George Scriban’s written a great rant on how technologists keep on saving the “content” industry from its own neophobia.
what’s strange is that every technology that makes it easier for us to consume media inevitably benefits the content producers. when the technology creates new distribution channels (as in the case with radio, television, and cable), content must be provided to fill those channels. when technology makes it easier for us to listen/watch/play when and where we want (as did the the VCR, audio compact cassette, compact disc, and Walkman-style personal stereo) we always created an upswing in the sales of “prerecorded” media.