Air
America sets Real Networks streaming record
There may be an audience for liberal network Air
America Radio
out there. The
network, which had only three traditional radio stations at its launch,
hit the online airwaves in record-setting fashion. RealNetworks announced
that it delivered more than 2 million streams through airamericaradio.com
during the network’s first week starting March 31. Air America officials
reported that the launch was the largest non-news stream in Real Broadcast
history. Air America includes left-leaning personalities on its daily
line-up such as former “Saturday Night Live” writer Al Franken,
actress Janeane Garofolo, and Lizz Winstead, co-creator of Comedy
Central’s “The Daily Show.”
Does
the RIAA know? Netsky targets Kazaa.
Does the Recording Industry Association of America have a
friend in hackers? The latest incarnation of the Netsky worm is directing
infected computers to execute web-based attacks against music- and
file-swapping web services such as Kazaa. The worm, which is the 19th
version of a bug that first appeared in February, has taken down at least
one of the company’s web sites in the process. This new version of the
worm is also targeting some web sites that feature computer programs that
aim to illegally break or bypass copyright controls on software programs.
Sharman Networks, owner and distributor of Kazaa software that has been a
music industry target since the demise of the original Napster, said in a
statement that the onslaught had not succeeded in shutting them down.
Antivirus experts say a 20th version of the worm has been spotted and
plans to attack a similar group between April 14 and 23.
AOL
opens walled garden to non-subscribers
The wall around the America Online garden is getting a
crack in it. AOL hopes to attract a broader audience beyond its
members-only VIP club by allowing nonsubscribers some access to previously
guarded material. This technical change reflects AOL’s desire for more
advertising revenue and a healthier subscription service. The company will
now allow any web surfer to access music, news or other material that was
previously off-limits to nonmembers. However, AOL must straddle the line
between being generous and giving away too much so it doesn’t water down
the value of its memberships, which sets dial-up subscribers back $24 a
month and those who get broadband access from a separate provider but want
AOL perks $15 a month. The reason for this move lies in AOL’s
disappointing subscriber numbers. The company’s subscriber base dropped
by 2.2 million from 2002 to 2003.
IRS
says e-filing up 12 percent over last year
Taxpayers have been flocking to the internet to file
electronic tax returns. The Internal Revenue Service said it received 5
million more electronically filed returns compared with the same period,
one week before the April 15 filing deadline, last year. That’s an
increase of 12 percent. The IRS expects 2004 to be a record-breaking year
for electronically filed returns, foreseeing numbers surpassing last
year’s 53 million e-filed returns. The biggest increase has been seen in
taxpayers filing their returns from home using tax preparation software or
an online filing service. Home-based filers have submitted more than 11
million returns and counting, a 21 percent increase over last year.
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