First Serve International and USVO Form Partnership
First Serve to Bring MediaSentinel Anti-piracy Technology to Asia-Pacific & the Middle East
Old Lyme, CT (PRWEB via PR Web
Direct) May 12, 2005 -- USA Video Interactive Corp. (“USVO”), supplier of
the powerful MediaSentinel™ digital watermarking technology, has signed a
memorandum of understanding with First Serve International LLC (“First Serve”)
an entertainment company focused on feature and television production and
related entertainment businesses, based in Los Angeles (USA), with operations
also in London (Europe) and Mumbai (Asia). A formal marketing agreement is
expected to be signed within 30 days.
MediaSentinel™ is USVO’s
comprehensive anti-piracy solution for addressing the movie industry’s serious
video piracy problem. The Motion Picture Association of America estimates the
U.S. motion picture industry loses more than $3 billion annually in potential
worldwide revenue due to piracy. With high-level access in the motion picture
and television production and distribution enterprises that include North
American studios and networks, First Serve opens the door to implementing USVO’s
proven product worldwide with particular emphasis to its introduction and use in
one of the world’s fastest growing media markets, Asia.
By marketing
USVO’s MediaSentinel Workstations and licensing USVO technology, in effect First
Serve will take the lead in the ongoing fight against piracy by offering the
entertainment industry MediaSentinel’s digital watermarking products and
services for studios, television programmers and other customers. “We are very
excited about the tremendous opportunity this relationship brings for market
acceptance of MediaSentinel,” said Edwin Molina, President and CEO of USVO. “We
are extremely excited to have a person of the stature of First Serve’s Chairman,
Vijay Amritraj, sign on to this important mission of developing the future of
media property,” said Molina, adding that he was elated to “receive the
endorsement and support of Vijay, who is not just a legendary sportsman and
entertainment entrepreneur, but also a UN Messenger of Peace.”
In the
USVO-First Serve relationship, the companies will jointly market the
MediaSentinel Workstation to companies throughout Asia (including Bollywood in
India), Europe, and the United States. In support of these efforts, the
companies will collaborate with sales support, marketing and educational
programs and materials that make clear the benefits of watermarking to potential
customers. Through these efforts, the companies intend to attract new business
and break ground on enforcement of copyright holders.
“We are indeed
excited to work with USVO. MediaSentinel offers tremendous benefits in a cost
and time efficient manner to the fast-growing media industry around the world to
fight and deter piracy,” said Vijay Amritraj. “First Serve will launch a global
campaign to create awareness by showcasing MediaSentinel at premium production
and post-production facilities to demonstrate its proven ability.”
The
MediaSentinel Workstation embeds effortlessly, invisible forensic watermarks
throughout the entire area of every frame in video content. The watermarks are
virtually impossible to remove, and can survive a wide variety of conversions
and attacks. MediaSentinel includes unique SmartMark technology that
intelligently evaluates image characteristics to ensure that the watermarks
remain invisible even in extreme situations. Law enforcement authorities and
others authorized with MediaSentinel’s software and keys can easily read the
watermarks. MediaSentinel complements other content protection methods that are
used in video distribution.
About USA Video Interactive Corp.
(USVO)
USVO is a developer and supplier of Internet media delivery services,
systems, and innovative end-to-end solutions. The Company developed its
MediaSentinel™ digital watermarking technology and its StreamHQ™ architecture to
provide a wide range of business customers with value-added media delivery
services. USVO holds the pioneering patent for store-and-forward video, filed in
1990 and issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office on July 14,
1992; it has been cited by at least 165 other patents. USVO holds similar
patents in Germany, Canada, England, France, Spain, Italy, and Japan. For more
information, visit www.usvo.com.
About First Serve International, LLC
(FSI)
First Serve International is a California based LLC with offices in Los
Angeles, London and India to produce and distribute motion pictures and
television programming. FSI also offers consulting and marketing services to
media companies and markets media related products as well as engages in related
businesses such as consumer products licensing. Besides its well-known Chairman,
Vijay Amritraj, FSI management includes its CEO, Edward Borgerding, a former
senior executive of the Walt Disney Company, and, FSI Senior Vice President,
Munish (Max) Gupta, a well-known Asian-American journalist turned entertainment
entrepreneur.
USA Video Interactive Corporate
Headquarters Office:
83 Halls Road, Old Lyme, Connecticut, 06371
Telephone (860) 434 - 5535
Facsimile (860) 434 - 5782;
Canada
Office:
507 – 837 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC V6C 3N6.
Trading symbol on the OTCBB: USVO; Trading symbol on the TSX Venture
Exchange US; Trading symbol on the Berlin and Frankfurt Stock Exchanges: USF.
CUSIP 902924208. For more information contact Edwin Molina (860) 434 - 5535;
e-mail protected from spam bots
First Serve International, LLC Corporate
Headquarters Office: 16555 Sherman Way, Suite A, Van Nuys, California 91406,
USA. Telephone (818) 988-5299; Facsimile (818) 988-5812; Email: e-mail protected
from spam bots London Office: Bournebridge House, Ascot Road, Holyport,
Berkshire SL62JB, U.K. Telephone: +44-(01628) 621-410
The press release
may contain forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially
from those projected in any forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned
that such forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainties, which may
cause actual results to differ from those described.
MediaSentinel™ is a
trademark of USA Video Interactive Corp.
The TSX Venture Exchange (TSX)
has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy
of this release.
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/5/prweb239674.htm