CNM Short Takes

Digital TV public hearing schedule publishedThe CRTC has published a list of companies that will appear at a hearing in August on new specialty digital television stations. Companies have anywhere from 20-60 minutes to make their case to commissioners. The full list can be found at www.crtc.gc.ca/ENG/PROC_BR/HEARINGS/2000-5/AddInfo/proCal-e.htm.Artcyclopedia continues scoring contracts with art retailersCalgary-based Artcyclopedia.com has inked several new deals with art retailers to provide the company’s art marketing tools. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, artnet.com, eArtGroup.com and Frank Fowler – agent for Andrew Wyeth’s original works – have all elected to purchase advertising on the Artcyclopedia site. Company officials cite Artcyclopedia’s highly targeted Artcyclopedia approach to advertising, which it claims has a 20.4% clickthrough rate, for the customer wins.National Bank launches CD for small and medium businessThe National Bank of Canada has introduced a new edition of its Virtual Advisor for Enterprises CD-ROM, designed for small and medium-sized enterprises. The new disc updates the first version launched in late 1998, and reflects changes in IT which have since taken place. New features include software for strategic planning, and an Internet directory designed to help SMEs use the Internet more effectively. Interested businesses can pick up the disc at any National Bank branch.Cinram International introduces secure digital downloadsCinram International Inc, Toronto, is launching a new service which allows companies to let consumers sample computer software, games and music contained on free CDs or on web servers. The content can be unlocked by accessing a code available from the content owner. The service will also let companies track adoption rates and gather valuable information on customer usage. The service, called Cinram Digital Delivery Solutions, is the result of a joint venture agreement announced between Cinram and BroadCast earlier this year.Philips to incorporate QSound Lab’s sound techPhilips will use technology from QSound Labs, Calgary, in its new sound card, the Thunderbird Avenger. The card features positional 3D hardware DSP processing for maximum performance which eliminates crosstalk cancellation and broadens the "sweet spot." The card is expected to be available this fall.Industry Canada calls for digital TV commentsIndustry Canada has published a first draft of its Broadcasting Procedures and Rules Part 7 (BPR-7) for comment. The document sets forth the department’s application and operational requirements for DTV undertakings. It has been issued for public comments, but officials say it can be used on an interim basis by applicants proposing DTV undertakings. (http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/SSG/sf02125e.html)Pixel Systems goes on VSAT shopping spreeMontreal-based Pixel Systems Inc has bought 2000 Skyblaster two-way, PC-base very small aperture terminals (VSATs) from Spacenet Inc. The terminals and related equipment will be installed in new shopping malls to provide electronic billboards with multimedia electronic content.Seagram, Vivendi and Canal+ merged into new powerhouseA new global communications giant to be called Vivendi Universal will be formed from assets of Paris-based Vivendi, The Seagram Co, and Canal Plus. The new entity will have operations covering the scope of new media from content creation, music, film, and transmission facilities. The deal is still subject to regulatory approvals.Alliance Atlantis protects itselfAlliance Atlantis Communications has recruited Sunnyvale CA-based Macrovision Corp to protect its entire Home Video DVD production in Canada and the U.S. Macrovision will watermark DVD content, rendering unauthorized copying of the contents to videotape impossible. Over 75 per cent of DVDs worldwide have been protected with the technology.Women in technology to get new national web siteThe Wired Woman Society and Webgrrls have joined forces with globetechnology.com to create a new site for Globe Interactive. The new site will contain articles from The Globe and Mail, columns from the Wired Woman Society and Toronto Webgrrls members, a calendar of technology events, discussion forums with prominent women in the technology industry and featured books focused on women in technology.Canadian programming comments sought by CRTCThe CRTC has called for comments on proposed clarifications and revisions to the definition of a new Canadian program for the purpose of giving effect to the new television policy set out in Public Notice CRTC 1999-97. The commission’s determinations on revisions to the definitions are set out in Public Notice CRTC 2000-42, issued March 17, 2000. The revised definition is used to assess compliance with conditions of licence, and other regulatory requirements. The commission is accepting comments received on or before Wednesday, July 19. (www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/Notices/2000/PB2000-86.html)Digital Rooster teams with Hustler’s Larry FlyntDigital Rooster.com Inc, Toronto, a developer and distributor of online adult content, hopes to save more than $350,000 by replacing its own 24/7 Live Toronto Show with Larry Flynt Digital’s Live 24/7 show streamed from Los Angeles California. The new agreement also includes an exclusive Live Fetish show as well as two streaming DVD channels. Executives from both companies say they will continue working on new products and marketing.All academia, all the timeThe National Research Council, the Centre Érudit de l’Université de Montréal and the University of New Brunswick Electronic Text Centre have formed a partnership to make every single peer-reviewed academic journal that has an electronic version available through a single portal. All publishers of scholarly electronic publications in Canada will be invited to participate. There are currently about 200 journals available digitally in Canada. Feds, CANARIE to fund ecommerce clustersIndustry Canada is launching a $10-million project to focus on the creation of "virtual clusters" in association with CANARIE Inc, the Internet development body. The undertaking is called the CANARIE E-business Virtual Clusters Program. The collaborations will involve groups that share similar goals but are located in different regions of the country.Funding recipients will examine the development of e-business solutions. They will study opportunities and hindrances involved in deploying e-commerce. It is also expected that the clusters will be able to generate self-sustaining economic activity. The new funding project is in response to recommendations made earlier this year by the Canadian E-Business Opportunities Roundtable.The program is targetted especially to small- and medium-sized businesses, particularly users, suppliers, venture capitalists, researchers, legal firms and industry associations. Public and private sector involvement is encouraged.Applications must be for projects that are nationally focused and will respond to specific needs. They should unite diverse segments that have shared goals. Technical feasibility would also be a necessity.Companies are being invited to submit expressions of interest (EoI’s) from now until the end of March next year. Each EoI should contain a detailed outline of the project, a list of the project team, rationale for the plan, a proposed budget, a plan to handle key risks, and an indication if the CA*net 3 network can be utilized. More information is available at ebusiness@canarie.ca or at the group’s web site www.canarie.ca.

CNM Short Takes

Broadcast | June 28, 2000

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