THIS ISSUE'S STREAM:
+++ Welcome to the New and Improving BitStream!
///// CONTENT //////////
+++ The Lofters Settle into New Wired Digs
+++ CBC.ca Launches Genie Awards Web Site
+++ Everyone is Talking on TalkTV
+++ BCE Unveils B2B Portal
///// DEALS //////////
+++ Infopreneur Acquired by March Networks
///// MARKETING //////////
+++ Digital Marketing Awards Winners
///// INFRASTRUCTURE //////////
+++ National Broadband Task Force Announced
+++ Shaw Offers Cable Companies a New Home
///// FACTS & FIGURES //////////
+++ Global Digital Media Funding Report Issued
+++ Internet Marketing in Canada Report Issued
[-- DIGERATI DATEBOOK: UPCOMING INDUSTRY EVENTS --]
+++ Internet World Canada 2001
+++ EMMA Foundation Call For Entries
[-- HARD-WIRED: TOUGH TALK FROM A SKEPTIC --]
+++ Spare Me Your Dotcom Tears
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+++ Welcome to the New and Improving BitStream!
Thank you to all our loyal readers who generously provided
us with their feedback on BitStream via the survey we ran
in our last issue (December 6, 2000). Overall, the
comments we received were positive, however there were
some concerns expressed about both the content and the
format of BitStream, which we have begun to address with
this issue and will continue to address in future issues.
For starters, we've reduced the length of the newsletter
with some judicious editing, added subheadings in the news
section to make it easier to scan, and tried to provide
hyperlinks to additional information wherever possible.
We're also pleased to add an exciting and politically-
incorrect new column, HARD-WIRED, which is sure to stir
things up in what is sometimes a far too serious industry.
Enjoy, and please keep the feedback coming!
The BitStream Team
bitstream@multimediator.com
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[-- NEWSPEAK: MULTIMEDIA INDUSTRY NEWS --]
///// CONTENT //////////
+++ The Lofters Settle into New Wired Digs
They are young. And Canadian. And their lives are an open
book ... and Web site ... and TV show. Alliance Atlantis's
U8TV features eight "contestants," all of whom will live
in a loft that will be monitored 24 hours-a-day. The loft,
located in downtown Toronto, features four bedrooms, one
kitchen, a bathroom with two tubs and 21 cameras scattered
throughout the "house." The Lofters host a series of
Internet-only shows throughout the day and a half-hour
wrap-up will be featured on Life Network weekdays at 9:30
PM (Eastern).
http://www.u8tv.com
+++ CBC.ca Launches Genie Awards Web Site
CBC.ca is gearing up for the next Genie Awards with a new
interactive Web site that features news, trailers and
stories about the Genie nominees. The Genies were created
to honour achievements in Canadian cinema. Visitors to the
site will also be able to view a live, behind-the-scenes
Webcast during the awards show, which will be broadcast on
the CBC on January 29th. The backstage show will also
feature questions for nominees, which will have been
submitted by visitors to the site.
http://www.cbc.ca/genies
+++ Everyone is Talking on TalkTV
CTV is embarking on a new series of shows that will give
new meaning to the word convergence. The specialty channel
TalkTV is looking for people from across Canada who want
to participate in the chat room show via Webcams. Other
participants are also invited to join chats on a variety
of subjects for programs that will run live between 5 and
11 PM (Eastern) every night, Monday to Friday.
http://www.talktv.ca
+++ BCE Unveils B2B Portal
Bell Canada has launched a Web portal aimed at "helping
small and medium-sized companies find customers." Named
BellZinc.ca, the company calls it "a Web destination for
businesses that want to save time and money." The site
will also provide up-to-date technology and business news,
a business information centre containing management
articles, on-line tools and a section that allows visitors
to connect with qualified suppliers of products and
services. Bell created the site in partnership with U.S.
portal AllBusiness. (Source: The Toronto Star)
http://www.bellzinc.ca
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///// DEALS //////////
+++ Infopreneur Acquired by March Networks
March Networks has announced the acquisition of Toronto's
Infopreneur through an exchange of cash and shares. March
Networks says the deal will give the company the "ability
to more rapidly develop highly manageable IP broadband
applications directed at a worldwide market." "We are
seeing an incredible demand for broadband applications
featuring Web-centric interaction with the users," said
March Networks chairman and CEO, Terry Matthews.
http://www.marchnetworks.com/news/articles/dec_19_2000_Infopreneur.htm
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Reach thousands of Canadian Interactive professionals
with just one buy! Advertise in MultiMediator's BitStream.
It's fast, easy, and effective!
For rates: (416) 364-1455 Ext. 100 or
sales@multimediator.com
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///// MARKETING //////////
+++ Digital Marketing Awards Winners
The first Digital Marketing Awards were handed out in
Toronto at the end of last year. The awards were created
by Marketing Magazine to recognize Canadian Digital
Marketing excellence as exemplified through creative and
innovative ideas in the design and execution of digital
advertising. Club Solo http://wwwclubsolo.com was named
Best of Show, while Chez Cheese http://www.kraftdinner.com
received Gold in the Web Low-bandwidth Interactive
category. Grocerygateway.com took top honors in Web Low-
bandwidth Transactional/E-commerce Business-to-Consumer
category while Grant's War http://www.grantswar.com took
top spot in the Web Low-bandwidth Information Only
category. Infopreneur (see DEALS, above) also took gold in
the "non-traditional" online advertising category for the
animated Chilly Beach episode Rink of Dreams.
http://www.marketingmag.ca
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///// INFRASTRUCTURE //////////
+++ National Broadband Task Force Announced
The National Broadband Task Force has been set up to "map
out a strategy and advise the Government on best
approaches to make high-speed broadband Internet services
available to businesses and residents in all Canadian
communities by the year 2004." Other issues the Task Force
will consider include how to bridge the 'digital divide'
between rich and poor, Canada's competitiveness in a
global economy as well as "technical, institutional and
financial barriers that may delay the provision of such
service by the private sector."
http://www.broadband.gc.ca
+++ Shaw Offers Cable Companies a New Home
Shaw Communications is said to be offering other Canadian
cable companies carriage on its high-speed Internet access
network. Shaw is urging companies to cut ties with the
U.S.-based @Home Corporation, which has been plagued
with much-criticized access problems for several months.
Shaw is quoted in The Toronto Star as saying that he would
"gladly sell Rogers access to his company's almost-
completed high-speed network," which Shaw began building
last year. "We decided to go out on our own whether the
other companies come or not," said Jim Shaw. (Source: The
Toronto Star)
http://www.shaw.ca/products_services/internet
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///// FACTS & FIGURES //////////
+++ Global Digital Media Funding Report Issued
MMSG (MultiMediator's parent company) has released a new
report entitled "The Global Digital Media Industry Support
Initiatives Inventory." The report, available at no charge
via the MultiMediator Web site, was created for the
Ministry of Energy, Science and Technology and includes a
listing of public and private financial incentives
designed to support digital media content development in
four regions around the globe: Canada, the United States,
Europe, and Asia/Pacific. Canada and Australia emerged as
strong providers of public sources of assistance for
content development while some European jurisdictions have
shown a "surprising lack of identifiable support
initiatives."
http://www.multimediator.com/publications/write041.shtml
+++ Internet Marketing in Canada Report Issued
Internet advertising network 24/7 Canada has issued a new
report dealing with Internet marketing in Canada. Among
the findings of the report is the fact that "while the
Canadian Internet marketing industry is vibrant and
growing, marketers still face unique challenges due to the
newness, fluidity and speed of the market." The report
also emphasizes the importance of testing, tracking and
refining to ensure reasonable ROI on Internet marketing
and email campaigns and the need to create a corporate
culture that encourages innovation and quick decision-
making. The report was the result of a survey of 200 top
Internet marketing decision-makers in Canada.
http://www.247canada.com/survey
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[-- DIGERATI DATEBOOK: UPCOMING INDUSTRY EVENTS --]
+++ Internet World Canada 2001
February 5 to 8, 2001 in Toronto, ON
http://www.pentonevents.com/canada
Featuring:
READY, AIM, SURF: How to Develop an Internet Strategy for
Your Company, by MMSG (MultiMediator's parent company)
President & CEO Adam Froman
February 5 at 2:45 PM
POCKET PERSUASION: The Exciting New World Of Wireless
Marketing, by MultiMediator Founder & Executive Producer
Bill Sweetman
February 5 at 4 PM
+++ EMMA Foundation Call For Entries
Canadians involved in the interactive media industry might
want to look into the Electronic Multi Media Awards
(EMMA). The EMMA foundation was created to encourage the
"creative, technical and professional development of
digital media on a world-wide basis," supporting
"individuals and organizations who think and act
globally." Now in its 10th year, the European-based
international awards programme attracts entries from
across the world and has seen a consistent increase in
entries each year. Award categories include Business,
Education & Home Learning, Entertainment, and more.
http://www.emma-foundation.org
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[-- HARD-WIRED: TOUGH TALK FROM A SKEPTIC --]
+++ Spare Me Your Dotcom Tears
By 'The Hacker'
bitstreamhacker@bigfoot.com
Is it just me, or are there an awful lot of Chicken
Littles out there running around screaming "The Internet
is falling, the Internet is falling"? What's falling, my
fine feathered friends, are the so-called 'Dotcom
businesses' (an oxymoron if I ever saw one) that had no,
as the saying goes, P2P (Path-to-Profitability). From my
perspective, good riddance to them all. Companies that
have no solid business model (other than to burn through
investors' cash as fast as they can) don't deserve to
survive. In fact, I'm glad they bit the dust because they
gave the rest of the Internet industry, including those of
us working for companies with a business model grounded in
reality, a bad name. Oh, I can hear you whimpering
already, "But what about those poor people that got laid
off at 'BlahBlah.com' last week? Where's the love for
them?" Give me a break! The smart ones, assuming they
didn't bail earlier (and three cheers for them if they
did), will get scooped up by Internet companies with a
real business model. The rest will have to knuckle down
and - gasp! - get a bricks-and-mortar job (remember
them?). Just think, how many McDonalds employees will be
able to tell THEIR grandchildren they lived through the
Great Dotcom Gold Rush of 2000?
/////
'The Hacker' is a veteran of the Canadian interactive
scene who, for obvious reasons, wishes to remain
anonymous. The statements and opinions expressed in Hard
Wired are solely those of the author and not BitStream's
publisher, its affiliates or advertisers. So don't kill
the messenger, OK?
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- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Reach thousands of Canadian Interactive professionals
with just one buy! Advertise in MultiMediator's BitStream.
It's fast, easy, and effective!
For rates: (416) 364-1455 Ext. 100 or
sales@multimediator.com
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[-- ABOUT MULTIMEDIATOR'S BITSTREAM --]
MultiMediator's BitStream is a free e-mail newsletter
published every two weeks by MultiMediator - Canada's
Multimedia Guide (http://www.multimediator.com/).
Send your multimedia industry news and information to:
bitstream@multimediator.com
(Please do NOT send attachments.) If you contact companies
or individuals mentioned here, please tell them you saw
them in MultiMediator's BitStream.
Copyright 2001 MultiMediator. All rights
reserved. "BitStream" is a trademark of MultiMediator
Partnership. The content of BitStream may be reproduced
in any medium for non-commercial purposes as long as
proper credit is given.
No wombats were harmed in the making of this newsletter.
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