November 20, 2008 1:09 PM PST
CNET News Daily Podcast: Behind Apple's holdout on DRM
Apple continues to wrap the vast majority of major-label music in Fairplay, the company's proprietary digital rights management software, at a time when its major competitors have already signed DRM-free deals with all the big players. In an open letter, CNET News' Greg Sandoval suggests a different tack.
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Today's stories:
Dear Steve Jobs: Set the music free
Microsoft: IE 8 won't be done until 2009
'World of Warcraft: Wrath of Lich King' sets sales record
'Green Car Journal' announces 2009 Green Car of the Year
Charles Cooper has covered technology and business for more than 25 years. Before joining CNET News, he worked at the Associated Press, Computer & Software News, Computer Shopper, PC Week, and ZDNet. E-mail Charlie. 
Rafe Needleman is editor of CNET's Webware. He's been covering technology since 1988, and has interviewed thousands of tech execs. He blogs at 
Leslie Katz is senior editor of CNET News' Crave blog, which focuses on gadgets, games, and all other digital distractions.
Erica Ogg keeps up on the latest consumer electronics and PC goings-on as chief correspondent for CNET News' Crave blog.
Jennifer Guevin is assistant managing editor for CNET News and focuses on science and green tech.
Josh Lowensohn writes for Webware.com, CNET's blog about Web applications and
services. 
The records labels have the right and power to give Apple right to sell DRM-free music. The mere fact that every other digital music distributer has DRM-free music, I think is an indication that the music is trying to coerce Apple.
He also infers that there is something that Apple could/should do to make this happen without saying what he is alluding to. He sounds more like a shill for the labels than a reporter.