THIS ISSUE'S STREAM:
+++ Broadcasting Now Includes Non-media Companies
+++ Canadian Sites Rank High at Media Metrix
+++ CANOE Acquires i|money
+++ eatsleepmusic Brings Karaoke to the 'Net
+++ EMI Offers Tea Party Digital Downloads
+++ Rogers Launches High Speed Internet for Small Business
+++ Hamilton Home to High-Tech Internet Service
+++ Smart Communities Project Announced
+++ E-Ouch! Canadian Firm Hit with USD $4 Million Judgment
+++ Alis Technologies Powers Netscape Translation
+++ New Owner for Silicon Valley NORTH
+++ Chantal Payette No Longer in State of FLUX
+++ World Vision Launches ExpressHope.com
+++ CyberPitch Calls for Submissions
+++ Canadian New Media Awards Pixel Created at Sheridan
+++ newMedia2000 Conference and Tradeshow
+++ Canadian New Media Awards
+++ CITO Research Review on Communications Technologies II
+++ Taking Care of Business Workshop
+++ Canadian Wireless 2000
+++ Web Alliance 2000
+++ Multimedia Ottawa
+++ Business-to-Business E-commerce
+++ Content as Currency: Canada's Role in New Media World
+++ Summer Institute of Film and TV New Media Workshops
+++ The Luddite's Lair: Luddite Vacation
+++ Kooky Klients: In Dog We Trust
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[-- NEWSPEAK: MULTIMEDIA INDUSTRY NEWS --]
+++ Broadcasting Now Includes Non-media Companies
In a recent presentation to the National Press Club in
Ottawa, Michael McCabe of the Canadian Association of
Broadcasters (CAB) stated that Canadian broadcasters
should be taking a leading role in developing Internet
content which focuses on unique Canadian content. The
rules of broadcasting are changing to allow non media-
related companies to play a significant role in
broadcasting content. Examples are Barnes and Noble and
the John Labatt Co. which have developed Web sites which
are primarily for entertainment. He is pleased that the
CRTC has chosen not to regulate the Internet.
Source: Legiscan (http://magma.ca/~legiscan/)
+++ Canadian Sites Rank High at Media Metrix
Media Metrix has released its latest Internet and Digital
Media audience ratings entitled English Canadians at Home.
The data from the panel of 4,956 home users shows that 8.5
million English Canadians accessed the Web from home in
March of this year. Over 3.8 billion pages were viewed
during March, with visitors spending on average 45.6
minutes on the Web per day. The top five Canadian sites
visited by Canadians were Sympatico.ca, MSN.ca, Yahoo.ca,
Canoe.ca and Canada.com. The cbc.ca site beat out
MSNBC.com and CNN.com in the News and Information
category, with TSN.ca topping the Sports field.
http://www.mediametrix.ca/
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+++ CANOE Acquires i|money
CANOE has reached an agreement to acquire the popular
Canadian financial Web site, i|money. The acquisition is
said to foretell the broad-ranging integration of
i|money's personal financial services with CANOE' Money's
financial information database. The move will allow
i|money members access to a wide array of financial news,
as well as CANOE's SLAM!, CNEWS and more. The announcement
"clearly puts CANOE in the leadership position for online
financial resources in Canada," said John Paton, President
and CEO of CANOE.
http://www.canoe.ca/
http://www.imoney.com/about/press.html
+++ eatsleepmusic Brings Karaoke to the 'Net
eatsleepmusic, an Ottawa-based company that bills itself
as the "leader in the burgeoning market for interactive
music and entertainment on the Internet," has developed
and is now licensing an assortment of free virtual Karaoke
Rooms. There are currently five different Karaoke Rooms
where visitors can sing Karaoke on their PC without any
additional software. Each Room features a user- friendly
interface, song controls and anywhere from 10 to 50 rock,
pop, country, easy listening or kid's song. Over 100,000
songs were streamed in the first month alone. "Our
streaming Karaoke Rooms can provide any Web site with very
interactive, 'sticky' and fun music content that people
love!" said Trevor McGuire, President and CEO of
eatsleepmusic.com.
http://www.eatsleepmusic.com/
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+++ EMI Offers Tea Party Digital Downloads
EMI Music Canada has announced that The Tea Party will
soon become the first Canadian recording artists to offer
a secure commercial digital download of their songs. Fans
will be able to log on to various Canadian retail Web
sites and choose from among five previously unavailable
songs. The songs will be available individually or bundled
together, with pricing said to be similar to regular
retail purchases. The songs include Pshychopom, recorded
live at MuchMusic, an alternative version of "Turn The
Lamp Down Low" and three previously unreleased out-takes
from the band's popular Triptych CD. A sixth song,
"Release" - a radio mix from "Transmission"- will be
available for downloading for free.
http://www.emimusic.ca/news/news_teaparty_may05-00.html
+++ Rogers Launches High Speed Internet for Small Business
Rogers Cable has announced a new high speed Internet
access product geared to small business. The service is
being called the first step in expanding Rogers@Home
beyond the residential user. "We know there is a high
degree of interest from small to medium size business in
the high speed Internet access product," said Alek
Krstajic, Vice President and General Manager, Rogers@Home,
"and we expect to launch other business products in the
coming months." The fee for the service is $149.95 per
month.
Rogers has also begun a 'field test' to deliver Internet
access on television. Based on Microsoft WebTV Networks'
technologies, the Rogers Interactive TV service is the
first product delivered as part of the 1999 agreement
between Rogers and Microsoft to deliver enhanced TV via
digital cable. At the outset, customers will be able to
surf the Web, receive e-mail and conduct online banking
and shopping. Users will be able to switch between video
channels and the Internet using a wireless keyboard. Plans
are also afoot to introduce Advanced Set Top Boxes which
will enable faster two-way Internet connections.
Widespread commercial rollout is expected "later this
year."
http://www.rogers.com/
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+++ Hamilton Home to High-Tech Internet Service
The city of Hamilton, Ontario is set to become the first
Canadian city -- and perhaps the first city in North
America -- to offer two-way, high-speed wireless Internet
service. Look Communications will offer the technology
that will send data from a central transmitting tower in
downtown Hamilton to transceivers installed on the
rooftops of each customer's residence. From there data is
delivered to a wireless modem and downloaded to the
computer. Hamilton was chosen in large part because of the
city's size; the transmission tower covers almost all of
the city while also providing reach to Dundas and
Greensville through Aldershot and Burlington along the
lakefront. The service will be offered in other urban
areas of Ontario over the next few months.
(Source: The Toronto Star)
http://www.look.ca/
+++ Smart Communities Project Announced
The Government of Canada has announced the creation of 12
Smart Communities Demonstration Projects. The communities
-- one from each province, one from the North and one
Aboriginal community -- will become "world leaders in the
integration of information and communication technologies
into community life -- in areas such as health care,
education, training and business." The 12 Smart
Communities were chosen from an original pool of 129
communities that submitted letters of intent. "I am
confident that these demonstration projects have enormous
vision for the future that involves the use of information
and communication technologies, and will inspire
innovation in other Canadian communities," said John
MacDonald, Chair of the Smart Communities Selection
Committee.
http://smartcommunities.ic.gc.ca/
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+++ E-Ouch! Canadian Firm Hit with USD $4 Million Judgment
A small Canadian Internet company, Ecards, has been hit
with USD$4 million in damages in a lawsuit launched by E-
cards.com of San Francisco. The suit is based on the
similarity of the two domain names. Both companies offer
Internet greeting cards. Ecards' Toronto lawyer David
Warga told The Globe and Mail that the case raises
"important questions about whether juries should be
allowed to decide relatively complex issues of Internet
and intellectual property law." Warga added that the
verdict is "a severe blow to free enterprise in a
worldwide marketplace when the United States thinks it can
take jurisdiction over the rest of the world." The award
includes $1 million in punitive damages. The Toronto-based
Ecards Web site was offline at press time.
(Source: The Globe and Mail)
http://www.ecards.com/
http://www.e-cards.com/
+++ Alis Technologies Powers Netscape Translation
Alis Technologies, a Montreal-based provider of integrated
language-handling technologies and language-management
solutions, recently announced that the new Netscape 6.0
browser will offer AutoTranslate, a feature allowing
automatic translation of Web pages via Alis Technologies'
Gist-In-Time online translation software. AutoTranslate
enables Netscape 6 users to access global content on the
Internet by taking a Web page written in a foreign
language and having it translated seconds later into the
language of their choice. Netscape users can access
AutoTranslate free of charge, quickly and easily by
clicking on "Translate" from the "View" menu in Navigator.
The AutoTranslate service also uses the Que application
from Alis, a language identifier that enables the browser
to immediately identify the language of the text appearing
on the screen and selects the language from which to
translate, a very user-friendly feature.
http://www.alis.com/
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+++ New Owner for Silicon Valley NORTH
The Business Media Network (BMN), a subsidiary of
Ottawa's NewSys Solutions, has acquired Silicon Valley
NORTH from Rogers Publishing Ltd. and Silvan
Communications. The deal involved an all-stock transaction
worth a maximum of $2 million. BMN, which also owns the
Ottawa Business Journal, says Silicon Valley NORTH will
"fit well into its plan for a nation-wide B2B e-channel."
The monthly technology newspaper and Internet site
includes editions in Ottawa, Toronto, Alberta and BC.
http://www.silvan.com/
+++ Chantal Payette No Longer in State of FLUX
Canadian new media veteran Chantal Payette has moved on
from being the President of Toronto-based FLUX:Media to
pursue new opportunities that will build upon her belief
that broadband and Interactive Television are going to
become essential media for the future of pop culture and
entertainment. Ms. Payette has said that it was "a
privilege to be given the opportunity to create FLUX:Media
from startup to the successful, well recognized new media
company it is today."
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+++ World Vision Launches ExpressHope.com
World Vision Canada is about to launch a new electronic
child sponsorship program entitled ExpressHope.com. This
Internet-based program will allow Canadians to sponsor
children in developing nations, see photos of the
children, send them e-mail and discovery facts concerning
the child's home country. The site will eventually be
equipped to introduce live video conferences between the
children and their sponsors.
http://www.expresshope.com/
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[-- PLUG: INDUSTRY ANNOUNCEMENTS --]
+++ CyberPitch Calls for Submissions
The Banff Television Festival is partnering with the Banff
New Media Institute (at the Banff Centre) and Telefilm
Canada to present another innovative program for this
year's Banff Television Festival. Entrants can pitch a new
media CyberPitch project at the Festival, June 11-16. The
winner of CyberPitch will be awarded up to $5,000 in
development funding from Bell ExpressVu. Or they can apply
for an opportunity to pitch an HDTV project. The winner
will be awarded USD$15,000 in development funding.
http://www.banfftvfest.com/
+++ Canadian New Media Awards Pixel Created at Sheridan
Daniel Crichton and Jason Cornish, colleagues at the
internationally renowned Glass Studio at Sheridan College
have collaborated in creating the award for this year's
Canadian New Media Awards. The Pixel Award was hand-formed
from molten glass in Sheridan's state-of-the-art facility
in Oakville. Twelve of the awards will be handed out to
leaders in the Canadian new media industry on Thursday,
May 18, 2000 at the John Bassett Theatre, Metro Toronto
Convention Centre. The Glass Studio at Sheridan College is
the home of one of the oldest and largest educational
glass programs in North America. Since 1970, the studio
and its faculty have been dedicated to the development of
glass art, and it is internationally regarded as a leader
in glass education. All of the proceeds from the design
and fabrication of The Pixel Award are being dedicated to
improving the Glass Studio facility and resources for the
growing numbers of young artists and designers interested
in pursuing a career in the glass arts, many of whom have
already won numerous awards for their work at
international competitions.
http://www.sheridanc.on.ca/academic/arts/craftsdesign/
http://www.multimediator.com/cnma/
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[-- DIGERATI DATEBOOK: UPCOMING INDUSTRY EVENTS --]
+++ newMedia2000 Conference and Tradeshow
May 16-18, 2000 in Toronto, ON
newMedia2000 is an international trade show and conference
showcasing digital technology from creative applications
to delivery across all media platforms. The event connects
manufacturers, distributors and service providers with
qualified business, education and training, creative and
technical buyers from all industry sectors.
http://www.newmedia.ca/
+++ Canadian New Media Awards
May 18, 2000 in Toronto, ON
In this, its inaugural year, the Canadian New Media Awards
will honour individuals and companies in a total of 12
diverse categories, including New Media Visionary,
Educator of the Year and Most Promising New Company.
http://www.multimediator.com/cnma/
+++ CITO Research Review on Communications Technologies II
May 24, 2000 in Ottawa, ON
The CITO Research Review on Communications Technologies II
is one of a series of single-day meetings designed to
explore the status of current research in various areas.
The next Research Review takes place on Wednesday, May 24,
2000 at Carleton University in Ottawa. Visit the CITO Web
site for information on this and other programs.
http://www.cito.ca/
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+++ Taking Care of Business Workshop
May 27, 2000 in Toronto, ON
http://www.torontowebgrrls.com/events/workshop.html
+++ Canadian Wireless 2000
May 29-31 in Toronto, ON
http://www.cwta.ca/events/canadian/
+++ Web Alliance 2000
June 7, 2000 in Toronto, ON
http://www.infonex.ca/354/main.html
+++ Multimedia Ottawa
June 12, 2000 in Ottawa, ON
http://www.multimediaottawa.com/
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+++ Content as Currency: Canada's Role in the New Media World
June 21, 2000 in Ottawa, ON
A Summer Institute of Film and Television New Media panel
presented in collaboration with MultiMediator
http://www.cstc.ca/
+++ Summer Institute of Film and Television New Media Workshops
June 20-25, 2000 in Ottawa, ON
* Hypernarative - The next wave of online storytelling
This course will delve into the new mode of storytelling
on the Net while exploring the changing role of both
author and audience online. It's ideal for experienced
writers who would like an intensive, hands-on course on
the exploding world of online writing and content
creation.
* Creating Interactive New Media - Introductory Workshop
This workshop will focus on the design process behind
interactive new media with a hands-on approach that will
allow participants to gain an in-depth understanding of
the medium's major design elements. Perfect for those
interested in exploring techniques for creating new media
products.
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[-- THE LUDDITE'S LAIR: A SKEPTIC'S VIEW --]
By Hartley Steward
hartleysteward@canoemail.com
Please be advised that BitStream's roving Luddite is
unavailable at the present time. Mr. Steward is currently
getting away from it all in the wilds somewhere north of
Toronto (as Luddites are prone to do). He has promised to
return to civilization in time to send us a missive for
the next issue. We can hardly wait.
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[-- KOOKY KLIENTS - REAL-LIFE HORROR STORIES --]
+++ In Dog We Trust
Some people have said that in some ways we have become a
society bereft of spirituality. Others contend that the
world of business has in fact become our spiritual world.
Fear not, dear readers. Kooky is not going to become
maudlin. Far from it, as a matter of fact.
Our Kooky Klient this time 'round concerns a bigwig for a
large imaging technology company. Kooky called on our men
in blue (jeans) -- who we'll call Peter and Paul -- to
work on an extensive video project. The ideas they pitched
were right on the money and Kooky wasted no time in
signing off on the contracts. All was well when Peter and
Paul flew to the US to engage in a few days of head-to-
head brainstorming on the project.
The first day produced excellent results and Kooky was so
pleased with their progress that she decided to take Peter
and Paul out for dinner. Wine was ordered and small talk
was encouraged. Then suddenly, without a word of warning,
Kooky announced that, as well as being a top-flight
business gal, she was also an ordained minister. Well,
well, Peter and Paul thought to themselves. Everyone needs
.. a hobby.
"That's great," Peter said. "What, ah, denomination would
that be?" Kooky took the fifth in a very obvious move to
avoid answering the question. Odd, Peter and Paul thought
to themselves. Why bring up the subject if she didn't want
to talk about it! And she did not want to talk about it.
The next day, things returned to normal. A good working
day, with lots of planning and details under their
respective belts. It was with some trepidation that Peter
and Paul looked to the end of the day. Would Kooky want to
wine and dine again? Or would she take them to the nearest
stream for some spiritual cleansing?
The verdict was dinner. Once again small talk broke the
ice and once again Kooky found herself spilling the beans.
Only this time she was only too happy to divulge the
details of her spiritual awakening. In a dialogue that
lasted two hours, Kooky recounted how at one point she was
all set to inherit the church from its spiritual leader,
who had been grooming Kooky for the position. She had been
a member of the church for several years and was in
perfect harmony with the all-knowing Avatar who presides
over the universe. A good thing to be, Peter and Paul
thought to themselves.
But nothing is easy in life. Even in spiritual life.
Before Kooky could assume the reins she had occasion to
have a chat with God who wasted no time informing her that
she was on the wrong path and that she should leave the
church. Not only that, but God (or someone who looked like
Him) also suggested that she should abandon her corporate
career. Leaving the church was one thing; leaving her
career was a bit more problematic. After all, Kooky was
well on the way to becoming CEO!
In the end, Kooky decided to follow her spiritual path,
quitting both the church and her job and eventually
becoming head of training, the job she currently held.
Peter and Paul sat back, feeling confident that the worst
is over. But Kooky was not called Kooky for nothing.
"Have you ever seen a UFO or met an alien?" she asked.
"Danger Will Robinson," was running through Peter and
Paul's heads. And maybe a few sirens to boot. "I only
ask," Kooky said, "because the first time I met you two I
knew things were going to work out just fine." "Oh, why
was that?" Paul asked, against his own better judgement.
"Oh, because the Tarot cards told me so!"
"More coffee?" the waiter asked. Cheque please!
Got your own Kooky Kontribution? Of course you do. Your
significant others hear you rant about them every night
over dinner. Why not share them with people who really
care. Like your fellow BitStream readers. We guarantee
anonymity. And we're pretty sure you'll feel better
getting the Kookiness out of your system. Send your Kooky
Kontributions to: mailto:bitstream@multimediator.com
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No electrons were harmed in the making of this newsletter.
