Tokyo--Toshiba Corporation today announced its support for industry-led initiatives to assure the integrity of digital entertainment content while bringing it to the widest possible audience.

The content of the statement of support, issued in Tokyo by Hisashi Yamada, Chief Fellow of Technology and Technology Executive of Toshiba's Digital Media Network Company and leader of Toshiba's copy protection project, is as follows.

"Toshiba Corporation applauds the recent AOL Time Warner-Intel Corporation 'Joint Statement of Principles,' and wishes to express its support for multi-industry cooperation in addressing the issues surrounding the distribution, protection and consumption of digital entertainment content.

"Toshiba has a long history of actively cooperating with AOL Time Warner and Intel Corporation, as well as other companies, in the development and introduction of technologies for the protection of digital entertainment content, while simultaneously promoting rules for the use of these technologies that respect the rights and expectations of consumers. These technologies, such as Content Scramble System (CSS), Content Protection for Prerecorded Media (CPPM), Digital Transmission Content Protection (DTCP) and Content Protection for Recordable Media (CPRM), are found in devices manufactured by Toshiba as well as in products manufactured by numerous information technology and consumer electronics manufacturers around the world.

"Because challenges in the field of copy protection often involve the various interests of a wide spectrum of entities in different industries, Toshiba considers multi-industry discussions to be the most effective means by which feasible models for copy protection will be achieved, together with some degree of participation and support by appropriate public authorities for enforcing such models.

"Toshiba looks forward to continuing to participate in these discussions, and to the opportunities for success for many companies in a wide variety of business models, as well as the enjoyment by consumers of exciting digital entertainment content and consumer-friendly devices."