Clark Atlanta University Signs Digital Deal

By Ronald Roach

HERNDON, Va.
Through an agreement with the Herndon, Va.-based Ruckus Network company, Clark Atlanta University students living on-campus will be able to download hundreds of thousands of songs and over 45 blockbuster movies on a monthly basis. Only the fifth school to sign on with Ruckus since its launch in October 2004, Clark Atlanta students will have an online community where they can access entertainment and search for classmates with similar interests.

The Ruckus Network allows students to download movies and music as well as post and download original student content — all within an interactive student community — based on exclusive licensing agreements with the biggest names in music, movies and TV shows. Ruckus has licensing agreements with Universal Music Group, Sony BMG Music Entertainment and Warner Music Group.

“We are excited to be one of the first of the HBCUs to offer a digital media service to our students,” says De’Neia Whitted, student life director at CAU. “With the vast opportunities that Ruckus provides our students, from entertainment to self-publishing to online community, we continue to improve upon our reputation as leaders in higher education.”

Ruckus users can create a personal public profile and choose who has access to their information. Users can browse profiles by relevant attributes such as name, class, birthdates, and more importantly, favorite movies and music. Students can also rate albums, playlists, articles and movies.  

Clark Atlanta students will now be able to download music from both major and independent labels. The films span the range from Hollywood blockbusters like “Black Hawk Down” to cult classics like “Spaceballs” and “Four Weddings and a Funeral.”

“We are providing this service for our students not simply as something we thought they would enjoy,” says Mark McCollum, manager of IT at Clark Atlanta, “but also to offer them an acceptable, legal alternative to illegal media shareware. Moreover, the Ruckus Network allows us to ensure a service that is free of viruses and worms too often associated with illegal file-sharing.”

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