Business Briefs: Disney, Technicolor Digital, Discus Dental, Univision, Entravision, Caminosoft

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& #8226; Walt Disney Co.

announced it will now make additional programming available for download on the iTunes music store. The new offerings will come from ESPN and ABC Sports, ABC Entertainment and Touchstone Television, ABC Family, ABC News, Buena Vista Television, Disney Channel, and SOAPnet, as well as content produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation. ESPN and ABC Sports are also offering condensed versions of all four BCS Bowl Games from ABC Sports. Later this month, ESPN will make other content available, including the “Best Of The X Games.”


In early December, Disney said it would offer shows from NBC, the USA Network and the SciFi Channel on iTunes. Most of the programs cost $1.99, the same as hit programs “Lost” and “Desperate Housewives,” which Disney’s ABC said it would offer as well.


Free ad-supported video podcasts from ABC News will also be available, including daily segments from “Good Morning America” and the “World News Tonight” Webcast, as well as ABC News Now’s “Money Minute,” “Medical Minute” and “Buzz Cut.”



& #8226; Technicolor Digital Cinema

, the L.A.-based division of Thomson S.A., signed an agreement with Century Theatres Inc. to install digital projection systems in the chain’s owned and operated screens. Under the terms of the agreement, Technicolor will deploy the system in 90 to 120 screens in the first quarter of 2006, as part of an initial testing phase. Technicolor said in a statement Tuesday that it will place systems in Century’s entire network of nearly 1,000 screens after completing the testing.


Technicolor has already signed deals with several major studios, including Twentieth Century Fox, DreamWorks SKG, Universal Pictures, and Warner Bros. Thomson, through its Technicolor business, will deploy at least 15,000 digitally equipped screens over the next 10 years.



& #8226; Discus Dental Inc.

agreed to purchase the assets of BriteSmile Inc.’s Associated Center business and substantially all of BriteSmile’s intellectual property for $35 million in cash. BriteSmile’s Associated Center business consists of about 5,000 independent dental offices in more than 75 countries. Following the close of the transaction, which is expected in February, Culver City-based Discus Dental will manufacture, market and distribute Walnut Creek-based BriteSmile’s whitening products and accessories to BriteSmile Associated Centers.


In connection with the purchase of these assets, closely held Discus Dental, a manufacturer of professional and consumer dental products, and BriteSmile have also agreed to settle all outstanding litigation between the two companies.



& #8226; Univision Communications Inc.

completed the acquisition of radio stations KBRG-FM and KLOK-AM serving the San Francisco/San Jose market from

Entravision Communications Corp.

for $90 million. Univision paid for the purchase of the stations with about 12.6 million of its Entravision common shares.


Due to the acquisition, Univision moves toward compliance with an agreement made after it bought Hispanic Broadcasting Corp. in 2003 to reduce its stake in Entravision to 15 percent by March 26. The transaction, which was completed on Jan. 1, reduces Univision’s ownership stake in Entravision to about 19.8 percent.



& #8226; Caminosoft Corp.

reported a fourth-quarter net loss of $243,655 (2 cents per share) for the three months ended Sept. 30, compared with a loss of $562,677 (4 cents) for the like period a year earlier. Revenue for the Westlake Village-based data management software developer rose 74.3 percent to $584,834.

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