CNM Short Takes

Rogers Communications invests $2 million in U.S. interactive TV software developerRogers Communications Inc has invested $2 million in California-based MetaTV, a company that provides software technology that enables interactive TV portals, services and enhanced TV applications. The investment will not necessarily result in Rogers adopting the company’s software for use in its digital set-top boxes, however. Jan Innes, VP of communications at Rogers, says the investment was made because Rogers "was looking for opportunities in the interactive TV area that looks like a good fit". She says it’s too early to say whether Rogers will use MetaTV technology for future ITV services. Rogers’ $2-million investment augments funding MetaTV recently received from Comcast Interactive Capital and Cox Communications Inc and other financial and strategic investors. With the Rogers investment, MetaTV’s total capital financing for 2001 has topped $30 million. MetaTV says the investment will accelerate the deployment of its Universal Portal Platform based ITV services. Japanese company buys projector from IMAXToho Company Ltd, Japan’s largest film exhibitor, has purchased a DIGIMAX projector from IMAX Corp of Toronto. Toho will use the projector at the Umeda sukara-za Cinema in Osaka. This is Toho’s first digital camera, which was put into operation on July 20. The company plans to open more cinemas using digital cameras in the future. IMAX says its proprietary digital imaging technology will enable its Digital Projection International subsidiary to become a leader in the digital cinema projector market. eNblast signs two major acquisition agreements Toronto-based interactive media producer eNblast productions inc has entered into two agreements which will significantly expand the company’s capabilities in the production of new media content. Under terms of the first agreement, the company has entered into a letter of intent to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of Great Big Music Inc (GBMI). In the second agreement, eNblast has entered into a lockup deal with television and new media producer Electric Entertainment under which the two companies have until August 15 to negotiate a purchase or sale agreement. The proposed acquisition of GBMI will be secured through a combination of cash and shares valued at more than $3.5 million. Terms of the lockup agreement between eNblast and Electric Entertainment were not released. Book4golf.com grants global licence to CitysearchInternet-based tee time reservation company, Book4golf.com Corp, has granted a worldwide licence to Citysearch to distribute the company’s online golf reservation service in local city guides. Golfers will now be able to reserve tee times online at their favourite golf courses, now counting in the hundreds, directly through the online city guides available at citysearch.com. The company recently inked a deal for a co-branded web site with the PGA Tour and the addition of this agreement strengthens Book4golf’s North American distribution network. For the time being, the new service will be launched only in regions where there is a high concentration of member golf courses, but will prove invaluable as more courses sign on with Book4golf. Worldwide PC sales take a nosedive, according to GartnerRecent figures from Gartner Dataquest indicate that there was a decline in personal computer sales in the second quarter of this year. According to preliminary numbers, sales declined nearly two per cent from the second quarter last year. In the United States, PC shipments dropped 6.1 per cent from 11.4 million units to 10.7 million units. Gartner analysts say the decline is worse than previously anticipated. IBDG expresses interest in southern Ont. TV licencesThe Interactive Broadcast Development Group Inc has filed a letter with the CRTC expressing interest in obtaining television licences for Toronto, Hamilton and Kitchener. The commission opened the door to applications this May (PN 2001-51) after Torstar Corp filed licence applications of its own. Alliance Atlantis Communications Inc, WLX Technologies, Infinity Broadcasting, Craig Broadcast Systems Inc, Global Television Network, Bell Globemedia Inc (CTV), Rogers Media and Corus Entertainment Inc have also expressed interest. Those who wished to file a letter of intent had until July 9 to do so, and full applications are due August 8. Itemus in financial trouble Following unsuccessful bids to get an additional $10 to $15 million in financing, itemus Inc is now facing the prospect of being delisted from the Toronto Stock Exchange. Late last week, the company’s share price had dropped to a mere 4 cents. Financial problems for the Toronto-based company stem from its 80 per cent acquisition of Shooting Gallery, an independent film producer of such films as You Can Count on Me and Sling Blade. Alias/Wavefront to ship new 3D animation software in the fallAlias/Wavefront, a Silicon Graphics Inc subsidiary, will include new rendering technology in the latest release of its Maya Complete 3D animation software for the Mac OS X environment. The company hopes to begin shipping the new software on or before September 25/01. Alias has rebuilt what is considered the industry’s leading 3D animation software so that it is now a native Mac application. Digital media awards puts out call for entriesThe EMMA Foundation has put out a call for entries for this year’s International Electronic Multimedia Awards (EMMA), the 10th anniversary. The awards recognize excellence in digital media content creation through the acknowledgement of best practices and are open to international companies. Entries are accepted in the following categories: business applications, entertainment, games, iTV, learning, lifestyle, marketing and a student category. In addition to these categories, the EMMA Foundation has created a new major award for technical excellence. This new category will cover 2D and 3D media, animation, interactivity, sound, technical innovation and usability. Closing date for entries is September 28. Judging will take place in Hamburg Germany between October 19 and 22 with the winners being announced in early November. IAB establishes western Canadian beachheadIAB Canada, an independent, tripartite organization of Internet publishers, advertisers and agencies dedicated to the development of online advertising, has established a Vancouver Council to help bring more education and research on Internet advertising to advertisers, agencies and publishers in western Canada. The move is meant to expand IAB Canada’s presence and work in the west and to fulfil the needs of its growing western membership base. Two co-chairs have been appointed to head up the new council (see item in People on the Move). Cycore software to be included with Alias offeringInteractive 3D software development firm, Cycore, has announced that its software will be included with Alias/Wavefront’s Maya 4 3D animation software package. Cult3D enables content creators to produce interactive 3D objects and animations for use on the web in various Microsoft Office programs including PowerPoint and Word, as well as Adobe Acrobat documents. Also, content originally created for film, broadcast television, video, electronic games and location-based entertainment can now be converted and re-purposed for the web. Feds give money to BC Institute of TechnologyThe federal government has provided more than $145,000 in funding to the Learning Resources Unit of the British Columbia Institute of Technology. The money will be used to redesign web-based instruction to allow for the customization of training to meet the needs of a diverse profile of users. The funding will enable the testing of the delivery of occupational health and safety training using existing content that meets the requirements of the Workers Compensation Board for Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee members. This model will allow workers in various parts of the country in different industries to receive instruction based on regional requirements. MSN announces new features for web-based emailMicrosoft Corp’s MSN.ca portal will soon be enhanced to add new features and functionality to its Hotmail web-based email service. New functionality will include a more user-friendly interface making managing email that much easier. An improved filtering system will be added to more effectively route out unsolicited email or spam. MSN.ca currently has more than 7 million users. Look provides update on corporate restructuringBeleaguered MDS operator Look Communications Inc has about a week to make a loan payment. The company is currently exploring several opportunities to secure further funding. If none comes to fruition, the company’s primary shareholder, Charles Sirois, will be on the hook for a major portion of the payment. Diversinet and e-Scotia join forces for security offeringToronto-based Diversinet Corp and Scotia Bank’s e-Scotia subsidiary have come to terms on an agreement that will see e-Scotia incorporate Diversinet’s product into its managed security infrastructure. The agreement grants e-Scotia a worldwide licence to utilize Diversinet’s Passport Certificate Server and Passport Authorization Product for e- Scotia customers requiring secure wireless e-commerce certification services.

CNM Short Takes

Broadcast | July 25, 2001

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