So the latest episode of the Gillmor Gang podcast is out, and once again it's a lengthy (65mins), but fascinating look at the state of online media. The blurb:
Doc Searls from CES, Dan Farber from SF, Dana Gardner and Jon Udell from New Hampshire, and Mike Vizard from The Big Apple rake walled gardens and DRM over the coals. Predictions I found dubious include the TV networks go bye-bye and Google on the ropes. Several Gangers love Yahoo. Several choruses by the Kumbaya Kartel.
For me, the most interesting aspect is the discussion about how DRM may come into conflict with the "DIY brigade" (the thousands of "amateurs" creating their own music, podcasts, blogs, movies and vlogs, often in a remixable form - aka user-generated content). If the amateurs can provide a quality, free alternative to DRM-laden content, then users have an easy choice to make. What's more, if the future of media really is an ad-supported model, then won't heavy DRM just become a barrier to the consumption of the ads? Will all content companies be forced to open up the walled garden (ie. restrictions to accessing the content), just like AOL and the online newspapers?
Check out this post for more: Why Online Media Should Be Free.
PS. I just found this Doc Searls post which sums up my opinion nicely:
If you want video on your computer from the entertainment pyramids — or from anybody who wants to charge you to watch it — you're going to have to watch inside the new pyramids of one or more of their partners. For example, Google and CBS announced a deal yesterday. You can watch CBS stuff on your Windows box using Google's player (nothing yet on other platforms). Two days earlier, NBC and DirectTV, among many others, were announced as partners of Intel for its OEMs using the Viiv platform. Those are also Windows-only. We'll find out about Apple in three days
...Of course, there's plenty of DRM-free stuff in the world. And plenty of ways to watch it. Which means the fight in the long run will be between the pyramids and the former slaves that have grown tired of helping build them...As Neo said to the Architect, it's about choice. If you don't like what they give you, make some of your own.