Writing in TechCentralStation: Europe, Sandy Starr reminds that, “… October 2003 is the deadline for implementing the European Commission’s Directive on Privacy and Electronic Communications, which dictates that ‘member states shall take appropriate measures to ensure that…unsolicited communications for purposes of direct…
Several UK and Scandinavian publishers have allied to set standards for European online classified ads in regional newspapers. Called FinnTech, the alliance includes Schibsted of Norway and the UK publishing groups Associated New Media, Guardian Media, Newsquest Media, Northcliffe Newspapers, and Trinity…
Is the newspaper industry determined to convince itself that charging for access to its online content is a good idea? To reach that conclusion, it seems determined to overlook all facts, data, and logic about the subject. For example, here is the…
PEPCWorldwide, whose satellite-connected vending boxes can on-demand print any of 119 daily newspapers from 48 countries, is rebranding itself as Satellite Newspapers. Steve Mannen, CEO of the Dutch company, explains, “This new easy-to-remember name reflects our company’s focus on the seamless distribution…
Furthering the convergence of mobile phones and PDAs into single devices for multiple purposes, Nokia’s Bejing research laboratory has developed a phone that recognizes inputs in Chinese language pen strokes. The Nokia 6108 apparently recognizes all or most of the 2,000 characters…
According to a story in the bulletin of the Nihon Shinbun Kyokai (The Japan Newspaper Publishers & Editors Association), few Japanese online publications are charging for content or have had success doing that. For instance, Asahi Shimbum on March 3rd began charging…
Congratulations to Monique van Dusseldorp, founder and CEO of Van Dusseldorp & Partners in Amsterdam, and co-founder of Europemedia, who has won a Vosko Award for her long service to the digital media industry in the Netherlands. A veteran Internet consultant and…
A U.S. District Court judge yesterday ruled that file-swapping software company Kazaa, which is based in Australia and incorporated in the island republic of Vanuatu, can be sued in U.S. courts for copyright infringement. Federal Judge Stephen Wilson ruled that because Kazaa…
Are you shopping for the best country in which to sue for libel in print? In public hearings in Brussels last week, the European Association of Magazine Publishers and the British Periodical Publishers Association protested a European Commission proposal, known as Rome…
While researching international online privacy issues for a client today, I happened across the Center for Democracy & Technology‘s fairly comprehensive Guide to Online Privacy. I initially came across it while looking for any updates to the U.S. Commerce Department’s ‘Safe Harbor’…
Despite rocketing use of the Internet in Germany, consumer use of television, newspaper, magazine, and book use remained constant, and radio use in that country increased slightly. For figures and rankings, see the story in Europemedia.