Nokia works with Microsoft to increase usage of wireless media - licenses PlayReady DRM
By Will Park on Tuesday, August 7th, 2007 at 1:15 AM PST In Announcements, Nokia, Partnerships, Services, Symbian, Windows Mobile
Sometimes even the best intentions lead to horrible outcomes. We’re sure MTV meant well when they launched their Music Television network a couple decades ago - but today we have “My Sweet Sixteen.” Britney Spears and Kevin Federline undoubtedly had the best intentions - now we just feel so sorry for their children. You see where we’re going here?
Nokia (NYSE: NOK) has just announced that they have licensed Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT)’s PlayReady digital rights-management (DRM) technology under the auspices of encouraging the use of wireless media. Apparently, the downsides of DRM are balanced by the ability to swap media files between mobile phones, PCs, and other devices. When the largest mobile phone maker on the planet and the largest computer software company get into bed together, you know they’re going to have a reasonable-sounding justification - they have armies of PR staff to put some positive spin on this deal. But, in the end, we can’t get over the fact that the oh-so-breakable DRM-model for media distribution has been embraced by Nokia.
At a time when DRM is arguably the reason that many media downloads are illegitimate, it seems like Nokia is going down the wrong path. Sure, it really would be nice to freely swap media between all our favorite gadgets. But, wouldn’t a DRM-free model work better to that end?
Can you please lay out how your DRM free model would work in terms of providing revenues to the distributor and, more importantly, the artists, production teams etc etc?
It is one thing not liking DRM, quite another to provide a realistic alternative.
Indeed, it it quite another thing to propose a workable alternative. But, I propose an open model. I believe DRM-free music coupled with lower, more realistic prices would encourage legitimate downloads - that means more money to artists, etc.
I’m all for artists and production teams making money. But, the artists only make a small percentage of all record sales (and often have to pay for all their own expenses - which are taken out of their cut of record sales). The people that least deserve the all the money from the overpriced albums are the people least involved with making the music.
The industry needs a revamping that only a significant hit to an executive’s bottom line can spur. Give more money to artists and lower prices - more people will actually buy music and that more of that money will goto the artists.
Nokia’s support of DRM in the current setup is a mistake - nothing will change, if anything it will get worse.