To me it’s an inconsistency – either charge for access via Audible and tether listeners to RealAudio or provide open access to mp3 files.

Knowing the royalties and related issues involved, I’m fine with TAL being behind a pay wall. Just pull the mp3s then.

The legality of deep-linking is murky at best. We techies tend to imagine that there’s no problem with it, since we’re linking, not copying. However, it does undermine the revenue model of every site which shows content alongside advertising, donation pleas, or what have you. Since one of the primary legal conditions for copyright violation is financial harm, there may be some traction.

I have mixed feelings on the issue. I was on the other side, arguing the legality of deep linking, when a group of rather asinine comic artists lashed out at Comictastic with some vitriol that was so far over the line I won’t even dignify it with a link.

I’d say what I said then to TAL: “Look, here’s this new distribution model. Embrace it, don’t hate it!”

But I also feel TAL’s pain. Public radio clings to a pretty thin revenue stream. They are constantly under attack from commercial broadcasting, political extremists, and tight budgets; they only survive because they fight every threat tooth and nail. Maybe Sabrina was abused by her previous owner….

The trick is to help them see that this is not a threat. That will take more than just withering disapproval.

http://www.wynia.org/wordpress/2006/04/18/this-american-life-availble-as-mp3/