Digimarc Announces Approximate $60 Million Strategic Investment From Philips and Macrovision.Business Editors, Technology Writers TUALATIN, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 18, 2000 Digimarc and Philips reveal plans to create new company to expand audio/video watermarking solutions Digimarc Corp. (Nasdaq:DMRC DMRC Digimarc Corporation (stock symbol) DMRC Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (India) DMRC Digital Mobile Radio Communications ), the world leader in digital watermark A pattern of bits embedded into a file used to identify the source of illegal copies. For example, if a digital watermark is placed into a master copy of an audio CD or a DVD movie, then all copies of that disc are uniquely identified. technology and applications, announced today that Royal Philips Electronics (AEX AEX See: Amsterdam Exchange :PHI)(NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange :PHG) and Macrovision Corporation (Nasdaq:MVSN MVSN Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale (Italy) ) have invested a total of approximately $60 million to support Digimarc in developing new markets for digital watermarking Digital watermarking is a technique which allows an individual to add hidden copyright notices or other verification messages to digital audio, video, or image signals and documents. opportunities. Philips now owns 12 percent of Digimarc and Macrovision has increased its stake from 7 percent to 12.5 percent of Digimarc. Philips, a global technology leader and one of the world's largest electronics companies, and Digimarc also announced they are planning to create a new company to develop and market additional audio and video applications for digital watermarking and work to accelerate their market adoption. "Strategic investments from major industry leaders Philips and Macrovision reflect their recognition of the significance of Digimarc's technology to the video and audio marketplace," said Bruce Davis This article is about the American football player. For the American businessman, see Bruce Davis (video game industry). Bruce Davis (born June 21, 1956, in Rutherfordton, North Carolina) is a former professional American football player. , president and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of Digimarc. "These leading companies bring powerful resources to bear on Digimarc's development of these markets to enable us to more rapidly extend our market leadership into these areas." Particular focus will be on the development of watermarking technologies and applications for copyright notification, broadcast monitoring, e-commerce, digital rights management and audio-video distribution through multiple channels including the Internet. The three companies are already working together as the "Millennium Group" to introduce proprietary watermarking technologies that will deliver digital video copy protection and play control applications for both DVD DVD: see digital versatile disc. DVD in full digital video disc or digital versatile disc Type of optical disc. The DVD represents the second generation of compact-disc (CD) technology. and electronic distribution of video. "Philips recognizes Digimarc as the world leader in digital watermarking solutions, especially in the emerging world of digital content creation The development of newsworthy, educational and entertainment material for distribution over the Internet or other electronic media. See DAMS. and distribution," said Rob van Oostenbrugge, executive vice president of Royal Philips Electronics and CEO of Philips Digital Networks. "Since Philips has key interests in this market, combining the synergies of our companies is a perfect fit." "Macrovision is increasing its stake in Digimarc because we believe that Digimarc's watermarking solutions and their substantial and growing intellectual property assets will play an increasingly critical role in electronic rights management and delivery systems for video and audio content," said John Ryan, Macrovision's Chairman & CEO. Digital watermarking is a technique by which imperceptible digital code is embedded in either digital content including audio, video, and images, or printed material such as magazine pages, financial documents or identity cards. Digimarc provides content owners a range of solutions for copyright communication, asset management, and enhanced e-commerce capabilities to manage, track and protect digital image, audio and video assets. When embedded in movies and other video material, watermarks can act as an imperceptible communications channel to provide basic copyright identification information in addition to various rules which either allow or disallow To exclude; reject; deny the force or validity of. The term disallow is applied to such things as an insurance company's refusal to pay a claim. playback, viewing, and copying onto any properly equipped digital recording device. "The investment from Philips and Macrovision will enable Digimarc to accelerate our focus in a market with huge growth and revenue potential," said E.K. Ranjit, CFO See Chief Financial Officer. of Digimarc. Macrovision and Digimarc have worked together to develop digital video copy protection since the fall of 1997. The development team was expanded to include Philips in 1998. Philips, Macrovision and Digimarc created the Millennium Group coalition to provide the DVD-Video content industry with a watermarking solution for copyright protection and DVD play control. About Digimarc Digimarc Corp., based in Tualatin, Ore., (Nasdaq:DMRC) is the world leader in digital watermark technology and applications. Digimarc is creating an inherent, persistent digital identity for all media content through imperceptible digital code that can be embedded in any analog or digital material. The company has established three business units to focus on diverse media applications. Digimarc Media Commerce watermarking solutions enable protection and tracking, and also facilitate e-commerce of digital images, audio, and video. Digimarc Secure Documents division works with governments and banks around the world to offer anti-counterfeiting solutions to deter forgery of value documents. Digimarc MediaBridge -- a fundamentally new way for consumers to access the Internet -- allows printed materials to become direct portals to relevant destinations on the Internet. Digimarc's vision is to become a standard feature of all media content. For more information about Digimarc, please visit our Web site at www.digimarc.com About Philips Philips Digital Networks, a business group of the Philips Consumer Electronics Philips Consumer Electronics is a part of Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (usually known as Philips); and is one of the largest electronics companies in the world. In 2005, its sales were € 30.4 billion (US$38. division -- is a world-leading provider of advanced digital system solutions for Service and Network providers in broadcasting and video distribution. Digital Networks offers product and service solutions for customers in both the professional side of the distribution chain, as for consumers to use in the home. News from Philips Digital Networks is located at www.broadcast.philips.com Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands is one of the world's biggest electronics companies and Europe's largest, with sales of EUR EUR In currencies, this is the abbreviation for the Euro. Notes: The currency market, also known as the Foreign Exchange market, is the largest financial market in the world, with a daily average volume of over US $1 trillion. 31.5 billion in 1999. It is a global leader in color television sets, lighting, electric shavers, color picture tubes for televisions and monitors, and one-chip TV products. Its 232,433 employees in more than 60 countries are active in the areas of lighting, consumer electronics, domestic appliances, components, semiconductors, medical systems, and IT services (Origin). Philips is quoted on the NYSE (symbol: PHG), London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and other stock exchanges. News from Philips is located at www.news.philips.com About Macrovision Macrovision Corporation develops and markets content copy protection and rights management technologies to prevent the unauthorized duplication, reception or use of video and audio programs and computer software. The Company provides its products and services primarily to the home video, consumer multimedia software, digital pay-per-view, cable, satellite and video security markets. Macrovision has its headquarters in Sunnyvale, California with subsidiaries in London and Tokyo. News from Macrovision can be found at www.macrovision.com. Securities Safe Harbor Safe Harbor 1. A legal provision to reduce or eliminate liability as long as good faith is demonstrated. 2. A form of shark repellent implemented by a target company acquiring a business that is so poorly regulated that the target itself is less attractive. All statements contained herein, as well as oral statements that may be made by the Company or by officers, directors or employees of the Company acting on the Company's behalf, that are not statements of historical fact, constitute "forward-looking statements" and are made pursuant to the Safe-Harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (PSLRA) implemented several significant substantive changes affecting certain cases brought under the federal securities laws, including changes related to pleading, discovery, liability, class representation and awards fees and of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause the actual results of the Company to be materially different from the historical results or from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties are outlined in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K Form 10-K A report required by the SEC from exchange-listed companies that provides for annual disclosure of certain financial information. Form 10-K See 10-K. for 1999 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company is not obligated ob·li·gate tr.v. ob·li·gat·ed, ob·li·gat·ing, ob·li·gates 1. To bind, compel, or constrain by a social, legal, or moral tie. See Synonyms at force. 2. To cause to be grateful or indebted; oblige. to revise or update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release. |
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