RIAA believes that DRM is dead?

[Justin]

Anytime there is news about someone high up in the tech industry criticizing DRM, it's generally a positive experience – there are few consumers who approve of it and it's nice to know people on the inside realize that. But what if one of its biggest backers were now to frown upon DRM? That seems to be the case with Jonathan Lamy, chief spokesperson for the RIAA.

Lamy spoke about DRM in a brief blurb with SCMagazine, claiming that the technology is dead. He was in particular referring to the DRM-free music available via iTunes and, increasingly, other online music retailers.

This is in stark contrast to the RIAA's stance in the past. They have always been defenders of DRM, and are clearly an example of an organization that believes it is media conglomerates, not people, who have rights to content. So why the change? Is the RIAA admitting that DRM does not work or was this simply a passing comment that has no real bearing? Hopefully the former. Though most of us can easily find fault with the RIAA, DRM won't die so long as at least one company out there supports it.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/35518-riaa-believes-that-drm-is-dead.html

 

[tengeta]

Its wasted a ton of money, and at the best has held people from the content illegally maybe a month.

Even England admitted it was losing its empire at some point.

 

[Guest]

Well, yeah, if there's a business that supports it DRM won't die. What the RIAA is trying to tell its sellers is that it's a bad business move. The RIAA is the last group to adopt new economic models and new tactics for making a profit from content, so when they stand for something the lagging back half of the industry follows. It's a statement to its sellers, therefore it is trying to get companies to stop using DRM as a business tactic. The RIAA is projecting a message for its members, and that's the purpose of their statements to Torrent Freak.
-James

Great new read: the book by Chris Anderson called FREE: The Future of a Radical price.

 

[Space_Cowboy]

How about the RIAA dying as well? Just a nice thought!

 

[TJGeezer]

Actually, I thought the RIAA itself was the back half of music. You know, the south end of an art form headed north.

 

[Bun-Bun]

Happy days ensue when no more DRM exists.

If this is true it makes me happy