LATEST ADDITIONS

Some of the most welcome news to come out of the 2004 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) was Sumiko's announcement of BARCO's return to the North American market. BARCO has long been a leader in professional and industrial DLP and CRT products, and has now developed a new line o f consumer-oriented DLP projectors called CineVERSUM.

Steven Van Zandt of The Sopranos (and Bruce Springsteen's band) lends some celebrity cred to the Sirius satellite radio press conference.

The kitchen used to be considered mom's domain. But it's now the central gathering point in most homes. During parties, people congregate sipping cocktails and chatting while waiting for the food to cook. Mail is read and checks are written at the kitchen table. Messages are transmitted via refrigerator magnet.

Ever wonder why your cable rates keep climbing? Take a peek behind the scenes at what cable providers have to pay for programming: With only three months remaining on its current contract, ESPN, the sports network, and Cox Communications are still negotiating future annual affiliate rate increases&mdash;which are currently projected at 20%. Merrill Lynch analysts estimate that Cox pays ESPN (and parent Walt Disney Company) approximately $400 million per year, costs that are passed on to subscribers. Cox is seeking a reduction in fees, a move that could become a model for other cable companies and satellite services. Similarly, Fox Sports Net reportedly asked the Cox organization for a 35% increase for use of its 12 regional sports networks. Affiliate fees account for more than 10% of total annual revenue for big media companies like Disney, TimeWarner, and Viacom, according to <I>The Hollywood Reporter</I>.