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Main Stories
o Sirius Satellite Radio Signs Howard Stern to 5-Year, $500 Million Contract
o RealNetworks PC Games Service Hits 150 Million Downloads
o Microsoft Releases MSN TV 2 Internet & Media Player
o TV Search and Monitoring Services Firm Critical Mention Raises $2 Million
o XM Satellite Radio Reaches 2.5 Million Subscribers

o Briefly Noted: Xbox Live - Asia, RealPlayer - Linux - Mac OS X, Coding Technologies - Orban - HDC Surround, Boston Acoustics - Receptor Radio HD, dMarc Broadcasting, GoldPocket Interactive - Bell ExpressVu, Verizon - Electronic Arts - Mobliss, Eidos - "Get On Da Mic," Chasma - Slingo, Digital Bridges - Sprint, Global Star Software - "Conflict: Vietnam," Nielsen/NetRatings - comScore - accuracy, StreamCast Networks, FactCheck.org - Vice Presidential debate
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New York -- In a major coup for the No. 2 satellite radio firm, Sirius Satellite Radio announced on Wednesday that it has signed a five-year, $500 million agreement with shock jock Howard Stern to broadcast his syndicated radio program on its satellite network beginning January 1, 2006. New York-based Sirius put the total cost of the Stern show, including production and cast compensation, at $100 million per year. Stern ranks as the No. 1 radio host among males 18-49, and has the highest-rated radio program in New York, Los Angeles and many of the 46 markets where he is heard by an estimated 12 million daily listeners. By contrast, Sirius currently counts only 600,000 subscribers for its $12.95 per month radio service, but is banking on a huge increase from Stern's loyal fans. "[Stern] is an entertainment force of unprecedented recognition and popularity in the broadcast world, who is capable of changing the face of satellite radio and generating huge numbers of subscribers for Sirius," said Sirius CEO Joseph P. Clayton. Stern's controversial show has drawn hundreds of thousands of dollars in indecency fines from the FCC, incurred by both his current employer, Infinity Broadcasting, and syndication partner Clear Channel, which dropped Stern's show from its stations in April. FCC indecency rules will not apply on the subscription-based, satellite-delivered Sirius service. "It has been my dream to have the top-rated show in radio since I was five years old," said Stern. "Sirius -- the future of radio -- will take this dream to a whole new level as I bring my fans my show my way. It will be the best radio they will ever hear."
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/041006/nyw109_1.html
http://biz.yahoo.com/rb/041006/media_sirius_4.html 
http://www.siriusradio.com 
http://www.howardstern.com 
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o RealNetworks PC Games Service Hits 150 Million Downloads

Seattle -- Media delivery technology provider RealNetworks announced on Wednesday that its RealArcade downloadable PC games service has now surpassed 150 million game downloads since its launch in 2001. The play-before-you-pay service offers electronic versions of classic board, puzzle and card games; RealNetworks said the top three game downloads on the service in August were "Feeding Frenzy," "Zuma Deluxe" and "Platypus." RealArcade now delivers about 1.8 million game downloads each week. "Millions of everyday people are experiencing games for grownups because they find casual games to be simple, accessible, friendly entertainment for the whole family to play," said Andrew Wright, vice president of games for RealNetworks.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/041006/sfw041a_1.html 
http://www.realarcade.com   
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o Microsoft Releases MSN TV 2 Internet & Media Player

Redmond, Wash. -- Microsoft has introduced a new version of MSN TV, its broadband service and device that allows users to surf the Internet, send email, and access digital photos, Web video and audio files from their televisions. The MSN TV 2 Internet & Media Player, manufactured by Thomson under its RCA brand, will ship to retailers in mid-October with a $199 price tag, plus a $9.95 monthly subscription service fee. The service includes access to 200 commercial-free radio stations, hundreds of daily video clips from MSN Video, a primary MSN email account with 2GB of storage, and 10 secondary email accounts. Content on another home PC may also be accessed on a TV through MSN TV 2 over a wired or wireless home network.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/041005/sftu031_1.html
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/041005/microsoft_tv_6.html 
http://www.msntv.com 
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o TV Search and Monitoring Services Firm Critical Mention Raises $2 Million

New York -- Critical Mention, a provider of television search and monitoring services for corporate communications, financial services, professional services, non-profits and the government, announced on Wednesday that it has raised $2 million in its first round of venture capital financing. The oversubscribed round was led by Silicon Alley Venture Partners and Stonehenge Capital; Meyer Ventures, Pennell Venture Partners, About.com founder Scott Kurnit and other members of the New York Angels group also participated. New York-based Critical Mention's technology replaces the analog and manual processes of traditional broadcast monitoring, providing search and tracking for current and archival video clips as well as associated closed-caption text to over 100 customers. The funds will be used to expand the company's data collection network to the top 100 U.S. markets, increase sales and marketing initiatives, and product development.
http://www.criticalmention.com   
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o XM Satellite Radio Reaches 2.5 Million Subscribers

Washington, DC -- XM Satellite Radio has announced that it finished the third quarter with more than 2,500,000 subscribers. XM said it added more than 415,000 net new subscribers in the quarter and is on pace to exceed 3,100,000 subscribers by the end of the year. The XM subscriber gain during the quarter is 75% higher than the 237,000 net new subscribers added in the third quarter of 2003. The company, which recently launched new programs featuring shock jocks "Opie and Anthony" and former NPR "Morning Edition" host Bob Edwards, also said on Wednesday that it will broadcast the final MoveOn PAC-sponsored "Vote for Change" concert live from Washington on Oct. 11. Artists performing will include Bruce Springsteen, James Taylor, Pearl Jam, R.E.M. and Bright Eyes.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/041001/dcf040a_1.html
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/041006/dcw015_1.html 
http://www.xmradio.com 

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(Hong Kong) A Microsoft executive said on Wednesday that 15% of Xbox video game console owners in Asia have signed up for the Xbox Live online gaming service just six months after the service's launch in the region, Reuters reported. By contrast, 12% of all Xbox owners worldwide play online. "We want to up (the Asian penetration rate) to 22 percent by the end of the fiscal year" on June 30, 2005, Yolanda Chan, Microsoft's regional sales director for Asia Pacific, told Reuters. "That would be a phenomenal result." Chan said that nearly 200,000 of Xbox Live's more than 1 million users now log on from Asia.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?T1E831779

(London) RealNetworks, a provider of media delivery technology, announced on Wednesday that it has released 13 new versions of its RealPlayer audio and video playback software for Linux and Mac OS X operating systems in Europe and Asia. The company released RealPlayer 10 for Linux in nine new European and Asian languages, and announced that Asian desktop Linux provider Red Flag Software has licensed the RealPlayer for inclusion with its software. RealNetworks also released RealPlayer 10 for Mac OS X in four new languages -- French, German, Japanese and Spanish.
http://www.realnetworks.com/company/press/releases/2004/realplayer_linux.html

(San Diego) Audio compression developer Coding Technologies announced on Wednesday that it partnered with Orban, a provider of audio processing for broadcasting and the Internet, to introduce HDC Surround, a 5.1 channel audio delivery system for HD Radio. The solution will enable radio stations utilizing iBiquity Digital's HD Radio -- which enables the transmission of a digital signal alongside traditional AM/FM signals -- to enhance their radio broadcasts with 5.1 channel surround sound.
http://www.orban.com 
http://www.ibiquity.com 
http://www.codingtechnologies.com

(San Diego) Boston Acoustics, a manufacturer of home and car audio equipment, on Wednesday introduced its Receptor Radio HD, a home radio capable of receiving digital AM/FM broadcasts transmitted by radio stations using digital HD Radio technology from iBiquity Digital. Pricing was not announced for the Receptor Radio HD, which will be available in platinum, charcoal and polar white finishes in the spring of 2005 from authorized Boston Acoustics dealers.
http://www.bostonacoustics.com

(Newport Beach, Calif.) DMarc Broadcasting, a provider of digital media services to the broadcast industry, said on Wednesday it is launching a "progressive radio data services initiative," which will offer to deploy analog and digital radio data services upgrades to each of its 4,600 radio station clients at no cost. The software and services will enable each station to add data streams to their analog or digital HD Radio broadcasts, such as song and artist information, traffic and weather alerts, that are readable on receivers supporting such streams.
http://www.dmarc.net/data/index.htm

(Los Angeles) GoldPocket Interactive, a provider of interactive TV programming, said on Wednesday that it will power an interactive feature on a Canadian weekly reality sports TV show. Los Angeles-based GoldPocket will offer SMS voting capabilities to Bell ExpressVu satellite TV subscribers with iTV-capable receivers who watch "Making the Cut."
http://www.goldpocket.com 
http://www.makingthecut.bell.ca

(New York) Telecommunications firm Verizon announced on Wednesday that it has formed a marketing alliance with game developer Electronic Arts. Under the deal, Verizon Online DSL customers will be offered a $5 discount on EA's "The Sims 2" PC game, and Verizon will sponsor EA's upcoming console game "The Urbz: Sims in the City," and four other online titles hosted on EA.com. Verizon Online customers can also download an exclusive "Urbz" movie from Verizon.net. Separately, Verizon Wireless, the company's mobile network operator, announced that it has released mobile game developer Mobliss' "The Price is Right Cliffhangers" game on its Get It Now service, based on a license of the TV game show from FremantleMedia.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/041006/65207_1.html 
http://thesims2.ea.com 
http://www.mobliss.com 
http://broadbandbeat.verizon.net/games/shop

(San Francisco) U.K.-based game developer Eidos on Wednesday shipped its "Get On Da Mic" hip-hop karaoke title for PlayStation 2 to North American retailers. The game's soundtrack offers 40 tracks from artists including Sir-Mix-A-Lot, Dr. Dre, Tupac and Kanye West; the title also features MTV music news reporter Sway as MC and hip-hop artist Jadakiss as spokesperson. "Get On Da Mic" will come bundled with a Logitech microphone for $59, or else without a microphone for $39, and will also support Sony's EyeToy USB camera accessory for PlayStation 2. The game was developed by Artificial Mind and Movement (A2M) in partnership with Highway 1 Productions.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/041005/sftu122_1.html
http://www.hwy1productions.com 
http://www.a2m.com 
http://www.getondamic.com

(Boston) Boston-based wireless entertainment publisher Chasma said on Wednesday that it has signed an agreement with Austin-based mobile game developer Super Happy Fun Fun, to create mobile games based on the popular online games hosted at Slingo.com. Slingo was recently rated the "stickiest online games site" by NetRatings, above rivals like EA Online, MSN Games and AOL Games. The first two mobile titles, scheduled for release in January 2005, will be "Slingo Millennium" and "5 Card Slingo," and will feature live, real-time play and chat with other players logging on at Slingo.com.
http://www.chasma.com 
http://www.superhappyfunfun.com   
http://www.slingo.com

(La Jolla) London-based mobile game developer Digital Bridges said on Wednesday that wireless network operator Sprint has launched its "Samurai Shodown" and "Crash Nitro Kart" titles on The Game Lobby, the company's wireless games portal powered by La Jolla, Calif.-based M7 Networks.
http://www.m7networks.com 
http://www.digitalbridges.com 
http://games.sprintpcs.com

(New York) Global Star Software, a game publishing label of Take-Two Interactive, on Wednesday shipped its "Conflict: Vietnam" title for PlayStation 2, Xbox and the PC to retailers. The squad-based military action game is the third installment in Global Star's "Conflict" franchise, which have previously focused on Middle East conflicts.
http://www.globalstarsoftware.com/conflictvietnam

(San Francisco) Wired News on Wednesday criticized the reporting methods used by the two main providers of website audience measurement metrics -- Nielsen/NetRatings and comScore Media Metrix -- that are used by Web publishers like The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, CNET News.com and in fact Wired News to determine how many people visit their sites each month and, more importantly, attract advertising dollars. "This is no way to run an $8 billion industry… the solution is for web publishers, online advertisers and advertising companies to kick the Nielsen and comScore habit. Until one or both of them can come up with a consistent, accurate methodology to measure traffic, companies should simply refuse to do business with them."
http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,65240,00.html 
http://www.nielsen-netratings.com 
http://www.comscore.com

(San Francisco) CNET News.com on Wednesday reported on a new version of the Morpheus file-sharing software about to be released by StreamCast Networks, which uses technology developed by two former Harvard students to more efficiently search for files on the network. The Neonet technology uses "distributed hash tables," which take a snapshot of where every file on the entire peer-to-peer network resides, and scatters pieces of that information across the network. The process, which is also used on the popular eDonkey network, "is analogous to asking a succession of increasingly informed tour guides for directions, rather than accosting random people on the street."
http://makeashorterlink.com/?V34923779 
http://www.streamcastnetworks.com

(Los Angeles) During last night's Vice Presidential debate, Vice President Dick Cheney alluded to a website, "FactCheck.com," that he said rebuts several claims made by Sen. John Edwards. In an email sent Wednesday morning, the actual site (FactCheck.org), a nonpartisan effort funded by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania to fact-check campaign ads, corrected the Vice President. "Cheney got our domain name wrong -- calling us "FactCheck.com..." As of this morning, the URL FactCheck.com that Cheney mentioned on television is redirecting to GeorgeSorors.com, a site operated by the liberal billionaire that features the headline, "Why We Must Not Re-Elect President Bush: A Personal Message From George Soros."
http://www.factcheck.org/article.aspx?docID=272 
http://www.factcheck.com
http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,64967,00.html 
 
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