What do MP3s and Magic Spells Have in Common? | Idea Channel | PBS Digital Studios

Ah, the MP3, everyone’s favorite friendly musical file format. But there’s something you might not know about the Mp3 – it has a lot in common with the magical spell!!!! Both spells and music were born from a freely available folk culture, but are now sold as commercial goods. There are thousands of artists and witches trying to figure out how to make a living in an age where their products can be infinitely copied. And with commercialization, the morality and legality of sharing these once open cultural products has become quite complicated. How should we, as responsible consumers, handle this new digital age? Watch the episode and find out!

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Hosted by Mike Rugnetta (@mikerugnetta)
Made by Kornhaber Brown (http://www.kornhaberbrown.com)

Videos used in this Idea Channel episode:

Dancing on the Subway:

Julia Allison lip dubs Disney’s The Little Mermaid in the Dominican Republic

Dancing with an iPod in Public – Footloose

Improv Everywhere – The Mp3 Experiment Eight

What Makes You Beautiful – One Direction – Key of Awesome Parody
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVxkssV-Lvg

The State of the Music Industry:
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/music_industry

Music Videos/Performances:
OK Go – End Love – Official Video

LCD Soundsystem – All My Friends @ KCRW Studios
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ooi6eINWBOA

Kele – Tenderoni (Live at the BBC)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YN2NSBaMdE

Music:
Roglok:
http://vimeo.com/musicstore/track/21166

Level 5: Room for the Homeless
http://www.jamendo.com/en/list/a101325/level-5

EatMe
http://www.jamendo.com/en/artist/348390/eatme

Want some more Idea Channel?

Here’s last week’s episode: “Is Diablo III Turning Virtual Economies Into Real Ones?” http://youtu.be/PyfV5IsAi3Y

Want another one? Here ya go: “Is Facebook Changing Our Identity?” http://youtu.be/WRiGZJQZ_X4

You want more? Check this one out: “Is Homestuck the Ulysses of the Internet?” http://youtu.be/MLK7RI_HW-E