Founded in 1981 by the New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, the company encompasses radio, TV, Internet and print publishing.
Acacia's streaming media licensing agreement with Bloomberg includes the company's website and all non-live streaming audio and video content accessed via The Bloomberg Professional service, its core business service that serves as a 24-hour financial and media information network.
Acacia's new deal brings its Digital Media Transmission licensing tally to 175.
"If the adult entertainment litigation is so close to being over, as some would like to believe, then one has to ask why so many Internet companies continue to sign DMT licenses?" said Robert Berman, executive vice president and legal counsel for Acacia. "The fact is, those companies outside of the adult industry that are represented by counsel and that are monitoring the litigation know the facts. Why the adult entertainment 'representatives' are trying to convince their industry otherwise is beyond me."
Spike Goldberg of the Joint Defense Group, a group of more than a dozen defendants currently contesting the validity of Acacia's streaming media patents, responded by saying that despite some of the large, mainstream companies Acacia has signed agreements with in recent months, the patent holder continues to have different pricing standards for the various industries it deals with, including online adult.
"Typically when a large company signs with Acacia it means they got a great deal," said Goldberg. "Acacia does not offer those types of licensing opportunities to people in the adult business, and furthermore, all I see is a desperate company slashing rates like Kmart in order to license as many companies as possible before the inevitable. Acacia feels that by hiring some new public relations firm it will sparkle up their image and make them a company of the people, but all it's doing is putting a little air freshener in a dumpster."
In related news Acacia executives Paul Ryan, Chip Harris, and Robert Berman are scheduled to appear at the Roth Capital Partners New York Conference on Sept. 15 to drum up more interest among financial brokers in its DMT licensing program. Acacia representatives are also slated to discuss the company's licensing strategy for its Internet Access Redirection, a new licensing option for companies looking to control the web interfaces for both Wi-Fi and hotel high-speed access.
"We've been fighting them since the day they came in our door and we will be fighting them until the day they shut their door," said Greg Clayman, president of VS Media. "Patents are a very serious issue and to play games with the patent system like Acacia does is wrong and unjust and it is unfortunate that most companies don't want to spend the money to teach them the lesson they need learn."
