Apple Accused Of “Encouraging People To Steal Music”

In an article in today’s Boston Globe, Bray blasts Apple for not opening up the iTunes Music Store’s Digital Rights Management to RealNetwork’s online music store, or other stores. How is that “opinion” construed as “yellow journalism?”

First, what’s yellow journalism? Here’s a great quote from TNT:

It certainly appears that writer Bray has concocted a non-story story about Apple encouraging people to steal digital music. Is there proof offered to support the accusation?

In the tradition of yellow journalism, of course not. The headline simply states that “Apple’s music operation hits a sour note.” What’s the sour note? Bray wants Apple to let the iPod play music from other online download music sites, like RealNetworks.

Since over 70-percent of all online download music sales in the US come from Apple’s iTunes Music Store, it also appears that Bray is in the vast-less minority. Everyone else is voting with their purchases. What does Real’s online store offer that iTunes Music Store does not?

Bray says consumers pay a price for Apple’s DRM system, called FairPlay. However, the “price” being paid isn’t described. In fact, there are few “facts” to support any argument presented in the piece at all.

How does that have anything to do with encouraging people to steal digital music? Did you ever watch the old TV program, Quantum Leap? Get ready.

Bray says that keeping music sold on the iTunes Music Store only available on the iPod and allowing only iTMS music to play on the iPod is an incitement to steal music.

Whoa. What’s that all about? Is that a quote without support, or what? Is it “yellow journalism?” Note that definition again:

“to increase circulation, the publishers of these papers often exploited their position by sponsoring a flamboyant and irresponsible approach to news reporting that became known as “yellow journalism.”

Without citing any supporting trends, facts, figures, or any other quotes from industry insiders (except the ever-present Tim Bagarin, known as the “I’ll give you a quote. What do you want me to say” industry guru, Bray leaps from the Apple - RealNetworks jockeying for marketing position issue (Apple’s winning this one), to telling the world that Apple is encouraging people to steal music.

Shame on you, Hiawatha Bray. Shame on the Boston Globe for such apparent “yellow journalism” tactics. This is not 1898. People pay more attention today.

Bray’s rant can be found Here.

What’s his view of “yellow journalism”?

Come on, Hiawatha. Real’s stuff does NOT run on anything. Like Mac’s, for instance. Head scatching? Since Apple handles 70-percent of the legal downloads there doesn’t seem to be that much “scratching” of heads, don’t you think?

The quantum leap that users will do without music or swipe stuff isn’t answered with anything but perverted logic.

Now, would you like to know what’s on people’s iPods; legal or illegal music? The latest poll can be found by clicking Here.

The folks at Mac360 have a few domains for sale. If you've ever dreamed of setting up and running your own site about Apple, the Mac, iPods or the iPhone, this is a great way to get started. Click Here, iPhoneKillerTips, or ChatterMac for a more complete list, which also includes Mac360.com.