Bypassing venture capitalists, area tech firms boost funding. (Technology).WHILE the Department of Justice holds up the major studios' plans to offer video-on-demand, Intertainer Inc. has extended its reach to 300,000 customers and rounded up another $15 million to help foot the bill. Money for the first phase of the fifth round of funding came from partners Thomson Consumer Electronics and Microsoft Corp. Jonathan Taplin, the Culver City firm's chief executive, said Intertainer hopes to close on another $10 million in the next 90 days. The complete $25 million round would bring the company's total raised to date to $125 million. The new money will he used for working capital and marketing purposes, which Taplin said means a major marketing program on MSN (1) (MicroSoft Network) A family of Internet-based services from Microsoft, which includes a search engine, e-mail (Hotmail), instant messaging (Windows Live Messaging) and a general-purpose portal with news, information and shopping (MSN Directory). .com and AOL (A division of Time Warner, Inc., New York, NY, www.aol.com) The world's largest online information service with access to the Internet, e-mail, chat rooms and a variety of databases and services. Time Warner Inc.'s Roadrunner roadrunner or chaparral cock Either of two species of terrestrial cuckoo, especially Geococcyx californianus (family Cuculidae), of Mexican and southwestern U.S. deserts. About 22 in. broadband service. Intertainer, which is available to customers with DSL DSL in full Digital Subscriber Line Broadband digital communications connection that operates over standard copper telephone wires. It requires a DSL modem, which splits transmissions into two frequency bands: the lower frequencies for voice (ordinary or better connection speeds in 35 U.S. broadband markets, markets itself through other broadband entertainment providers. Taplin said Intertainer has almost 30,000 registered subscribers -- who pay $7.99 per month plus per program viewing fees. Intertainer licenses its content from Artisan Pictures Inc., DreamWorks SKG SKG Stichting Kwaliteit Gevelbouw (Dutch) SKG Spielberg, Katzenberg,and Geffen (DreamWorks Studios) SKG Thessaloniki, Greece - Thessaloniki (Airport Code) SKG Smith and Kraus Global , Universal Studios and Warner Bros BROS Brothers BROS Benefits and Retirement Operations Section (King County, Washington) BROS Barnes and Richmond Operatic Society (London, UK) . and keeps about 200 movie titles available for viewing at any one time. It maintains a digital vault of more than 70,000 hours of programming. Intertainer reaches another 300,000 homes through deals with cable carriers Adelphia Communications and Comcast Corp. The main competition on the cable side is from IN DEMAND, the leading video-on-demand service provided by cable companies. The investment from Thomson, with which Intertainer recently signed a deal to integrate the service into RCA See RCA connector and video/TV history. set-top boxes, is important to the future of video on-demand. "For us, moving IP (Internet protocol) service to the TV is critical," Taplin said. In addition to current movies and archived film, Intertainer offers television shows, concerts, music videos, children's programming, documentaries, enhanced television programs and shopping programs. |
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