Last week, <A HREF="http://abc.go.com/">ABC Internet Group</A> and the <A HREF="http://www.oscars.org/">Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences</A> launched <A HREF="http://www.oscar.com">Oscar.com</A>, the "official website of the Academy Awards." Beginning on February 9, the day Oscar nominees are to be announced, Oscar.com will present a live video stream of the Academy Awards nominations announcement and the full list of nominees, as well as a history of the Academy Awards, photos, and a synopsis of each nominated film.

Absent from the market for more than half a year, Aragon audio products have come back with a bang. Indianapolis-based <A HREF="http://www.klipsch.com">Klipsch Audio Technologies</A>, one of the oldest and most respected names in American audio, <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/shownews.cgi?966">acquired</A> Mondial Designs, maker of both the Aragon and Acurus brands, in a friendly buyout early this year.

The sky will become a bit more crowded next year as <A HREF="http://www.bellsouth.com/">BellSouth Corporation</A> debuts a new direct-broadcast satellite service. The Atlanta-based telecommunications company announced May 8 that it will launch the new service in 2001 in the hope of expanding its communications and programming services.

The world's largest video rental chain wants to renegotiate its video supply agreements with Hollywood film studios. In late June, <A HREF="http://www.blockbuster.com">Blockbuster Inc.</A> chairman John Antioco announced to Wall Street analysts that his company is reassessing its distribution deals with the studios&mdash;including possibly letting some deals lapse when renewal time comes.