Home Media Magazine - April 13-19, 2008 - (Page 16) ELECTRONIC DELIVERY www.homemediamagazine.com Fox Battles Piracy With Marking Technology for Online Screeners «IN USING MEDIAESCORT, WE CAN PROVIDE ADVANCE ACCESS TO OUR CONTENT, CONVENIENTLY AND IN A TRACEABLE MANNER» HEATHER FIELD, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL MARKETING IT FOR FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT By Chris Tribbey he cyberpolice will be guarding all new online screeners from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, thanks to a new watermarking system. Connecticut-based USA Video Interactive Corp.’s MediaEscort adds what it bills as “imperceptible forensic information” in every frame of video from Fox’s Internet-delivered content. MediaEscort will be used on T video Fox sends to retailers and distributors in advance of the DVDs. “Professional pirates constantly prowl the Internet for streaming entertainment content that they might possibly hijack,” said Heather Field, executive director of digital marketing IT for Fox Home Entertainment. “In using MediaEscort, we can provide advance access to our content, conveniently and in a traceable manner.” MediaEscort works by embedding “SmartMarks” into every frame of video, allowing Fox to trace where pirated material originated. “MediaEscort is a breakthrough … that meets a growing demand for anti-piracy products for online media,” said Edwin Molina, CEO for USA Video Interactive. “We feel this is the beginning of a new era in content protection for intellectual property rights holders.” Webby Awards Up For a Vote By John Latchem he public can vote for who should win the 12th Annual Webby Awards, presented by Nokia, at pv.webbyawards.com. Voting takes place through May 1. The Webbys honor excellence on the Internet in more than 100 categories, including Web sites, online film and video, interactive advertising and mobile sites. The awards are presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Nominees include viral video sensations “I Got a Crush on Obama” and “Chocolate Rain,” content from TheOnion.com and HowStuffWorks.com, and the escapades of Lonelygirl15. Winners will be announced May 6 and honored at ceremonies June 910 in New York. Winner’s speeches are limited to just five words. BRIEFS I ALICIA KEYS AFRICA DOC AVAILABLE ON SPIRALFROG Ad-supported Web-based music service SpiralFrog has been selected by the nonprofit organization Keep a Child Alive to exclusively distribute online the documentary Alicia in Africa: Journey to the Motherland. The documentary follows Grammywinning artist Keys, who co-founded the organization, on a month-long trip to African communities afflicted by HIV and AIDS. The film, playable on both PCs and Macs, became available April 9 and will remain on the site until May 19. – Billy Gil Report: Music Sales 40% Online by 2012 By Erik Gruenwedel ncreased availability of broadband in the home, combined with consumer demand for music singles, will contribute to 40% of all music sales going digital by 2012, according to a new study. Global sales for worldwide full-track mobile downloads (led by Japan) will reach approximately $4.2 billion by 2012, said In-Stat, a Scottsdale, Ariz.-based research firm. Online digital music reached $3.05 billion in 2007, up 48% from 2006. The study also found that more than 70% of respondents in a research poll who accessed online video in 2007 did not pay for it. This means the content viewed by this group was free, adsupported or pirated. “Digital piracy continues to represent the primary challenge to online music service providers,” said In-Stat analyst Stephanie Ethier. “Other obstacles include the lack of interoperability between services and devices due to dif- I fering digital rights management technologies and weak consumer demand for subscription-based services.” Despite piracy, the report found that content owners, cellular service providers and handset manufacturers are increasing the amount of marketing and promotion for mobile music. T TOP 5 RANK TITLE E LE C T R O NI C SELLT H R OUG H Week ended April 5, 2008 RELEASE DATE VIDEO LABEL GENRE TOP 5 RANK TITLE E L E C TRO N I C S E L L THRO U GH Week ended April 6, 2008 RELEASE DATE VIDEO LABEL GENRE 1 2 3 4 5 Alvin and the Chipmunks I Am Legend Dexter: Season 1 — Episode 7 Beowulf Dexter: Season 1 — Episode 8 4/1/08 3/18/08 7/2/07 2/26/08 7/2/07 Fox Warner Showtime Paramount Showtime Family Sci-Fi Drama Fantasy Drama Source: Movielink 1 2 3 4 5 I Am Legend Alvin and the Chipmunks Justice League: The New Frontier No Country for Old Men Appleseed: Ex Machina 3/18/08 4/1/08 2/26/08 3/11/08 3/11/08 Warner Fox Warner Disney/Miramax Warner Sci-Fi Family Animated Drama Anime Source: Movielink TOP 5 RANK TITLE E LE CT R O NIC D OW NLOAD S Week ended April 5, 2008 RELEASE DATE VIDEO LABEL GENRE TOP 5 RANK TITLE E L E C TRO N I C DO WN L O A DS Week ended April 6, 2008 RELEASE DATE VIDEO LABEL GENRE 1 2 3 4 5 American Gangster We Own the Night Into the Wild Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium Gabriel 4/3/08 3/28/08 3/28/08 4/2/08 4/4/08 Universal Sony Pictures Paramount Fox Sony Pictures Drama Drama Drama Fantasy Fantasy Source: Movielink 1 2 3 4 5 American Gangster We Own the Night Gone Baby Gone The Darjeeling Limited Into the Wild 4/3/08 3/28/08 3/13/08 3/26/08 3/28/08 Universal Sony Pictures Disney/Miramax Fox Paramount Drama Drama Drama Comedy Drama Source: Movielink 16 Home Media Magazine April 13–19, 2008 http://www.homemediamagazine.com http://pv.webbyawards.com http://TheOnion.com
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