Digital rights management & protecting the digital media value chain

Digital media that is readily & illegally distributed over the Internet and related digital networks has posed major problems for the members of the digital media value chain. Ubiquitous mobile communication devices such as media capable handsets and PDAs have made the problem even larger.Technical approaches to controlling illegal distribution--- commonly known as Digital Rights Management (DRM)---have been varied and inconsistent since the shift from analogue media to digital media; but in recent years, the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) has made huge contributions to the efforts to standardize the DRM effort, especially as it pertains to the sharing of media using mobile devices. The OMA has released DRM Enabler Release 1.0 and 2.0 DRM 1.0 was a first attempt to apply control to digital media and DRM 2.0 is a more sophisticated continuation of 1.0, allowing the owners of digital assets to control their use while attempting to provide the end user with the perceived rights and privileges acquired over the evolution of digital media. While challenges lay ahead for the developers of DRM, OMA DRM is a move toward better standardized control of digital media.