Soundbreak.com, a soon-to-be-launched Internet music destination hosted by professional DJs, named Mark Goodman as its Vice President of Music Programming yesterday. President and CEO Lisa Crane also announced the appointment of Mark Hardie and Doreen Ringer-Ross as members of its Board of Advisors.

Soundbreak is scheduled to launch to consumers in early 2000, debuting with an alternative format and, one would assume, with plans to add additional formats in the future.

Goodman is best known for his tenure as one of the first VJs on MTV. According to the firm's press release, he "is responsible for the overall sound of Soundbreak.com and oversees a team of DJs who not only host music for the site's global audience, but also interact with users via live online chats. He also...oversees the development of musical format."

Goodman has also worked as a Music Director and DJ for stations in Philadelphia, New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. Hardie is the founder and chief executive officer of Entertainment Technology Corp., a company that is developing a prototype for digitally delivering music directly to the new class of portable players. Ringer-Ross serves as vice president of Film and Television Relations at Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI).

According to their press release, "Soundbreak.com develops dynamic music Web sites that fuse the live entertainment value of radio with the power of the Internet.

"Initially targeting lovers of alternative music, Soundbreak.com offers a robust Web experience with live, 24-hour global Webcasts hosted by professional DJs, state-of-the-art graphics, one-click e-commerce, and extensive communication and user feedback tools."

Soundbreak.com is a pre-IPO company, located in West Hollywood, that is majority-owned by Pasadena, Calif., incubator Acacia Research Corp. (Nasdaq:ACRI). Acacia Research is diversified with interests in several enterprises, including an Internet incubator, biochips/drug-discovery technology, and other ventures.

Read the press release here.




From ZDNet News: "Mainstream. That's the buzzword used by Net watchers when they talk about what's in store for the Internet in the year 2000. During the last year of the current millennium, people of all age groups and income levels will be coming online for the first time and changing what used to be a haven for techies into an integrated part of everyday life...

"'The Internet in 1999 was like television in the year 1951,' said Paul Saffo, president of the Institute for the Future. 'In 1951, TV really started to take off, and in subsequent years it just dramatically increased its reach. That's what we'll see with the Internet in the next few years.'

"Online research firm Jupiter Communications predicts 60 percent of the U.S. population will own a computer in the year 2000, and more than 49 percent of households will be online. The number of men vs. women online is also on track to even out.."

Read the full feature story in ZDNet News here.




From R&R Online: "Audiovox will produce factory-installed receivers for both DARS developers.... The first wave of DARS radios, which are slated for release by the beginning of next year, won’t be compatible with each other.

"But future generations will be interoperable, as mandated by the FCC..."

Click here for the story in R&R Online (subscription required).




From Radio Business Report: "Streamedia Communications (O:SMILU), whose business plan reads a lot like the history of Broadcast.com, sold 1.2M units (1 share of stock/1 warrant) at $8.50 each on 12/21/99...

"If all goes according to plan, Streamedia will team with broadcasters and others, as well as develop its own audio and video products, to stream on the Internet. So far, though, the New York-based start-up has spent $1.4M and has yet to book its first dime of revenues." Click here to read the story in RBR.

More from the firm's website: "Streamedia.com enhances websites by adding voice-overs, video and film images, music, and sound effects. Today, for example, users can be greeted to your website by a human voice. Or learn more about your product with the use of streaming video. All with little or no added download time..." The site also reps voice talent. "Streamedia was created by a group of television writers, producers and directors who have produced national million dollar commercials..."


Priceline.com debuts image campaign
featuring Shatner as vocalist
From Advertising Age: "Priceline.com today begins its first image campaign, with longtime pitchman William Shatner interweaving a brand message with his spoken-word renditions of 'Age of Aquarius,' 'Convoy' and other pop and rock standards. The campaign, with 10 tongue-in-cheek 30-second spots, is from Hill, Holliday, Connors, Cosmopulos..." Read the full story in Ad Age here.

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