COPYRIGHT
Napster Launches Test of New Secure Service (WP)
Feds Nix Pact On Net Radio Stations (CNET)
EDTECH
Maine Students Hit the IBooks (WIRED)
CABLE
MTV and Showtime Plan Cable Channel for Gay Viewers (NYT)
COPYRIGHT
NAPSTER LAUNCHES TEST OF NEW SECURE SERVICE
Issue: Copyright
Today, Napster will be launching a test version of its new service which
prevents the unauthorized sharing of copyrighted files-a feature which made
the original service popular among users but hated by the recording industry
which sued it for copyright infringement. Napster's beta trial will include
over 100,000 files that are currently licensed to the company for free by
the mostly small, independent labels. The beta test will be free, but the
full version, should the relaunch take place, will cost somewhere between $5
and $10 for 50 downloads per month. The new version of Napster will offer
two types of files: standard MP3 music files and ".nap" files, which Napster
founder Shawn Fanning said were essentially MP3's with a protective layer
that prevent the files from being copied off the host computer or burned
onto CDs.
[SOURCE: Wired, AUTHOR: Ben Berkowitz (Reuters)]
(http://www.wired.com/news/mp3/0,1285,49624,00.html)
FEDS NIX PACT ON NET RADIO STATIONS
Issue: Copyright
The Copyright Office has rejected a deal Wednesday between broadcasters and
the Recording Industry Association of America to pay for music used online.
Terms of the settlement, which was reached in December, had been kept
secret. Federal regulators blocked deal that would have set royalty terms
for radio-station broadcasts put online. Webcasters, or Web sites that
stream music online but are not associated with a traditional broadcast
radio station, are required to pay royalties for use of music under the
terms of a 1998 copyright law.
[SOURCE: CNet, AUTHOR: John Borland]
(http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-8424478.html?tag=mn_hd)
EDTECH
MAINE STUDENTS HIT THE IBOOKS
Issue: EdTech
The state recently signed a four-year, $37.2 million contract with the
computer company to equip all seventh- and eighth-grade students and
teachers in the state with laptops. It's believed to be the largest
educational technology purchase by a state. "I think we're going to
demonstrate the power of one-to-one computer access that's going to
transform education," said Governor Angus King. "The economic future will
belong to the technologically adept." Under the plan, all seventh-grade
students and teachers in the state will use the portable, wireless Apple
iBooks laptops starting in fall 2002. The contract includes the installation
of a wireless network infrastructure in all 241 middle schools, ongoing help
desk support and maintenance, and professional development. Maine chose the
company despite some reported problems in Apple's last significant education
deal, in Henrico County, Virginia, where Apple rolled out 23,000 iBooks this
fall. According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, during a visit from Maine
representatives, students at Godwin High School in Henrico County complained
that the computers are a distraction and hinder, rather than help, learning.
"It's basically a $1,200 CD player and a Game Boy," said one student. Maine
educators feel confidant that they can overcome the problems encountered in
Henrico.
[SOURCE: Wired, AUTHOR: Katie Dean]
(http://www.wired.com/news/school/0,1383,49046,00.html)
CABLE
MTV AND SHOWTIME PLAN CABLE CHANNEL FOR GAY VIEWERS
Issue: Cable
Looking to take advantage of what they say is a large and lucrative niche
audience untapped by television programmers, two cable divisions of Viacom,
MTV Networks and Showtime, are developing a plan to create the first cable
channel aimed directly at gay viewers. The channel would be offered to cable
system operators as a pay channel like HBO or Showtime, but less costly --
at $5 or $6 a month -- and also include advertising. The presence of gay
characters on television, both on cable channels and the broadcast networks,
has increased in recent years in shows like NBC's `'Will and Grace" and
Showtime's "Queer As Folk." But the proposed gay channel would take that
trend to a new level.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Bill Carter]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2002/01/10/business/media/10CABL.html)
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