EMI to tune out DRM – but at what cost?
Well, music label execs have hated it, the punters have been crying out against it (even sued over it), and Apple boss Steve Jobs himself has very publicly called for it. Now the day everyone has much desired has dawned.
The end of DRM.
And there was I being happily pessimistic about the possibility of its demise anytime soon. In my post of March 9th (DRM – Let’s tune out the noise!), I discussed a recent survey among music industry execs that reflected a dissatisfaction with DRM; in that they perceived it was a block to business. I said, and I quote (fool that I was); “Let’s face it; DRM is not going to be tossed aside just yet. Now the music industry has this tool, it wants to make full use of it.”
Then lo and behold, last Monday comes EMI’s press conference here in London, jointly held with Apple’s Mr Jobs, announcing it will end use of DRM within its content, and that it will release DRM-free tracks via Apple’s online iTunes store. As the EMI press release said:
“The new higher quality DRM-free music will complement EMI’s existing range of standard DRM-protected downloads already available. From today, EMI’s retailers will be offered downloads of tracks and albums in the DRM-free audio format of their choice in a variety of bit rates up to CD quality. EMI is releasing the premium downloads in response to consumer demand for high fidelity digital music for use on home music systems, mobile phones and digital music players. EMI’s new DRM-free products will enable full interoperability of digital music across all devices and platforms.”
There you go; just what people were asking for. Sweet. Well that showed me then.
Still, I confess that when I heard the news, I was tempted to approach it with no small amount of cynicism. Yes, EMI is launching superior quality downloads. Yes, if they have done this, it’s only a matter of time before the music industry’s other major labels – Sony BMG, Warner Music and Universal Music – down these unwieldy and unpopular tools and run with EMI…and hooray for our side.
And yet…
Having said that, who remembers the furore from consumers back when CDs first came out, as they were at least a third again more in price than LPs and tapes? (And I still maintain that an LP’s individual dusty pops and cracks weren’t a downside, but are a true sign that the album you possess is, and will forever be, uniquely yours. And their size meant you could really see the album artwork.) The reason I mention this is that individual tracks DRM lock-free and with the superior sound quality will now cost more. Plus, consumers who have already purchased standard EMI tracks or albums with DRM can only upgrade to higher quality non-DRM by paying the difference.
In my mind I also keep harking back to the words from the press release; “in a variety of bit rates up to CD quality“. Is it me, or are we being asked to pay extra now for what we should have got in the first place? Yes, I’m aware of data compression, storage limitations, bit-rates etcetera, but is this just consumer naivety on my part? Isn’t this just a repeat of the 80s release of CDs? (After all, I’ve not seen it, but I’m sure EMI’s business model has shown it’s in the purchase of individual downloaded tracks they can and do earn the most.)
And yet…
This announcement means DRM-free albums will cost the same, as will their DRM-free music videos. And that’s good.
And yet…
In a matter unrelated to Monday’s announcement, Apple’s iTunes, along with other record labels (possibly the Big Four) is facing an investigation of its online download pricing structure (see the BBC website’s EU price probe into Apple iTunes, 3rd April 2007). According to a 2005 Which? report, iTunes’ charges appear strangely disparate between EU nations (and suspiciously so, to the eyes of the European Commission) – when there’s only one EU. While Apple is claiming it wanted to offer a Euro-wide service but was unable to as the labels and music publishers appeared to limit such rights on legal grounds, the Commission is not convinced and has given the companies two months to answer its letter about the matter. So while this matter may be unrelated, is offering downloads DRM-free only going to compound the apparent unfairness of cross-border pricing?
See how the scales between my cynicism and optimism are wavering?
Still, I believe there can be a synergy between what makes sound business sense and truly satisfying not just consumers’ cravings, but their sense of, well… (it seems the right term) …fair play. And this; DRM-free, cross-platform downloads, seems a victory for just such fair play. But only to a degree.
It’s still early in the DRM-free dawning, so for now I will be pleased and plumb for the latter outlook. Let’s see whether time shows this attitude was the best one to have.
© 2007 Julian Boote All Rights reserved.
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