Microsoft Time Warner Thomson complete acquisition of ContentGuard.Microsoft, Time Warner and Thomson have announced completion of their three-way acquisition of ContentGuard. ContentGuard is a developer of Digital Rights Management technologies. The term Digital Rights Management describes a wide range of technologies that are being developed to allow movies, music and other digital content to be accessed by users on the Internet Internet Publicly accessible computer network connecting many smaller networks from around the world. It grew out of a U.S. Defense Department program called ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network), established in 1969 with connections between computers at the while protecting that content from illegal copying and counterfeiting counterfeiting, manufacturing spurious coins, paper money, or evidences of governmental obligation (e.g., bonds) in the semblance of the true. There must be sufficient resemblance to the genuine article to deceive a person using ordinary caution. . On 29 March 2004, Microsoft and Time Warner acquired joint control over ContentGuard, and the operation was notified to the European Commission European Commission, branch of the governing body of the European Union (EU) invested with executive and some legislative powers. Located in Brussels, Belgium, it was founded in 1967 when the three treaty organizations comprising what was then the European Community which initiated an investigation. Following the completion of today's acquisition of ContentGuard by Microsoft, Time Warner and Thomson, the initial operation is abandoned, and the notification is therefore withdrawn. Given the resulting ownership and control structure, the new operation is not to be reviewed under the EU Merger Regulation. Thomson, Microsoft and Time Warner will each hold equal 33 percent voting positions in ContentGuard and will each appoint two seats on the ContentGuard board. Working together with ContentGuard, the company's three strategic investors aim to help promote the development of inter-operable DRM (1) (Digital Radio Mondiale) A digital audio broadcasting (DAB) system for AM radio in Europe. See HD Radio. (2) (Digital Rights M systems, accelerate the deployment of consumer devices that support Digital Rights Management, and encourage content owners to launch new distribution channels. The partners plan to continue development of ContentGuard's intellectual property and to promote innovation in electronic content distribution using DRM technologies. "We appreciate the hard work the Commission has done on this case and we are pleased it could be resolved in a way that was mutually agreeable," said Paul Cappuccio, Time Warner Executive Vice President and General Counsel. "We all worked closely and constructively with the European Commission throughout this process and are pleased to reach this resolution," said Brad Smith Brad or Bradley Smith may refer to:
"We are delighted to join forces with Microsoft and Time Warner to enhance ContentGuard's efforts in the market to drive DRM interoperability The capability of two or more hardware devices or two or more software routines to work harmoniously together. For example, in an Ethernet network, display adapters, hubs, switches and routers from different vendors must conform to the Ethernet standard and interoperate with each other. ," said Joe Berchtold, President of Thomson's Electronic Content Delivery Services See CDN. . "Secure delivery of content with new, flexible business models is a key cornerstone cornerstone Ceremonial building block, dated or otherwise inscribed, usually placed in an outer wall of a building to commemorate its dedication. Often the stone is hollowed out to contain newspapers, photographs, or other documents reflecting current customs, with a view to of Thomson's Electronic Content Delivery services business, and we believe this unique partnership of content, technology, and media services will accelerate the development and deployment of our services." |
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