STEP 2000/2001

STEP 2000/2001 is an international evaluation project that promotes and recognizes for those companies that has qualified successful implementation of digital music distribution based on digital watermarking technology.

MarkAny has proves and recognized its excellence of watermarking technology and was certified by STEP 2000 and STEP 2001.

Currently, STEP is composed of JASRAC, CISAC and BIEM. Among these organizations, the key project leader is JASRAC (Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers). JASARC coordinates, evaluates and announces the companies that have passed series of strict test, also, Nomura Research Institute (NRI) and Acoustic Laboratory are co-managers of the project test and evaluation for digital watermark technology.

* Organizer: Key organizer of STEP: JASRAC, CISAC and BIEM. JASRAC: project leader.

* Member : AAPRA (Australia), ASCAP(U.S.), BMI(U.S.), BUMA / STEMRA(Netherlands), CASH(Hong Kong), GEMA(Germany), MCPS/PRS(Great Britain), SACEM(France), SGAE(Spain), SIAE(Italy), TEOSTO(Finland) (As at June 15, 2000)

* Tester: Nomura Research Institute (NRI) and Japan Acoustic Laboratory as co-managers for testing & evaluation.

* Schedule
- July 14, 2000 Application for participation
- August 14, 2000 Submitting test item (to Project Secretariat)
- September 14, 2000 Test Completion (NRI & JAL)
- September 15, 2000 Announcement of technology recognized companies

* Significance: To promote significance of copyrights management in Digitalization and Network Era that was purposed in July 1999. The STEP provides recognition of international standardization while it promotes initial steps towards "DAWN2001"