IRMA, the Content Delivery & Storage Association, is the worldwide forum on trends and innovation for the delivery and storage of entertainment, software and information.


Welcome to the first in a series of monthly updates from the Executive Staff of your Association. It has been an extremely busy time for our organization as we begin the rebranding process and, more importantly, expand our reach to embrace all forms of content delivery and information storage. It is one thing to simply change our name and brand - it is quite another to deliver on our obligation to serve our members’ current business needs while developing new membership benefits that will make us increasingly relevant to the vast assortment of companies that define our industry in the years ahead.

Industry-commentator Larry Lueck, who analyzed the crossroads we face in his typically eloquent style, said: “Trade associations like IRMA exist to protect and advance the interests of their members. But those managing IRMA have apparently realized that embracing all aspects of the video and music industries is the only way to grow and prosper. It will take a bit of time to get used to calling the new association "CDSA," which does not slip off the tongue as easily as "IRMA," but at least it will more closely represent what is happening in the industries the Association serves!”

With this in mind, we recently engaged a leading design consultant to develop a new brand identity and design strategy for all our ongoing industry communications and we eagerly await final approval from Chairman Brian Wilson to begin rolling out our new look. Thanks to Richard Roth of Ivy Hill for his hard work on this demanding effort. While we await our “facelift,” we still have been making sure that our programs and member activities reflect our new mission.

One way we make sure your voice and your company’s needs are understood and connected to decisions about services and products you need and expect to see coming from this association is to ask you.  We will use a series of brief, focused surveys - one each month on a single topic or area of greatest interest to all members.  Your answers, comments and participation will tell us what we should include, absolutely, in the next monthly update.  We promise to keep the questions short and interesting if you will answer back and provide comments in addition to answers.

What’s new at IRMA/CDSA? Consider the following developments:

WELCOME NEW CONTENT DELIVERY & STORAGE MEMBERS

An association is defined by its membership; as such, IRMA/CDSA has recently added several new companies - leaders in several exciting, new content delivery and storage categories - to our ranks. We formally welcome…

  • SyncCast, a provider of the Content Delivery Network (CDN) backbone for Xbox 360 Live and a provider of encoding and compression services.
  • SanDisk Corporation,a major supplier of flash-memory storage products.
  • CacheLogic Ltd., a global provider of CDN services.

These industry leaders expand the networking value of our Association’s events to all members and add a vital new voice to our forum - and more new members are on their way.  Guy Finley was recently on the road conducting one-on-one meetings with 15 potential member companies, exploring their industry needs, providing the background about our Association, and describing the new programs and networking opportunities that are so vital to our current membership. Other companies with a high likelihood of joining include: Ambient Digital; Ascent Media; 1K Studios; Verisign and LSI Corporation.

NEW QUARTERLY DATA STATISTICAL COUNCIL MEETINGS

The second in a new series of meetings by participating members of our Data Media Statistical Program was held in late May at New York’s Friar’s Club. The goal of this meeting was to discuss expanding the current Data Media Statistical Program to incorporate monthly reporting of flash memory, hard disk and new HD optical disc categories. Representatives from Fuji, Imation, Maxell, Sony, TDK and SanDisk, our newest member, were in attendance. We also welcomed a new prospect PNY, who we are working with closely to build out our ranks of flash memory providers as well as our new flash-memory reporting program. The next quarterly meeting is scheduled for New York in mid-September.

FIRST ANNUAL HOLLYWOOD STORAGE CONFERENCE PLANNED

We are nearing completion of negotiations with Reed Business Information, owner of the prestigious entertainment trade journals VarietyVideo Business, for a jointly owned conference that will focus on new physical media opportunities for audio and video content.  Our goal is to introduce content holders to the latest developments in storage - which the studios, in particular, have a vested interest in supporting at a time when digital delivery alternatives remain promising but still comparatively small businesses. 

Forecasters like Capgemini and others have recently downgraded their forecasts for the digital download business – and as a result, it is time for us to ramp up efforts to promote the value of physical media, regardless of what format it may be.  The conference program will be developed in cooperation with long-time home entertainment columnist Paul Sweeting who plans to preview new developments in flash memory, next-gen optical media and holographic storage.   We anticipate finalizing this contract by the end of this summer, at which time we will announce its date and location.

IRMA/CDSA TO SPONSOR VARIETY ANTI-PIRACY SUPPLEMENT

As part of our ongoing efforts to promote the services of replicators that are certified as part of our Anti-Piracy Compliance Program, IRMÅ/CDSA is proud to announce that it will be sponsoring an editorial supplement focusing on programs and new technologies that protect the intellectual property of content holders; the section will be running in September issues of Variety and Video Business.  All replicators that are certified in this program by August 15 will be recognized and profiled in this prestigious information resource.

ANTI-PIRACY COMPLIANCE PROGRAM UPDATE 

  • With the anti-piracy certification of six Brazilian plants in the past three months, IRMA/CDSA now has 14 plants in the APCP in South and Central America. Less than two years ago, there were two enrolled plants in the region.
  • Growth in Asia continues with the certification of SONY DADC Shanghai and the enrollment of Avicres Indonesia. Additional enrollments, including the first Japanese firm and an Indian plant,  are expected by the end of 2007.
  • The second-largest replicator in France SNA based in Tourouvre has joined IRMA/CDSA’s APCP.
  • Since March, IRMA/CDSA has made available Standards & Procedures for Reclamation-Destruction Facilities. On request from a Italian company involved with the destruction of professional cinema films and a Dutch company involved with the destruction of hard discs, IRMA/CDSA is expanding these standards so they can be adapted by other businesses as well.

ANTI-PIRACY PROGRAM GOES DIGITAL

  • In addition to the APCP Standards for optical media manufacturing, IRMA/CDSA is beta testing this month the Post Production – Digital Media Services Anti-Piracy and Security Standards, which we expect to be implemented in September. The program has been spearheaded in cooperation with Deluxe Digital Services.
  • IRMA/CDSA was recently approached by the major music labels to assist in the design of a Digital Download Supply Chain Security Program that will prevent unauthorized access and delivery of content online. The Association is in preliminary stages of developing an approach to satisfy the labels’ requirements.

IRMA/CDSA HOLDS DIGITAL MEDIA SERVICES MEETING IN LA

A working group meeting was held on August 1st, at the Graciela Hotel in Burbank, to discuss ways that IRMA/CDSA can better serve the digital media services community. Executives from Deluxe Digital Studios, Technicolor, ModernVideo Film, 1K Studious and Sonopress/Arvato were in attendance.  The attendees were briefed by Tim Gorman, IRMA/CDSA  Director of Anti-Piracy Compliance Worldwide, on existing APCP Standards. Mohsen Azari, Manager, IT Security, North America of Deluxe Laboratories reviewed the standards that have been developed specifically for post production/digital media services companies. Guy Finley, IRMA/CDSA Associate Executive Director, addressed the need for best practice standards for the encoding, delivery and storage of digital assets.  

Additionally, the discussion focused on the need for industry-wide metatag/metadata standards as well as the creation of digital "wrappers" that would provide a more efficient delivery of assets though the entire digital supply chain.  It was agreed that a follow-up meeting would be scheduled for September, enlisting the support of other organizations such as SMPTE and the Hollywood Post Alliance.

SAVE THE DATE: MEDIA MARKET INTELLIGENCE SUMMIT, DEC. 3-4, NYC

  • What is the future of physical media?
  • When will digital media become a viable business?
  • What is the timetable for transition?
  • What do consumers really want?
  • How can today's replicators benefit from today's market changes?

These vital questions will be answered by leading market researchers in a one-of-a-kind event at the Marriott Hotel East Side in New York City.

For the first time ever, competing market researchers will provide their individual forecasts, analysis and commentary at one time and in one place, as part of a one-day conference program.

By comparing and contrasting the presentations of these research leaders, attendees at this landmark event will be able to frame their own perspectives and opinions on the most pressing issues of the day. With a keen understanding of the various opinions on the future of physical media and the timetable for the adoption of new electronic alternatives, IRMA/CDSA members will be in the best possible position to adopt their own corporate strategies and business solutions.

In order to provide attendees with maximum interface time with the presenters, the presentations will be conducted in a roundtable format, with each 60-minute session designed to encourage discussion among the attendees.  

IRMA/CDSA REPRESENTED ON EPCGLOBAL MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT COMMITTEE

EPCglobal approached IRMA/CDSA through a referral by the Entertainment Merchants Association (EMA) to participate in the Public Policy Steering Committee (PPSC), a working group under their Item Level Tagging Group, that specifically addresses how the consumer will interact with businesses involved in placing RFID tags on item level merchandise.

IRMA/CDSA Associate Executive Director, Guy Finley is involved with the Accountability subgroup of the PPSC.  The task of this subgroup is to provide recommendations to EPCglobal about creating a direct contact point (via the web, e-mail, telephone and regular mail) where consumers can interact with EPCglobal regarding item level RFID tags.  EPCglobal will then filter these consumer comments and concerns to companies involved in item level tagging, whether or not they are EPCglobal members.  The three consumer product areas that item-level tagging will be pilot tested are Media & Entertainment (DVD’s), Apparel, Fashion and Footwear, and Pharmacological products and these tests will begin as early as September of this year.

Beginning with a meeting at Wal-mart’s headquarters in Bentonville, AR, the PPSC is also integrally involved with EPCglobal’s Media & Entertainment (M&E) group.  The M&E group contains CDSA member companies, most of the Hollywood studios and other companies in our industry involved in rolling out RFID to the public.  This is a great opportunity for our association to interact with various companies along the physical media supply chain and companies represented in the PPSC group including: Anderson Merchandisers, Best Buy, Checkpoint Systems, EMA, GlaxoSmithKline, GS1, HP, METRO Group, Proctor & Gambel, Wal-Mart/Sam’s Club and Wegman’s.

LET US HEAR FROM YOU

Which of these initiatives do you feel best serves your business interests?  Do you have a program idea that you believe IRMA/CDSA staff should pursue on the industry’s behalf?  Let us hear from you.  Drop me a line and let me know how IRMA/CDSA can provide resources to help build your current business and explore new business opportunities for your future.  I look forward to talking to you soon.

Charles Van Horn
IRMA/CDSA President
cvanhorn@recordingmedia.org