November 29, 2004
Volume 7, Issue 1
Sharman Adds Skype to Kazaa 3.0
Takes P2P Beyond File Sharing with Unlimited Free Online Calls
DCIA Charter Member Sharman Networks last week launched Kazaa Media Desktop v3.0 featuring the integration of Skype, allowing users to make free Internet calls anywhere in the world via peer-to-peer (P2P) technology.
The launch provides a platform for Sharman to showcase its future vision of P2P, which goes beyond file sharing to communicating more efficiently with friends, family, and colleagues globally.
"Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a new frontier in P2P communications and represents a rapidly growing market," said Sharman Networks CEO Nikki Hemming. "The inclusion of Skype is a natural extension of Kazaa and establishes the next level of peer-to-peer development."
More than 300 million people worldwide have downloaded the popular Kazaa Media Desktop (KMD) application and used its P2P technology to sample and purchase music, videos, games, ringtones, and other digital content.
A wide array of artists such as Steve Earle, Richard Thomson, Little Feat, Russell Simmons, Public Enemy, The Black Keys, Widespread Panic, Ten Mile Tide, and others have embraced the P2P distribution channel to promote and market their licensed, digital files to Kazaa users.
KMD v3.0 also offers a free weblog trial through TypePad, a powerful, hosted weblogging service that gives users tools to immediately publish information – like travel logs, journals, and digital scrapbooks – on the Web. Blogs will be offered at discounted rates to Kazaa users.
In addition, KMD v3.0 includes improved search capabilities, featuring up to 3,000 more results per search. Users can also purchase Sharman Networks' official ad-free version, Kazaa Plus for $29.95.
File Sharing Growing Like a Weed
By Katie Dean in Wired Magazine
DCIA Member Shared Media Licensing (SML) offers Weed, a software program that allows music fans to download a song and play it three times for free. They are prompted to pay for the "Weed file" the fourth time. Songs can be burned to an unlimited number of CDs, passed around by file-sharing software, and posted to web pages.
SML makes the Weed purchasing software and channels the money to artists and distributors. Over 100 independent content providers find the music, clear the rights, manage the files, and promote the distribution and sales on their own websites.
CD Baby is the largest Weed content provider with over 60,000 titles, according to SML President John Beezer. About 80,000 Weed tracks are available. Well-known artists who have signed on to distribute some of their music this way include Chuck D, Heart, Sir Mix-A-Lot, Built to Spill, and Kristin Hersh.
Brian Hardgroove – band leader for Public Enemy and bass player from Fine Arts Militia – noted that while the major labels continue to sue people for file sharing, Weed rewards file sharing.
Singer-songwriter Stacie Rose said Weed is a great way for people to find new artists. "Because CDs are so expensive, sometimes people don't want to take a chance buying a full CD with a new artist," Rose said. "The whole idea of Weed is really cool."
Weed is also participating in the P2P Revenue Engine project organized by the DCIA, which seeks to demonstrate to entertainment companies how they can use peer-to-peer (P2P) software to make money.
"This is giving a relatively low-cost distribution alternative to these creators out there," said Mike McGuire, research director at Gartner/G2. "It uses some of the same methods for music discovery and sharing as P2P. That's very powerful."
Report from CEO Marty Lafferty
 We are grateful to all who participated in the development of the P2P PATROL website now set for its beta launch this week. This represents the third program in the "P2P PATROL – Peer-to-Peer Parents and Teens React On Line" initiative, and focuses on education.
It complements the previously launched two programs that focus on enforcement and deterrence. We will be seeking feedback from leading peer-to-peer (P2P) software distributors and other companies, which are prospective P2P PATROL commercial participants, during December.
The inaugural version of the P2P PATROL website will answer basic questions for consumers beginning with: what is the P2P PATROL and how can they participate.
Popular file-sharing programs are used by people of all ages, and it is the responsibility of each individual to carefully choose which files they share and to label them properly.
For the peace of mind of parents and to protect children from being exposed to files that may contain offensive or potentially harmful content, leading P2P software programmers have developed features that are designed specifically to minimize this risk of exposure.
P2P PATROL is a voluntary initiative of software providers and file sharers that goes even further in helping to protect children. It was developed specifically to address one of the most pernicious forms of exploitation and abuse, child pornography. It provides a way for participating companies and consumers to assist authorities in locating and helping current victims and preventing additional victimization.
It is important to note that this initiative is not a vigilante effort, and that seeking out criminally obscene content, even with the intention of helping to eliminate it, can itself expose one to violations of the law resulting in severe fines and imprisonment.
The basic purpose of P2P PATROL, rather, is to provide responsible parents and young adults with the tools needed to support an appropriate response if and when they inadvertently encounter criminally obscene content online.
The best approach to dealing with content identified through a P2P search that is believed to be illegal or inappropriate, is not to download that material at all. Downloading and/or possessing illegal adult material is a criminal offense in many jurisdictions.
If despite such precautions, an offensive file is downloaded, the P2P PATROL website provides easy-to-follow instructions for determining whether such material is illegal or merely objectionable, for permanently deleting it, and for reporting it to authorities.
It is generally illegal to transmit as well as to possess child pornography. Therefore, forwarding a file suspected of being child pornography is not advisable.
However, it is not illegal to transmit certain identifying information (other than the file itself) that can help law enforcement pursue subjects and perpetrators involved with child pornography, and the P2P PATROL website clearly and concisely explains how to do this.
In order to qualify leads for processing and assigning to appropriate law enforcement agencies, P2P PATROL has engaged a high-technology Internet forensics firm, to help participants efficiently gather required information in a standardized format.
Please contact sari@dcia.info or call 888-864-DCIA to find out how you can help support P2P PATROL.
P2P Street Team Supports Yohany
DCIA Member RazorPop launches its P2P Street Team program today with MusicDish Network artist Yohany. This program features customizable TrustyFiles software that makes it easy for artists to promote and sell their music and other digital files through their fans.
The MusicDish Network partnership with RazorPop offers multiple benefits to independent artists including aggregated traffic and resources of over 200 music sites, radio stations, and magazines; and access to 80 million file sharers. Artists can promote and sell their free and secured music, video, games, software, and other digital files, CDs, DVDs, tickets, subscriptions, and merchandise to P2P users.
Artist logos and web links can be prominently displayed on the software application window to make file sharing the ultimate viral referral program. When P2P users download artist files they can be automatically shared with and distributed to other users of P2P software.
Yohany's co-branded MusicDish Network P2P software will link users to her website in one click, provide branding on her fans' desktops, and make it easy for fans to try her music and buy her CD. The application will encourage users to download and share the just-released music video for her club-pounding single "At The Bar," as well as feature contests for a chance to win her album "All That I Want."
"The P2P Street Team leverages consumers' desktops and file sharing, their favorite application," commented MusicDish Network founder Eric de Fontenay. "It provides a unique opportunity for artists to brand themselves and mobilize their fans. Yohany's MusicDish Network P2P software will allow her to not only capture real benefits, but also open a direct channel to her fans."
The launch will be supported by an extensive viral marketing campaign. In addition to syndicated features and banners throughout the MusicDish Network's online community, the campaign will reach out to her fans by targeting top eGroups, forums, and message-boards.
Yohany represents the first of many planned P2P initiatives for MusicDish Network artists as well as partners. De Fontenay added, "Artist-industry partnerships such as this one are required for independents to gain traction in establishing their brands. By leveraging the MusicDish Network's combined resources with our partnership with RazorPop, we will be able to open an entirely new channel for independent artists to market and sell their music."
Marc Freedman, RazorPop founder and CEO, said, "The P2P Street Team ushers in the next generation of artist promotions. By some estimates there are three million independent musicians, a huge market. The P2P Street Team delivers what the indies need – a simple do-it-yourself program – for artists to easily offer customized P2P software on their websites to their fans and Internet visitors."
Labels Rally on Wurld Media P2P Play
Digital Music News
Major labels continue to rally around sanctioned peer-to-peer (P2P) models, with Wurld Media the latest to enter the ring. The upcoming service, to be called "Peer Impact," has secured content from three of the four major labels. That includes Universal, Warner, and Sony BMG. The announcement follows a tip from the RIAA's Mitch Glazier, who pointed to the Saratoga Springs, NY-based technology company as one of several new label-friendly partners.
What will the new service look like? Wurld Media is keeping a tight lid on the upcoming project, though the company did point to a "secure online space to purchase and share music and other digital content." Peer-to-peer technology will be a central aspect, but the system will likely be a closed network. Other clues point to a rewards system, with the company website admonishing, "It Pays to Share." Interested users can sign up to receive a beta demo at Peer Impact, though the application is not yet available for testing.
Coming Events of Interest
- P2P File-Sharing: Consumer Protection and Competition Issues - The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will host a public workshop December 15th-16th to explore consumer protection and competition issues associated with the distribution and use of P2P file-sharing software.
The workshop is intended to provide an opportunity to learn how P2P file-sharing works and to discuss current and future applications of the technology. A detailed agenda and additional information on the workshop will be posted on the FTC's web site at FTC P2P Workshop Agenda.
The workshop will focus on uses of P2P file-sharing technology, the role of P2P file-sharing technology in the economy, identification and disclosure of P2P file-sharing software program risks, technological solutions to protect consumers from risks associated with P2P file-sharing software programs, P2P file-sharing and music distribution, and P2P file-sharing and its impact on copyright holders.
- Digital Hollywood at CES 2005 - Digital Hollywood will present a full program at the Consumer Electronics Show in the Las Vegas Convention Center North Hall, January 6th-8th.
The DCIA is proud to moderate "Next Generation P2P Music and Film - DRM, Paid for Pass-Along, and Other Distributed Computing Models and the Entertainment Industries" featuring Adrian Sexton, Executive Director, Business Development, Lions Gate Entertainment; Richard Conlon, VP Licensing, BMI; Derek Broes, Windows Client Strategic Relations & Policy, Microsoft; Marc Morgenstern, Vice President, Overpeer; Mark Ishikawa, Chief Executive and Technology Officer, BayTSP; Michael Weiss, President & CEO, StreamCast Networks, and Gerd Leonhard, CEO, ThinkAndLink.biz and Senior Advisor, Media Rights Technologies.
- P2P PATROL - Parents And Teens React On Line - The industry's anti-child-pornography initiative will hold its quarterly working session with private sector and law enforcement representatives in Dallas, TX on February 1st. For more information and to learn how you can contribute to P2P PATROL, please contact sari@dcia.info or call 888-864-DCIA.
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