Verance Announces Watermarking Solution
for Protecting Film and Video Content
Universal Pictures first to deploy new Verance watermarking solutions
San Diego, CA – October 14, 2003 - Verance, the leading provider of tools and services to track, manage and enhance the use of media content globally, announced today the launch of a new product line to provide media and entertainment companies, consumer electronics companies, and computer software and hardware companies with effective and affordable solutions to protect against the unauthorized use of film and video content. The products will provide the first ever system for protecting motion pictures throughout their entire release cycle, from theatrical release, through PPV and VOD release, rental and retail distribution on packaged and electronic media, to analog or digital broadcast.
The new products, which are planned for commercial availability in early 2004, are based on Verance’s proprietary and patented audio watermarking technologies, which were adopted as a worldwide industry standard by the music recording industry in 1999. Since its adoption, Verance’s music content protection system has been used to protect hundreds of thousands of sound recordings and has been incorporated into over 1 million consumer products.
“A common baseline of content protection is essential for the promise of the digital media marketplace to be realized,” said Clifford H. Friedman, Chairman of Verance Corporation. “By offering a single platform for the cross-format protection of both music and video content, Verance’s solutions can provide an unmatched combination of benefits.”
According to Mr. Friedman, “One of the key elements for Verance in the design of this system is flexibility—first, to increase the value proposition for the consumers of content, while at the same time protecting the artists, rights holders, and distributors. Verance’s goal is to work with the consumer, information technology, and software industries, in cooperation with the artists, their managers and respective Motion Picture and Music companies, to deploy a solution that will satisfy all parties in a reasonable time frame. Universal Pictures’ adoption of the Verance watermark technologies represents a tipping point, moving the industry from a phase of technology evaluation and study, to one of accelerating market acceptance.”
Quotes From Selected Industry Sources
Jerry Pierce, Senior Vice President, Technology, Universal Pictures:
“The Verance audio watermark technology presents an extremely compelling platform with which Universal can address critical content protection needs across legacy and emerging media formats. In looking at the choices available to creators of film and video entertainment, the advantages of Verance’s solution are clear.” (In a separate statement made earlier today, Universal Pictures announced adoption of Verance audio watermarking technology for protection of film and video content and other applications.)
Reed Stager, Vice President Corporate Licensing and Marketing, Digimarc Corporation:
“Digital watermark technology is of great importance to video content protection, and Digimarc is very pleased to see Verance moving to address this need. The adoption of their solution by Universal Pictures represents a key endorsement for their work and enables the industry to better manage and protect their content. We look forward to working with Verance and the entertainment industry to see this solution deployed.”
About Verance
Based in New York with a technology center in San Diego and with field offices in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, Verance provides patented audio watermarking technology solutions for broadcast monitoring and airplay verification, as well as for content use management and copy protection. ConfirMedia broadcast verification customers include major broadcasters, advertisers, advertising agencies and entertainment companies. Verance content use management licensees include major worldwide recording companies, consumer electronics companies and information technology industry leaders. Additional information about Verance and ConfirMedia can be found at www.verance.com or www.confirmedia.com.
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