre-Registration: $295 (until June 11th)
Registration: $395 (after June 11th)

Online :  http://kb.digitalmediawire.com/register.php?eventid=1067
Phone: 323-822-0936

To submit speakers for or request information about exhibiting or sponsoring at the 2004 conference, please contact Tinzar Than, VP, Marketing & Events, Digital Media Wire, Inc. at: tinzar@digitalmediawire.com.


Digital Media Law Report
New Featured Section - Volume 3 - 2004

We are pleased to announce that we have added a "Featured Section" to Digital Media Law & Policy Report. We will use this section to provide in depth coverage of certain cases, events and policy developments each month.

Subscriptions
-
Order
Volume 3 - March/April 2004 Report - Order

 

Past Events | Sponsorship Materials | Partners & Clients
 

Top


> Featured Advertisement: 

> PricewaterhouseCoopers' Entertainment and Media Outlook

Purchase the book every entertainment and media executive must have. The PricewaterhouseCoopers' Entertainment and Media Outlook: 2003-2007 analyzes key trends and forecasts spending in the U.S. and Canada across 14 industry segments, including a Global Overview that forecasts spending and analyzes trends worldwide (also sold separately). More Information
___________________ 

> Reach Federal Contractors Selling Technologies for Homeland Security

The 2003-2004 Directory of Homeland Security has complete listings for 532 companies selling technologies and services devoted to homeland defense. Nearly all major federal contractors are included in the section, which includes company names, key personnel, addresses, phone and fax numbers, urls, annual revenues, number of employees, business sector, general descriptions and homeland security relevance. To order the 2003-2004 edition, click here.
 

Top


o Briefly Noted:

(Atlanta) Song, the new specialty airline from Delta Air Lines, announced on Thursday that its entire fleet of 32 aircraft has now been equipped with an interactive entertainment system that includes free satellite TV, digital radio and interactive trivia for all passengers. In addition to the current offering of DISH Network TV and a trivia game that may be played against other passengers, Song plans to add video-on-demand, the ability to create custom MP3 playlists, and additional game titles.
http://www.flysong.com/song_and_you/inflight_entertainment/index.jsp

(Santa Clara, Calif.) A number of former executives from video game developer Capcom have announced the formation of a new video game publishing and distribution company, O-3. Founded by former Capcom Entertainment president Bill Gardner, the Santa Clara, Calif.-based company will seek out titles from small and mid-size developers and provide publishing services including sales and distribution, marketing and public relations, and operational elements like replication, warehousing and shipping. "There are a lot of high quality games being left on the table because they aren't the next installment of last year's licensed blockbuster," remarked Gardner. "O-3 Entertainment's approach to publishing will lead to more diverse and creative choices for gamers at retail."
http://www.o3entertainment.com

(Beverly, Mass.) Video game publisher Atari said on Thursday that its "Transformers" game for PlayStation 2 has gone gold and will be available in stores on May 11. Developed by Atari's Melbourne House, the game is based on Hasbro's toy line and the cartoon series that marks its twentieth anniversary this year.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/040429/295015_1.html 
http://www.atari.com/transformers

(Calabasas Hills, Calif.) THQ announced on Thursday that LEGO Interactive is currently in development on "LEGO Knights' Kingdom" for Nintendo Game Boy Advance. Part of a multi-title exclusive publishing agreement between LEGO Interactive and THQ, the game is scheduled to ship in the fall.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/040429/295082_1.html 
http://www.thq.com 
http://media.lego.com/default.asp

(Wall, N.J.) Arcade and video game developer SNK NEOGEO USA on Thursday previewed the slate of new titles it will showcase at next month's E3 Expo in Los Angeles. In addition to "KOF: Maximum Impact" for PlayStation 2, the company will for the first time display "Metal Slug 3" and "SNK vs. Capcom SVC Chaos" for Xbox, and "Metal Slug Advance" and "Samurai Showdown 5" for Nintendo Game Boy Advance.
http://www.snkneogeousaconsumer.com

(Chicago) Midway Games said on Thursday that "Shadow Hearts: Covenant," a sequel to its fantasy roleplaying title Shadow Hearts, will be published in the fall for PlayStation 2. The game is being developed in Japan by Aruze Corporation.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/040429/295023_1.html 
http://www.midway.com 
http://www.aruze.com/index.html

(Edison, N.J.) Game developer Majesco said on Thursday it will publish "Guilty Gear X2 #Reload" for Microsoft Xbox this summer. Created by Japanese developer ARC System Works, the game will feature online elements supported by Microsoft's Xbox Live online gaming service.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/040429/295094_1.html 
http://www.majescogames.com 
http://www.arcsy.co.jp/company/aswe.htm

(Los Angeles) Vivendi Universal Games said on Thursday that it will publish "SWAT 4" for undisclosed platforms in the first quarter of 2005. The tactical first-person, squad-based shooter title is being developed by Boston-based Irrational Games.
http://www.irrationalgames.com

(San Francisco) CNET News.com reported on Thursday that a number of hard drive makers will soon release external add-on drives for digital video recorders, which will increase the amount of TV programming that may be recorded by the devices. Both Maxtor and Seagate Technology will release DVR companion drives, which they say will be quite easy to hook up and download software so they function with the recorder.
http://news.com.com/2100-1041-5201828.html
http://www.maxtor.com 
http://www.seagate.com

(London) U.K. news site TheRegister reported on Thursday on a Russian digital music service that offers anyone interested song downloads for as little as $0.05 apiece. AllofMP3.com claims to be legal, having licensed its tracks from the Russian Multimedia and Internet Society. The site charges by the megabyte, offering 1MB of music for $0.01 or 500MB for $5. TheRegister calculated that $50 of music purchased from the Russian site would cost about $958 if purchased from Apple's iTunes Store.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/04/28/russian_music_service
http://smh.com.au/articles/2004/04/26/1082831475556.html  http://www.allofmp3.com/index2.shtml

Top


> Classifieds:

> Digital Media Content Manager

Manage content acquisition and launch for various Digital Media products. Coordinate with partners and Nextel Business Development to obtain Digital Media Content for catalog· Manage relationships with publishers and aggregators of Digital Media content · Manage operational processes for posting of products Coordinate with marketing and partners for promotion of Digital Media products· Send resume and cover letter to chris.allison@nextel.com.   Support field and marketing on application questions www.nexteljobs.com  60461.
_________________

> IT Perm and Contract Placement Services

Technical Staffing Solutions specializes in recruiting the hard to find candidates with or without high level DoD security clearances. We can provide your firm with solutions ranging from 1 permanent employee to a team of technical consultants for the duration of your short or long term engagement. Send inquiries to Skip Kearnes at skearnes@techstaffsolutions.com  or call 703-451-3882 for more information.
___________________

> HireStrategy - Treasury Manager

Candidate will oversee a staff of two and will perform servicing reports for 3 Lines of Credit, Cash allocations for the lines of credit, forecast using a cash mgmt model, oversee wire transfers/cash transfers, work with investment bankers and deal teams, and handle business loan trusts. Qualified candidates will have 4-7 years of exp. with an accounting foundation. Financial services experience is preferred. Please send resume to mmolinas@hirestrategy.com or visit http://www.hirestrategy.com/quicklinks/hire185.asp
_________________

> Account Executive

Account Executive and Inside Sales position available for highly motivated individuals with success selling software development services to private sector customers. Since 1982, Information Concepts (http://www.InfoConcepts.com) develops fixed-price, custom web-based, mission critical, database applications. Commissions based on gross sales with no limit on commission earnings. Send resumes to Resumes@InfoConcepts.com
_________________

> Regional Manager, Business Development

New Business Sales Executive needed by a Web training company located in Washington, DC. Successful candidate will have the ability to prospect, propose and close training and consulting solutions with Fortune 1000 and technology companies. Requirements include professionalism, strong communications skills, knowledge of the internet, and a successful track record of exceeding sales objectives. Competitive base plus incentives and benefits. Send resumes to lgant@westlake.com
____________________

> Director Business Development (DBD)

Major, Hagen & Africa is the world's largest attorney recruiting firm with the top in-house and law firm placement record globally. The DBD will be responsible for client sourcing strategies and the relationship development process with C-level executives, General Counsels, CFO's and VP's of HR. Minimum of two years' consultative selling experience including knowledge of the Bay Area business sectors, preferably within the bio-tech/pharma industry; JD or advanced degree is a plus. Submit resume and salary requirements. Send resumes to jmckinlay@mhaglobal.com
____________________

> Infrastructure Sales Executive

Systems Alliance is a Baltimore-based technology co. Position reports to V P Sales and proactively markets tech infrastructure incl. servers and storage. Responsibilities incl. dev. pipeline of infrastructure opportunities & participating in dev. of configs. Tech skills req'd are knowledge of various network environments & architectures. 5+ yrs selling complex tech solutions ideal. See sysalli.com/Careers/JobPostings.html for more information. Send resumes to pchapman@systemsalliance.com
____________________

> Sr. Account Executives

You will be the primary person on our new accounts, and direct and execute our programs. You will contribute to strategy, and be responsible for media relations, analyst programs, industry outreach, as well as customer profiles. Successful candidates will have at least 4 years of agency or relevant industry experience. You will have excellent track records with PR programs, superior placements in business and technology press, top-notch writing and pitching know-how and a strong grasp of technology markets. Please send your cover letter and resume to jobs@corporateink.com The pitch should tell us why you're the person we're seeking. For more visit http://www.corporateink.com
 ____________________

> Advanced Selling for High Tech Professionals

Are Sales Cycles getting longer?  Are your discounts getting larger? Do prospects keep you at arms length? The Sandler Sales Institute of VA has a GUARANTEED program for High Tech Professionals that will help you to solve these problems. Held at Virginia's Center for Innovative Technology, May 13th and 14th, 8:30am- 4:30pm. Admission is $995.00. For more information visit: http://www.sandlersalesguru.com or call 866-904-0600. Send inquiries to kevin@sandlersalesguru.com
___________________

> 2nd Annual BNA Contracting and Homeland Security Forum -- May 10-12

Homeland security forum speakers from the Department of Homeland Security:
include Steven Cooper, CIO; Josh Filler, Director of the Office of State
and Local Government Coordination; David Bolka, Director of HSARPA;
Gregory Rothwell, Chief Procurement Officer; Kevin Boshears, Director,
Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization; Hugo Teufel,
Associate General Counsel for General Law; and Patrick Schambach, CIO,
Transportation Security Administration. Info/Registration:
http://www.homeland-conference.com/
___________________

> Supplier Diversity Summit at SUPERCOMM 2004, June 21, Chicago, IL

The Supplier Diversity Summit at SUPERCOMM 2004 in Chicago is a forum for MWDVBEs and corporate supplier diversity teams to stay current on the latest business, political, regulatory and technical activities in the telecommunications industry. For more information on the summit, visit http://www.tiaonline.org/events/supplierdiv2004.cfm Send inquiries to lream@tiaonline.org
_________________

> Customized Your Corporate Logo With Quality Products!

Pacific West Marketing offers quality, innovative, uniquely designed products and concepts with a creative flair, for all of your Special Events, Promotional Programs, Corporate Identity Programs, Recognition & Awards, etc.

All of our quality products can be Customized with your Corporate Logo! Please visit our website: www.pacificwestmarketing.com

Make your next Promotion a Special Event!! Contact Pacific West Marketing today: 949-489-2110 Email: Ed@pacificwestmarketing.com


Top


About Us
Digital Media Wire, Inc. is a news organization, publisher and events company serving the digital media industry since May 2000. Our daily newsletter delivers original briefings on business, legal and financial developments shaping digital media and read by over 30,000 executives and professionals. To subscribe for free, please click here.

Digital Media Wire, Inc. is part of the Tech Wire Media Group, an international network of publications that includes Digital Media Law Report, Potomac Tech Wire, New England Tech Wire, Southeast Tech Wire, Bay Area Tech Wire, Tri-state Tech Wire and European Tech Wire. The network reaches more than 70,000 individuals from over 70 countries each business day.

Advertising & Sponsorship
Publications, Events & Information


Executive & Editorial Team
Chief Executive Officer: Ned Sherman
VP, Marketing & Events: Tinzar Than
Editor: Mark Hefflinger

Contact Us
Questions, Comments & Suggestions
News Tips & Press Releases

Unsubscribe

Top


Copyright 2004 Digital Media Wire, Inc. All Rights Reserved.