Archive for November, 2009

Just in case you haven’t noticed, today USVO was able to announce its extension and expansion of ties to one of the major distribution companies. It the one whose name rhymes with ‘box’. Turns out, and it is totally understandable if you haven’t noticed this either, that this company rarely makes what are called ‘vendor’ announcements. The last one in the IT sector was two and a half years ago when they allowed USVO to announce the initial contract. In an extraordinarily generous moment, they even let us put their logo on the release. A Google search of business news services turns up a great number of press releases from this company-so you know that their in house PR organs are functioning.

But the vast majority of its communications and outreach function only serves to promote its own products. There was, as this contract was finalized and negotiated, push back about how this announcement might divert attention from the upcoming blockbuster holiday release of the Jim Cameron film “Avatar”. Given the multi-million dollar advertising in all media and striking imagery there in, it isn’t clear how many of you small stock press release aficionados would now not be going to the theaters in the next month to see the film that some consider the make or break test of 3D theatrical exhibition as the salvation of the film industry. Really. The film, probably the most expensive production ever mounted, even allowing for inflation, is so important that it wouldn’t surprise if Rupert Murdoch himself asked the White House to go to China some other week.

So thanks to those inside the organization that see the value of telling the world that their organization has been and will be protecting their products and asserting the rights of content distributors with sophisticated state of the art technology integrated with proactive enforcement strategy. We here at USVO appreciate their courage in the face of all manner of opposition and resistance. Thanks for being willing to shine just a little of the light from the mountaintop on our humble enterprise.

As a measure of that appreciation, there will be no direct mention of the company here. See the announcement on our news page. Please go search for any such news from any other watermarking company for a direct relationship with a major content company.

Last night 60 minutes had a segment on movie piracy. Watermarking was represented, in its most primitive forms, and used crudely. The focus was on camcorders feeding organized crime. A highlight was a pirated DVD with a Mexican narco trafficker organization logo on the package.
An MPAA investigator gave a blow by blow of an arrest in a theater. Best feature was the graphic representation of Peer to Peer file sharing. Bit torrent, which has dominated file delivery for years, was presented as a ‘’perfectly legal’ technology used by 50 million people worldwide to get films for free.
Humor was provided by Stephan Soderburg with the A list director speaking for the film workers whos jobs are being impacted by reduced risk taking and production in the studio system, since the stars ‘aren’t being hurt’.
French law was highlighted for its current proposal to restrict internet access for downloaders and send thieves to prison.
So the good news is that P2P technology is prime time news. The failures of preventative strategies were well discussed. Many more minds are now prepped for the USVO approach of enforcement and active engagement of the new digitally enabled markets.