LockStream locks up deals for downloads
New Line, Harvey, Golden sign with Netco
Deals with the music, publishing and film companies mark LockStream's first since bowing its service in June (Daily Variety, June 27). Seattle-based LockStream receives a percentage or royalty for use of its technology.
Pacts with Spitfire Records, Artemis Records, GrooveTone.com and '80s group Devo were also signed.
LockStream's technology places a credit card-like imprint on any digital entertainment file that leaves a company's computer server once purchased. Imprint allows the file to be tracked and prevents illegal copying.
Through the deal, New Line will distrib through its Web site downloads of screenplays including "Rush Hour," "Seven" and "Blade."
"We are excited to work with LockStream, both because their technology is so straightforward and because we strongly believe in the management team," said Jim Rosenthal, prexy of New Line new media.
GrooveTone.com will distrib its entire catalog of over 1,000 county music songs via LockStream's player.
Spitfire Records, a leading independent record label for heavy metal music, will distrib secure song and video downloads for rockers Alice Cooper, Ted Nugent and Zakk Wylde Black Label Society.
And indie Artemis Records will provide downloads for its artists including Kittie, Kurupt and Steve Earle.
Harvey Entertainment will distrib comic books featuring its cartoon characters, including Richie Rich.
"LockStream's secure technology enables us to bring our comic books to a whole new generation of readers," said Dan March, Harvey's director of new media. "We look forward to creating additional opportunities to fully exploit this new technology."
LockStream will provide a promotional digital player for Golden Books to be used in conjunction with the September launch of the company's classic property, the canine superhero Underdog, on DVD and homevid.
"Content owners are embracing the fact that our technology not only provides the most superior security and distribution infrastructure for copyrighted material on the Internet, it creates an unprecedented branding ability as well," said LockStream CEO David Goodman, who most recently was Warner Bros. Music's veep of special programming and products.
