Interviews, iPod, Technology

Interviewed by Matt Cooper of The last Word

I was interviewed this afternoon by Matt Cooper of Today FM’s The Last Word in a follow-up piece to the Irish Blog Awards.

Matt raised the recent proposal in France to make it legal to crack DRM – this was reported by Reuters yesterday:

France is pushing through a law that would force Apple Computer Inc to open its iTunes online music store and enable consumers to download songs onto devices other than the computer maker’s popular iPod player.

Under a draft law expected to be voted in parliament on Thursday, consumers would be able to legally use software that converts digital content into any format.

It would no longer be illegal to crack digital rights management — the codes that protect music, films and other content — if it is to enable to the conversion from one format to another, said Christian Vanneste, Rapporteur, a senior parliamentarian who helps guide law in France.

“It will force some proprietary systems to be opened up … You have to be able to download content and play it on any device,” Vanneste told Reuters in a telephone interview on Monday.

What I should have said in the interview is that Apple may be forced to close the iTunes Store if this law is passed. My understanding is that Apple are required by their agreements with the recording industry to put DRM on the music. Of course if they did have to close their store, I imagine the sales of music for allofmp3.com in France would soar!

I muddled through the interview but if any of you want to hear what I sound like when the interview mike is pointed the other direction (it isn’t pretty!) – I’ll be on sometime between 6pm and 6:30pm I was told.

12 thoughts on “Interviewed by Matt Cooper of The last Word”

  2. you do have a radio voice…what it takes to get me to listen to Matt Cooper.

    for too many years it was easier for people (not me) to steal music online than to buy it.

    Apple’s iTunes did help remodel the music industry, but Apple’s usual policy of protectionist to the use of their own products has caused me to buy anything but iPod.

    I have bought music from Eircom and iTunes and created Audio CDs to rip them back as unprotected MP3’s so I can use them easily on my Archos AV jukebox…

    It may well cause a sizable hiccup for Apple, BUT the Music Industry will need to change it’s attitude.

    Similiarly the Movie industry are starting feeling this……

  3. Nearly swerved into a ditch during the drive home because of it. It sounded like you had stroke or something. ;-p

  6. Argh! Had I known, I would’ve had a listen. Do you’ve a recording of the interview? I usually listen to The Last Word, but haven’t had time to listen to it for the past few weeks.

  7. Thanks for the kind words guys.

    Donagh – I think Apple are forced into the DRM by the recording industry, tbh. Steve Jobs has spoken out against DRM in the past.

    Keith, The Last Word put up their older shows for download afaik.

    Mark –

    Nearly swerved into a ditch during the drive home because of it

    oooh – so close, next time hopefully you’ll hit the ditch 😛

  8. Apple’s iTunes did help remodel the music industry, but Apple’s usual policy of protectionist to the use of their own products has caused me to buy anything but iPod.

    Tom is right – Apple are forced into this by the record companies for iTMS purchases (see The Register passim for detailson this and on the ongoing problems with cutting a deal with the movie industry). Despite what ‘Computers in Business’ may think, though, MP3s and unencrypted AACs play just fine on an iPod.

  9. oooh – so close, next time hopefully you’ll hit the ditch

    If you had been on ten minutes earlier I would have still been eating that pizza while doing 80, and you would have had your wish fulfilled.

    So close…

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