I recently wanted to download a particular audio file that was obscure enough that I couldn't find it through my usual means. Both iTunes and Audible had it in their catalogues, but they wouldn't let me download it because I'm in Canada. I was all WTF, but some research revealed that they buy licences for selling media by country (I'm not sure who's buying or selling these licences) so if no one has bought the Canadian rights then it can't be distributed in Canada.
I have the same problem with movies that you can't get through iTunes in Canada and aren't available on Region 1 DVD, but get deleted from YouTube because of copyright issues.
But if no one has the right to sell what I want to me in Canada, they should let me access it on YouTube, or its as-yet-uninvented audio counterpart, YouTune. I want to be able to log in, tell the site I'm in Canada, and have it allow me to view/listen to anything that no one is willing to buy the rights to sell me. They can C&D it for other countries where the material can be bought legally, and they can C&D it for Canada once someone buys the Canadian rights. But it just makes no sense to say "Noooo, you can't have it for free because that's stealing! But we won't sell it to you either!"
1 comment:
"I was all WTF"
Nice turn of phrase. :)
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