Industry Leaders Form Digital Media Trade Group

Seven Internet companies whose businesses focus on the delivery of online music and video content announced today the formation of the Digital Media Association (DiMA), a trade group that aims to promote audio- and video-related electronic commerce.

Founding members include a2b music, broadcast.com, CDnow, ENSO Audio
Imaging, Liquid Audio, RealNetworks, and TCI Music.

In a statement released today, the DiMA members said the group was formed to address developmental and promotional concerns that were underrepresented among traditional technology, broadcast and entertainment associations.

“The founding companies created DiMA to provide three crucial services,”
said TCI Music Chairman and CEO Tom McPartland. “First, our companies and the dozens of others we compete with and work with need a forum to educate
ourselves about the pitfalls and opportunities presented by Internet
broadcasting and commerce.”

“Second, it will be advantageous to have a focal point for developing cooperative partnerships with affiliated industries, including the motion picture and recording industries, the information technology industries, and the retail and manufacturing industries. Third, we find ourselves underrepresented in Washington public policy debates that could affect our industry’s potential development.”

Jason Olim, president of CDnow, added: “We anticipate that DiMA will engage legislators and regulators in the United States and internationally on the issues and opportunities presented by electronic commerce. We will look to DiMA to help ensure that the intellectual property laws as currently applied to traditional retailers are applied in a like manner to online retailers.”