IN THE PAPERS
In The Papers 21 September
21-09-2009
by Deirdre McArdle
Google revisiting digital book deal | Yahoo readies global marketing blitz
The Irish Examiner reports that a new digital marketing company -- Digital Ambition -- has been launched. The new firm will incorporate an online PR service in Ireland and will provide social media marketing and online news content.
The paper also reports on the launch of the Halo Business Angels Network (HBAN), a new all-island initiative to link early-stage entrepreneurs looking for funding with potential "angel investors". Read more on ENN.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Google, book authors and publishers are currently hashing out what changes they are prepared to make to the digital books settlement following objections from the Department of Justice (DoJ), which were outlined on Friday. The DoJ echoed industry concerns raised about the settlement -- such as it being inconsistent with copyright law -- and also suggested potential remedies to the general issues. Google declined to comment on the DoJ's filing. However, the authors and publishers groups expressed confidence that the legal concerns raised would be addressed successfully through negotiations, which they are likely to accelerate to meet the court's scheduled 7 October hearing.
Meanwhile, Yahoo is planning a global marketing campaign in an effort to reintroduce its brand to the public, writes the Wall Street Journal. The company's new tagline, according to people familiar with the campaign, will be "It's You!" The global campaign is focused on personalisation and how Yahoo can help people navigate all their services and information online, according to several people familiar with the effort. The company is also expected to unveil new tools to help users customise Yahoo products like Yahoo.com.
The Financial Times reports Microsoft's board of directors has opted to call for a non-binding advisory vote approving or disapproving of the company's pay policies every three years. The vote sees the software giant become one of the most prominent US companies to give shareholders a formal voice in executive compensation -- so-called 'say on pay'. The first such vote will come at Microsoft's annual meeting on November 19, according to a preliminary proxy statement.
The Sunday Tribune writes that dozens of complaints have been made about online hotel booking firm roomsnet.com after Irish people using the service found their reservations were either cancelled without explanation or were never made in the first place. According to the National Consumer Agency, six complaints have already been received through its call centre and have been passed on to the European Consumer Centre, which has received dozens of complaints. One family, who have used the service for several years without complaint, found their hotel room in Portugal had been cancelled on 13 July, by e-mail, despite final payment being made on July 10th. The paper was unable to get a response from UK-based roomsnet.
The paper also writes that lawyers representing Kate and Gerry McCann have asked for a website that claims their daughter Madeline was not abducted be taken down. According to the Madeleine Foundation, libel specialists Carter-Ruck have demanded that the site also hands over leaflets and booklets they have published that claim Madeline is dead, and say the McCanns bear some responsibility for her death.
The Sunday Times reports that talks between record labels and artists' group Featured Artists Coalition have broken down over plans to disconnect users who download music illegally. The FAC, which includes members of Pink Floyd, Radiohead and Blur, has come into opposition with other artists, including Lily Allen, over its stance. Meanwhile, the umbrella group for the industry, UK Music, has dropped all mentions of disconnection from its public statements on the issue. FAC said the power to demand suspensions of accounts would only be achievable through a "wide-scale invasion of personal privacy", which would reduce civil liberties, and would be disproportionate and unenforceable.
The Sunday Business Post writes that Iona founder Chris Horn has called on the Irish software industry to improve the standard of software design. Horn, the president of Engineers Ireland is expected to use an address next week in Dublin to say that a "strong theoretical foundation for software development and maintenance" has yet to emerge. He said significant improvements have been made in software design in recent years, but said further improvements can be made in software testing. He said a breakthrough could be "incredibly beneficial", as projects that go wrong can cost large amounts of money.
Caped Koala Studios has built a virtual world for kids, combining education and social networking 