Thu, 30th September

BT in privacy row after sending customer data to ACS:Law: BT sent more than 500 customers' details, unencrypted, to law firm chasing illegal file sharers
BT has launched an internal inquiry into how customer data was sent unencrypted. "BT can confirm that it did send unencrypted data to ACS:Law," a BT spokeswoman told the Guardian. "However, this was not the cause of the leak. At a later date, due to a cyber-attack on the systems of the law firm, data that it held was leaked.  At this time we do not believe any of BT's customers details have been compromised, although we are continuing to pressure ACS Law for confirmation of this. We were obliged to comply with court orders to provide information to ACS Law, as was any other ISP, where they were served with such orders.  We are investigating how we came to be sending unencrypted data as we have robust systems for managing data. We have already ensured that this type of incident will not happen again, launched an internal inquiry and we have alerted the Information Commissioner's Office.”

The BT subsidiary, Plusnet, will be providing its 316 affected customers with an identity protection service including internet security software free of charge for the next 12 months.  Plusnet will contact customers directly regarding this over the coming days.

Source: top10.com

Thu, 30th September

Sky 3D: The next big thing?
The Telegraph comments on Sky’s 3D Channel launch.  It will be restricted to Sky’s highest-paying customers, as only those paying for the Sky+HD package, its most expensive tier, can access the channel. Virgin Media launched its on-demand 3D film offering at the beginning of the week.  Only two per cent of British consumers plan on buying a 3D TV over the next 12 months, according to recent Deloitte research. Guy Bisson, a senior TV analyst at Screen Digest, commented: “3D TV will not have as much impact as HD," he says. "People will end up being left with 3D TVs, whenever they purchase their next set, as the technology will be built in.

Source: telegraph.co.uk

Thu, 30th September

More than 133,000 more premises in the North West set for super-fast broadband
BT have announced that more than 133,000 more homes and businesses across the North West will be next to benefit from its £2.5 billion plans for super-fast broadband.  BT is investing up to £2.5 billion to deliver fibre broadband to two thirds of UK homes and businesses.  It is the largest single commercial investment in fibre-based broadband ever undertaken in the UK.  

Source: btplc.com

Wed, 29th September

DEA Judicial review could be imminent
It’s being reported that the result of BT and TalkTalk’s requested judicial review of the Digital Economy Act could be imminent. Trefor Davies, Chief Technology Officer at ISP Timico is reported as saying that the outcome of the judicial review could be known as early as tomorrow. Apparently TalkTalk’s Andrew Heaney tipped him off about the possibility of news this week.

Source: top10.com

Wed, 29th September

The facts myths about 3D TV
Ahead of the imminent launch of Sky 3D on Friday (1 October), Pocket-lint, set out to debunk the myths surrounding 3D and give the facts instead. Skip related content.

Source: yahoo.com

Wed, 29th September

FACT works with local police to stop those infringing copyright
Fraud officers from Melksham launched a joint operation with copyright watchdogs to catch a man suspected of uploading new films to the internet.

Source: wiltshiretimes.co.uk

Wed, 29th September

Film Piracy: Does It Help or Hurt?
Film Threat’s inaugural Film in 140 Panel on Twitter  will take place today from 9-10pm EST. Their first topic will be “Film Piracy: Does It Help or Hurt?”

Source: filmthreat.com

Tue, 28th September

List of porn pirates leaked on to internet
Thousands of internet users have had personal details leaked online including pornographic films they are alleged to have downloaded and shared. The information, which was held by ACS:Law, a firm engaged in anti-piracy practices, also included credit card details. Experts believe this is a major breach of the Data Protection Act and the Information Commissioner is to investigate.

Source: telegraph.co.uk

Tue, 28th September

UK software federation asks people to give new internet piracy laws a chance
The UK Federation Against Software Theft (FAST), a not-for-profit group that campaigns for the legitimate use of software, has called on opponents of the controversial Digital Economy Act 2010 (DEA) to give the new laws time to "bed in and demonstrate it can work"

Source: ispreview.co.uk

Tue, 28th September

Netflix eyes streaming-only service for US
US DVD rental service Netflix will look at launching a domestic streaming-only service, according to CEO Reed Hastings, following expansion into Canada with an operation that does not include discs by mail.

Source: cueentertainment.com

Tue, 28th September

Minister to speak at BVA's annual event supported by DVD Intelligence
The British Video Association will blow 30 candles at its Annual General Meeting and reception on 2 November at the BAFTA venue in London. The event, celebrating the past and future of the home entertainment industry, will be supported for the first time by DVD Intelligence. Co-sponsors include Eyeframe, MPO and signage company Bezier.

Source: dvd-intelligence.com

Mon, 27th September

3D Films could provide a safeguard against copyright infringement
There are those who are not only optimistic about the lasting visual appeal of 3D, but also the financial viability of the medium. With film copyright infringement as the chief looming threat to the enduring prosperity of the film industry, filming in a format that requires special glasses, as well as proper screening conditions and equipment in order for viewers to see the product correctly, may provide a sure safeguard against film piracy's increasingly detrimental effects within a struggling economic climate.

Source: mycontentbuilder.com

Mon, 27th September

Blu-ray superseded by digital downloads, says Microsoft executive
A senior Microsoft executive has claimed that Blu-ray will be a ‘passed over’ format, as people make the leap straight from DVDs to digital movie downloads. However, many experts believe there is still a place for high-definition DVDs, particularly as few homes have the fast, stable internet connections needed for seamless, high-quality movie streaming.

Source: telegraph.co.uk

Mon, 27th September

Hollywood shares British anxiety at the rise of internet streaming sites killing the film industry
One independent measurement service documented a 42 percent jump in the number of infringing sites with streaming capability from July to August, sounding alarms throughout Hollywood.

Source: sfgate.com

Fri, 24th September

Youtube wins landmark case
A federal court in Madrid yesterday dismissed charges of copyright infringement lodged against the video-sharing service by the Spanish broadcaster Telecinco.

Telecinco brought its action against YouTube in 2008, saying the website should be held liable when users uploaded clips of TV shows that infringed its intellectual property rights. YouTube argued that more than 24 hours of video were loaded on to its website every minute and it was unable to monitor everything for potential copyright breaches.

Source: independent.co.uk

Fri, 24th September

Illegal downloaders are ‘going to hell’
Guy Garvey, the frontman for British rock band Elbow, said that fans who are illegally downloading music have special accommodations reserved for them in the afterlife.

Source: gibson.com

Fri, 24th September

Number of film streaming sites is rapidly increasing
Industry analysts are just beginning to realize the impact of the issue. One study showed that between July and August of this year, the number of websites streaming copyright infringing content increased by 42%.

Source: myce.com

Fri, 24th September

IFPI Welcomes European Parliament's Call For EU Action To Tackle Copyright infringement Online
IFPI, representing the international recording industry, today welcomed the strong backing of the European Parliament for coordinated action at an EU level to tackle piracy of creative works.

Source: top40-charts.com

Thu, 23rd September

Blockbuster set to file for bankruptcy
Blockbuster is set to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as early as today, but reports show that it may live to see another day after cutting a debt-for-equity swap with its creditors. City AM reports that the plan will allow the company to continue operating, although it is expected to close hundreds of stores and invest more in online video rental, putting it in direct competition with Netflix.

Source: cityam.com, digitaltrends.com

Thu, 23rd September

Netflix shares soar on Blockbuster bankruptcy reports
Yahoo Finance reports that shares in US based company Netflix have soared as a result of Blockbuster bankruptcy reports.

Source: yahoo.com

Thu, 23rd September

2010 Gadget Census
Every ten years the Government conducts a census, we thought it might be interesting to see what gadgets UK consumers have in their households. The Institution of Engineering and Technology reports that across the board, we are investing in more devices across all categories. But PCs and mobile phone usage has increased the most with the iPod generation helping to grow the media player category from virtually nothing in 2000 to the typical household owning three devices.

Source: theiet.org

Wed, 22nd September

LoveFilm launches app on Yahoo
LoveFilm has launched its first Yahoo app as it continues its distribution strategy. Subscribers can link the app to their LoveFilm account, letting them watch trailers and read movie news, as well as click through to the main LoveFilm site.

Source: nma.co.uk

Wed, 22nd September

Microsoft Zune service to launch in UK
Microsoft's Zune entertainment service is to launch in the UK alongside the imminent arrival of the company's brand new mobile operating system, Windows Phone 7.

Source: telegraph.co.uk

Wed, 22nd September

Harrow flicks pirate thrown in slammer
A man from North-West London has been jailed for six months, after admitting to fraudulently filming Hollywood movies at a Vue cinema and then distributing the wares illegally online.

Source: theregister.co.uk

Tue, 21st September

Indie filmmakers: copyright infringement and Google threaten us
Greg Sandoval reports that while the anti-copyright-infringement efforts of the top studios have attracted plenty of attention, the impacts of illegal file sharing on indie studios are much more dramatic, according to three indie movie makers who spoke to CNET.

Source: cnet.com

Tue, 21st September

Parties approached to take over Film Council duties
Four parties have been asked by the government to consider taking on the responsibilities of the recently axed UK Film Council. The BBC was one body asked to consider taking a lead role in distributing lottery money to film projects. Channel 4, the British Film Institute and the Film London agency are also believed to have been approached.

Source: bbc.co.uk

Tue, 21st September

Lovefilm bows Yahoo! app
Film and TV rental subscription service Lovefilm has launched a new Yahoo! App, allowing members access to top trailers and up-to-date movie news.

Source: cueentertainment.com

Tue, 21st September

Live Youtube will be the end of Apple TV
Lawrence Latif reports that Google’s move into providing live video streaming through Youtube is the first real indication that the Internet giant has a plan to make serious cash from its video sharing operation.

Source: theinquirer.net

Mon, 20th September

Amazon set to make £200m buyout tender for LoveFilm
Emma Sadowski reports that Amazon has moved one step closer to muscling in on the UK’s home entertainment industry after putting in an offer to buy out online movie rental service, LoveFilm.

It is understood that Amazon, which is currently expanding its business rapidly, has made an approach for LoveFilm, valuing the company at around £200m.

Source: cityam.com

Mon, 20th September

MPs ready to fight Digital Economy Act in Parliament
In an exclusive interview with Broadbandgenie.co.uk, Cambridge MP Julian Huppert, Liberal Democrat, has revealed a group of MPs are organising support to make key amendments to the Digital Economy Act, which went through 'the wash' at the end of Labour's last term in government. The Act contains several sections, particularly around broadband blocking and disconnections, that Huppert described as "deeply  worrying". There are also serious implications for public Wi-Fi use. He said: "There's this assumption that if you have someone's IP address, you know who it is that's responsible, which is simply wrong; it falls apart in so many ways."

Source: cambridgenetwork.co.uk

Mon, 20th September

Amazon FD joins Lovefilm board
Amazon EU Finance Director Shaun McCabe has replaced Greg Greeley, Amazon’s Vice President of European retail, on the board at Lovefilm International.

Source: cueentertainment.com

Mon, 20th September

Stephen Fry's guide to 3D TV
Electronics brands, including Sony, Samsung, LG and Panasonic, have all launched 3D TV sets in the last few months, and a series of 3D films have been released in cinemas. Stephen Fry explains 3D technology as part of a guide to 3D TV.

Source: telegraph.co.uk

Mon, 20th September

ISPs to pay 25% of copyright infringement notification costs
Dan Pearson reports that a Whitehall paper dealing with the Digital Economy Act has declared that internet service providers will pay 25 per cent of the cost of notifying customers believed to be infringing copyright, as well as the same percentage of the cost of appeal administration.

Source: gamesindustry.biz

Fri, 17th September

Protecting Creatives
ProfessionalSecurity.co.uk reports that the Government has set out how costs would be shared as part of the Digital Economy Act’s measures to tackle online infringement of copyright. The decision will see costs resulting from these measures split between rights holders and internet service providers (ISPs) at a ratio of 75:25 respectively.

Source: professionalsecurity.co.uk

Fri, 17th September

Russian biz pushes for new copyright infringement law
Russian movie studio chiefs who are part of an anti-copyright-infringement industry group "No to Thieves!" are planning to draw up proposals to lobby the Russian government to create a unified anti-copyright-infringement law that covers all copyright infringement on the Internet.

Source: variety.com

Fri, 17th September

Broadcasters unveil internet TV platform
A group of leading UK broadcasters and broadband providers have finally unveiled YouView, their vision for free, internet-connected television service aimed squarely at British Sky Broadcasting and Virgin Media. Mixing elements of Apple’s App Store, YouTube and BBC iPlayer on-demand video services, Sky Plus-style digital recorders and digital television service Freeview, YouView promises to “change the way you watch TV for ever” when it launches in mid-2011. Formerly known as Project Canvas, the venture has been created by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, BT, Talk Talk and Arriva to ensure the survival of Freeview in the digital age.

Source: ft.com

Fri, 17th September

Project Canvas to become YouView
A new free-to-air, web-connected TV service combining Freeview digital channels with on-demand content such as iPlayer will launch in the UK in 2011. YouView - formerly known as Project Canvas - is a partnership between BT, the BBC, ITV, Five, Channel 4, Arqiva and TalkTalk.

Source: bbc.co.uk

Fri, 17th September

'YouView' will change the way you view television
David Neal reports that YouView set-top boxes will change the way we watch television by taking something we do on the internet and putting it on TV.

Source: theinquirer.net

Fri, 17th September

Sony chases 3D boom with PS3
Sony is bringing forward plans to enable its PS3 console to play Blu-ray films and music videos in 3D. The free software will hit the streets on Tuesday as Sony aims to take advantage of the boom in 3D products.

Source: e-edition.metro.co.uk

Thu, 16th September

BiS hands enforcement bill to rights holders
Rights holders will be required to pay three-quarters of the costs involved in tackling online copyright infringement under the terms of the Digital Economy Act, with Internet Service Providers (ISPs) meeting the remainder of the bill, the Department for Business Innovation and Skills has ruled.

Source: cueentertainment.com

Thu, 16th September

TalkTalk hits back at Digital Economy Bill cost decision
TalkTalk has slammed a decision by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) that will see ISPs forking out for 25 percent of the costs incurred in combating illegal downloading. Under the Digital Economy Act, which was passed by the previous Labour government earlier this year, web users suspected of illegal filesharing will be issued with warning letters and emails.

Source: techworld.com

Thu, 16th September

Talktalk warns customers will pay to police illegal file sharing
Talktalk has slammed the Government’s decision to make internet service providers pay towards combating online copyright infringement; arguing consumers will end up the losers.

Source: computeractive.co.uk

Thu, 16th September

Digital Economy Act could push up broadband prices
Matt Grainger reports that government plans for meeting the costs of tackling online copyright infringement have drawn criticism, with some detractors saying that the scheme will lead to higher broadband costs for consumers and businesses.

Source: pcr-online.biz

Thu, 16th September

ISPs hit back at sharing cost of copyright crackdown
Internet service providers have protested against the government's decision that they will bear a quarter of the costs involved in enforcing the copyright crackdown laid out in the Digital Economy Act.

Source: zdnet.co.uk

Thu, 16th September

Is the PlayStation 3 the ultimate entertainment device?
Claudine Beaumont reports that you can access BBC iPlayer through your PS3, a service that is also available on the Nintendo Wii. You can also download or rent movies through your console to watch on your television from the PlayStation VideoStore.

Source: telegraph.co.uk

Wed, 15th September

Rights-holders bear brunt of costs of chasing copyright infringers
Rights-holders will bear the brunt of the costs for tackling copyright infringers, the UK government has said. The music and film industry will pay three-quarters of the costs of pursuing net pirates, with internet service providers paying the remaining quarter.

Source: bbc.co.uk

Wed, 15th September

TalkTalk slams copyright infringement charges
TALKTALK has slammed government proposals to charge Internet Service Providers (ISPs) for its strategy to combat internet copyright infringement. The firm argues plans laid out by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) will cost internet users.

Source: cityam.com

Wed, 15th September

Illegal downloads: music industry to carry cost of catching copyright infringers
The government has said that rights holders in the music, TV and film industries will have to bear 75% of the expense of notifying and pursuing illegal downloaders – estimated to be as much as £14m a year. Internet service providers will foot the remaining 25% of the bill to notify and pursue those identified as illegal downloaders.

Source: guardian.co.uk

Wed, 15th September

Digital Economy Act: cost of free appeals shouldered by ISPs and rights holders
Jennifer Allan reports that internet users facing a legal wrangle over copyright infringement as a result of the Digital Economy Act will have the right to a free appeal. ISPs and rights holders will have to pay the bill for these appeals.

Source: electricpig.co.uk

Wed, 15th September

ISPs revolt over Digital Economy Act
David Neal reports that the UK'S internet service providers are revolting now that it's looking increasingly likely that they will be forced to carry some of the enforcement costs of the Digital Economy Act. A consultation statement released by the UK government has outlined how it expects the costs of copyright infringement investigations to be met, and suggests that ISPs pay for a quarter of the expense.

Source: theinquirer.net

Wed, 15th September

HD, a female turn-off: Hi-tech TV service shunned by women because it's all sport and action movies
A new study from Mintel has revealed women find high definition television unappealing. A spokesman for Mintel commented: “Women are less enthusiastic than men about HD TVs, particularly when it comes to agreeing that the picture quality is worth paying extra for."

Source: dailymail.co.uk

Tue, 14th September

UK Film Council boss quits over cuts
The head of the UK Film Council has resigned, saying the job was a "privilege" until the moment he learned the organisation was being scrapped. Chief executive John Woodward will leave the council in November. Chairman Tim Bevan said that, under Woodward's watch, the organisation had backed a "succession of successful films and film-makers".

Source: bbc.co.uk

Tue, 14th September

Norton Cybercrime Report: 46% Think Illegal Downloading is “Legal”
Nearly half of 7,000 adults surveyed in 14 countries around said they felt it “legal” to download a single music track, album or movie without paying (17%, 14%, and 15% respectively) according to the recent Norton Cybercrime Report: The Human Impact.

Source: zeropaid.com

Tue, 14th September

Behind the music: Moguls and musicians thrash out filesharing
Helienne Lindvall reports on the filesharing debare within the music industry.

Source: guardian.co.uk

Mon, 13th September

OPINION: What next for the controversial Digital Economy Act?
Southport Visiter reports on the progress of the Digital Economy Act to date.

Source: southportvisiter.co.uk

Mon, 13th September

IE boss says DEA is "laughable and unworkable"
IE:music's Tim Smith, best known for managing Robbie Williams, was pretty clear about his expectations for the Digital Economy Act and the three-strikes anti-copyright-infringement system it will introduce at Popkomm in Germany. He told the German music business convention: "[The DEA] is laughable and unworkable. It allows ISPs to sit on their hands for longer, knowing they are off the hook. The truth is digital technology has driven a panzer division through copyright law. If 70% of the population are ignoring a law, it's no longer a law - we have to figure out a new way of working with copyright".

Source: thecmuwebsite.com

Mon, 13th September

Make internet switch easier
Ofcom has set out proposals to make it easier to switch landline or internet provider. The media watchdog is proposing to that any new provider you want to move to will have the power to demand the old provider give up the contract.

Source: mirror.co.uk

Mon, 13th September

The great TV turn-off?
Conor Pope reports that faster broadband means that watching TV on your computer screen is becoming a real – and cheaper – option for viewers. Conor asks whether this spells trouble for Sky and UPC.

Source: irishtimes.com

Mon, 13th September

HDTV is clear favourite among younger viewers
Young people are more likely to change over to HD television than their parents or grandparents. When asked what would encourage them to switch to a pay TV package such as Sky, Virgin or BT Vision, 25 per cent of 16- to 25-year-olds said high definition channels.

Source: metro.co.uk

Fri, 10th September

Project Canvas defends web-TV plans
Project Canvas, the consortium of UK broadcasters and broadband providers, attempted to counter criticism of its plans for internet-connected television on Thursday, saying that dozens of manufacturers had pledged support for the venture. More than 40 companies, including household-name makers of set-top-boxes, internet-enabled televisions and digital video recorders, had expressed interest in making devices based on the Canvas software, according to the group. Equipment is expected to go on sale next year, likely to be under the brand YouView.

Source: ft.com

Fri, 10th September

Half of internet users think downloading for free is legal
Almost half of web surfers don’t think that they're breaking the law when they download music or movies for free, new research has revealed. 46% of broadband users told security firm Symantec that they thought it was “legal” to download a single music track, album or movie from the internet without paying.

Source: broadbandchoices.co.uk

Fri, 10th September

Pace CEO: We May Add Google TV To Our Boxes
The CEO of Pace, the developer of digital TV technologies for the payTV industry, Neil Gaydon, writes that they are considering adding Google TV to their boxes.

Source: paidcontent.co.uk

Fri, 10th September

Lovefilm and Livescribe: Hybrid hopefuls
Rory Cellan-Jones reports on LOVEFiLM’s business model which offers a hybrid service including both posting DVDs and digital delivery.

Source: bbc.co.uk

Thu, 9th September

Film Stage Hands Claim Copyright Infringement “Robbing Workers”
Jared Moya reports that Matthew D. Loeb, International president of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees has lamented the losses faced by the industry from copyright infringement and its detrimental effect on US jobs.

Source: zeropaid.com

Thu, 9th September

Case study: Lovefilm – moviegoers’ Mecca
Marketing Week reports that online film rental service Lovefilm has put content at the core of its web presence. By creating, commissioning and aggregating an abundance of material, the brand has developed a hub for movie-goers that reaches beyond a basic subscription business.

Source: marketingweek.co.uk

Thu, 9th September

The ultimate student gadget guide: Part 3
Matt Warman and Claudine Beaumont’s guide for technological gadgets for students notes that the PlayStation 3 allows users to download movies on demand from the Playstation Network or catch up on TV shows they’ve missed on the BBC iPlayer.

Source: telegraph.co.uk

Thu, 9th September

Swiss court pulls plug on online copyright infringement snooping
The Swiss supreme court has ordered a company to stop snooping on suspected illegal file sharers, saying the practice breaches their right to privacy. The Lausanne-based Federal Tribunal says Logistep AG collected personal information on users of file-sharing networks and sold it to film and music companies seeking to protect their intellectual property.

Source: businessweek.com

Thu, 9th September

European police in copyright infringement raids
Police have arrested 10 people in a series of raids across Europe designed to crack down on file-sharing. Police targeted 48 sites in countries including Britain, the Netherlands, Czech Republic and Hungary. Five of the arrests were in Belgium and the others were made in Norway and Sweden. The suspects are the alleged leaders of four illegal file-sharing networks and they have been charged with hacking, copyright infringement and computer fraud.

Source: bbc.co.uk

Wed, 8th September

Ofcom Responds to UK ISP Copyright Infringement Consultation Delays
ISPreview reports that market regulator Ofcom UK, which launched its first of three internet copyright infringement and UK broadband ISP file sharing consultations on 28th May 2010, has explained that delays with its final two consultations are due to awaiting a government decision over cost sharing (between ISPs and Rights Holders) and the potential need for a more extensive set of rules to tackle enforcement measures.

Source: ispreview.co.uk

Wed, 8th September

ACTA draft removes burden on ISPs
A global policing role for internet service providers has been removed from the latest Anti Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) draft leaked onto the internet.

Source: theinquirer.net

Wed, 8th September

Google to start TV service in U.S. this autumn
Google Inc will launch its service to bring the Web to TV screens in the United States this autumn and worldwide next year, its chief executive said, as it extends its reach from the desktop to the living room. CEO Eric Schmidt said the service, which will allow full Internet browsing via the television, would be free, and Google would work with a variety of program makers and electronics manufacturers to bring it to consumers.

Source: uk.reuters.com

Tue, 7th September

How put.io could give Hollywood a serious kicking
Milo Yiannopoulos argues that Put.io, a subscription-based cloud storage service, threatens to make obtaining unauthorised copies of movies as quick and convenient as obtaining unauthorised copies of music already is – unless Hollywood does something about it.

Source: telegraph.co.uk

Tue, 7th September

The Digital Economy Act explained
Anthony Dhanendran reports that the Digital Economy Act covers more than just copyright online and explains how it will affect consumers.

Source: computeractive.co.uk

Tue, 7th September

U2's manager: 'Internet service providers need to stop illegal downloading'
U2's manager Paul McGuinness has criticised Internet Service Providers for not doing more to stop music being illegally downloaded. McGuinness is calling on those in charge to take steps against customers illegally file-sharing on their networks.

Source: nme.com

Tue, 7th September

Rivals loosen BT’s grip on broadband
Nic Fildes reports that BT’s rivals now control almost half the broadband lines supplied by the former state monopoly.

Source: thetimes.co.uk

Mon, 6th September

Music industry raps ISPs over file-sharing
Dan Worth reports that Internet service providers still need to do more to prevent the growth of illegal file sharing in the UK, according to creative industry chiefs speaking at the Britain's Digital Future conference in London.

Source: v3.co.uk

Mon, 6th September

Government Forcing Isps To Block Torrent Sites - Will This Work?
Bill L Rowe discusses whether blocking popular torrent sites to try to limit copyright infringement will work.

Source: articledashboard.com

Mon, 6th September

Texas watchdog reviews Google’s practices
Richard Waters reports that in Germany, a state court in Hamburg has found Google liable for the uploading by YouTube users of a number of videos of the singer Sarah Brightman.

The court ruled that measures to limit copyright infringement, such as asking users whether they have the right to post material, were insufficient. Google also disclosed on Friday that Texas regulators have launched the first broad antitrust review of its search and advertising practices in the US.

Source: ft.com

Mon, 6th September

Lovefilm strengthens digital ability
Lovefilm is looking to accelerate its digital distribution push with the hiring of two new board members. The company has appointed UK gaming specialist Kristian Segerstråle, the chief executive of Playfish, which was acquired by Electronic Arts, and Roland Steindorf, who helped develop Kabel Digital, a German digital cable pay-TV platform.

Source: ft.com

Mon, 6th September

Apple Faces Many Rivals for Streaming to TVs
Miguel Helft discusses whether Apple TV will be able to repeat the success of the iPod. He argues that most consumers are either unaware of or confused about how to use an Internet-connected TV and that Apple faces a growing number of competitors in this area.

Source: nytimes.com

Mon, 6th September

Television’s big bang
James Ashton discusses the trend towards merging internet and TV and observes that the internet and downloadable content have presented significant challenges for TV companies.

Source: thesundaytimes.co.uk

Fri, 3rd September

A New Digital Battlefield
TV shows are emerging as a new front in the war over digital media between Amazon.com Inc. and Apple Inc., amid their ongoing battles over electronic books and online music. Hours after Apple said Wednesday that it would begin renting some shows for 99 cents per episode, Amazon cut its price on a similar set of shows to 99 cents from $2.99.

Source: online.wsj.com

Fri, 3rd September

Sony and Apple raise the streaming stakes
As widely anticipated, Apple has announced this week that it is having another crack at selling a TV device to its burgeoning fan base. Meanwhile, the company that kicked off the portable media player revolution, Sony, announced earlier this week that Qriocity (pronounced Q-riosity), a music and video streaming service, would launch in the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain this year. The service has been available in the US since April.

Source: uk.finance.yahoo.com

Fri, 3rd September

YouTube Ads Turn Videos Into Revenue
Claire Cain Miller reports that in the past content owners might have requested that copyright infringing clips on YouTube be taken down, but now content owners such as Lions Gate are choosing to leave clips up and in return YouTube runs ads with the videos and splits the revenue with the content owners.

Source: nytimes.com

Thu, 2nd September

Sony rolls out rival to iTunes
Sony has launched a new music and video download service as it gears up to challenge Apple's iTunes. The announcement, made at the IFA technology fair in Berlin, was timed to coincide with an Apple media event in the US.

Source: bbc.co.uk

Thu, 2nd September

Apple raises stakes in TV battle
Apple made its most serious bid yet for the internet-connected television market on Wednesday, slashing the price and size of its AppleTV product by more than half and providing it with movies and television shows to rent.

Source: ft.com

Thu, 2nd September

Amazon eyes subscription web tv service
Amazon.com has approached media companies with a proposal for a subscription service that gives users unlimited access to some television shows and movies over the internet. The Seattle-based online retailer has approached media companies including Time Warner, CBS and Viacom, according to sources with knowledge of the move.

Source: businessworld.ie

Thu, 2nd September

Apple launches social network for music called Ping
Apple has launched a social network as part of the latest version of its iTunes software. Ping, as it is known, allows users to build networks of friends and professional musicians, in a similar way to services such as Twitter. Steve Jobs also used the event to introduce an updated version of its Apple TV, which can be plugged into a television set and used to stream movies and TV shows from iTunes.

Source: bbc.co.uk

Thu, 2nd September

Life’s not all Mamma Mia! and Captain America for the UK film industry’s new avenger
Alison Rowat reports that British actor Dominic Cooper is against the cutting of the UK Film Council.

Source: heraldscotland.com

Wed, 1st September

Sony rises to digital-media challenge
Tim Bradshaw reports that Sony will begin its latest attempt to fight back against Apple’s dominance in the digital media field today, when it unveils a new music and video subscription service to run across a range of its devices.

Source: ft.com

Wed, 1st September

Australian film industry appeals movie lovers to refrain from copyright infringement
The Intellectual Property Awareness Foundation, an alliance of film and television organisations in Australia, is launching a new communications campaign which appeals to audiences to ‘Please, Watch What You Watch’. This coincides with research commissioned by the foundation which indicates that one in three Australians are involved in film and TV copyright infringement, while at the same time believing that copyright infringement is equivalent to stealing.

Source: businessofcinema.com