DOT COM AGAIN?

ALTAVISTA SAYS ASTA LA VISTA TO 25% OF STAFF
The eighth-busiest Web site on the net, portal AltaVista, says that it has given the pink slip to 225 people. Many of the recently unemployed worked in content development, which the company says it is going to drastically reduce in an effort to achieve profitability. AltaVista will instead concentrate more on Web search services, a subtle acknowledgment that it can't compete with the tremendous competition offered by hitsdailydouble.com. AltaVista is 80% owned by CMGI, an Internet "incubator" that also owns icast.com. The site reaches more than 17 million unique visitors a month, according to MediaMatrix. CMGI's stock closed down $2.25 today at $37.88. But that's OK—we don't own any.

RIAA COLLARS SPIKE
Internet radio network Spike has joined several Internet portals in signing a licensing agreement with the Recording Industry Association of America. The RIAA created a division to collect licensing fees from Internet Webcasters following a 1995 ruling that entitles record companies to royalties on digital performances. Several other companies have also signed such agreements, including Yahoo.com, WWW.com, Soundbreak.com and Musicmusicmusic. This is probably the only time you'll see Spike Radio mentioned in the same story as Yahoo.

MP3.COM PLAYING IN TRAFFIC
MP3.com CEO michael robertson',390,400);">michael robertson',390,400);">Michael Robertson is boasting about growth in the Web site's daily unique visitors and page views this month. The ever-optimistic Robertson says, "We believe our traffic numbers validate our course—delivering digital music to consumers anywhere, anytime." Others are inclined to believe it's more likely the hits are due to Internet viewers checking to see if the site still exists after the spanking it has taken in its suit with Universal Music.

IT'S A SMALL HANDHELD WORLD
Multimedia accessory manufacturer InnoGear's MiniJam MP3 player was named the "Springboard Module of the Year" by VisorCentral. The MiniJam is a plug-and-play device that provides pre-loaded music, multimedia software, slide-show/photo viewer, e-Book reader and an storage capacity that will soon allow Palm application, database and image file storage. The MiniJam is the first and only MP3 player for the Handspring Visor Handheld. VisorCentral is a Web site for Handspring Visor products. We were hoping for coverage of women's gymnastics. Olympic Fever—Catch It!

IN SEARCH OF SPUTNIK
Web media distributor StreamSearch and Internet entertainment provider Sputnik7 have made a deal to have StreamSearch feature and distribute sputnik7's independent music, short films and Japanese anime content, including new music from Papa Roach, Lucy Pearl and Elwood, as well as unedited footage of the Web department's Nerf basketball tournament.

BANDING THE WORLD WITH RADIO
MediaAmerica, a streaming media advertising rep firm, has agreed to represent Internet radio network WorldBandRadio.AM & FM. Along with MediaAmerica's representation, WorldBandRadio.Am & Fm plans to create a location where Internet users can sample multi-cultural programming. The site, launched in July, features music content ranging from New Age and Rock to Celtic and Afro-Pop. Mmmm, sweet delicious Afro-Pop.