August, 2018

Media teams have to deal with manual processes for everything – from tagging the media to creating multilingual subtitles. But recent advances in AI are automating many of these tasks. Developments in computer vision, speech to text and natural language processing algorithms are changing the face of media creation, distribution and most importantly, media consumption.

Source: Here’s How Artificial Intelligence is Going to Make Content Accessible and Interesting For all

Disney has prevailed on its second attempt to stop Redbox from selling digital codes that consumers can redeem at online outlets to access copies of Black Panther and other movies. On Thursday, a California federal judge granted a motion for a preliminary injunction.

Source: Disney Wins Injunction Against Redbox: Movie Download Codes Can’t Be Sold Separately

Dappler Labs, the owner of CryptoKitties, makes blockchain-based collectible cats. Now CryptoKitties has partnered with digital art firm Meural to unveil an art exhibit at the ZKM Center for Art and Media in Karlsruhe, Germany. The exhibit, “Bringing Blockchain to Life,” will showcase the inner workings of blockchain technology in real time.

Source: CryptoKitties will help German museum explain blockchain

Major music industry associations, including the Recording Industry Association of America and the Recording Academy, say that they are “deeply concerned” about the agreement, pointing to its inclusion of a “safe harbor” provision that is a part of U.S. copyright law. Meanwhile, public interest group Public Knowledge says that the pact is a “gift to the big entertainment interests,” as it apparently includes an extension of copyright terms to 75 years, from the current 70.

Source: U.S.-Mexico Trade Agreement Draws Concern from Music Industry, Ire from Public Interest Groups

While many companies are trying to crack the cloud gaming code now–including EA, Nvidia, Sony, and several startups–they’ll have a hard time succeeding unless they fundamentally rethink how games are made. If there’s one company that could actually pull this off, it’s Microsoft.

Source: Microsoft is the right company to build the “Netflix of gaming”

Social entertainment platform TaTaTu has acquired rights in North America and the U.K. to the documentary “Friedkin Uncut” ahead of its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival this week. TaTaTu was launched in May as a cryptocurrency-based social entertainment platform that rewards users for watching and sharing content.

Source: ‘Friedkin Uncut’ Documentary: TaTaTu Buys North America, U.K. Rights

Today Civil is announcing a two-part deal with The Associated Press. The AP will license its content to the newsrooms in the Civil network,  as it does with other news outlets. The other part involves the AP and Civil working together on a blockchain based-technology that will let Civil newsrooms track the flow of their content and enforce licensing rights.

Source: The Associated Press signs on with journalism blockchain startup Civil – Digiday

Is Disney about to get an early birthday gift for Mickey Mouse? An ambiguous press release from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative on Monday sent copyright lawyers scrambling for answers. A fact sheet originally put out by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative indicates that the copyright term would “extend” to 75 years.

Source: Donald Trump’s New Trade Deal With Mexico Leads to Confusion About Copyright Term

An important case due to reach the Supreme Court soon seeks to test the legality of collecting a massive database of recorded TV and radio programming and selling access to it to news outlets, scholars and other researches, government agencies, and the police.

Source: Big test case coming on digital copyright