[libreplanet-discuss] Software idea patents on "This American Life" again; ask them why only MP3?

[J.B. Nicholson-Owens]

Two years ago the radio show "This American Life" talked about software 
idea patents:

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/441/when-patents-attack

The show asked a number of unresolved questions about the details 
involved in why people sue and threaten to sue others over implementing 
ideas patent holders claim are covered by their patents.

The May 31, 2013 show follows up on the two-year-old show with multiple 
examples of things computer users do every day (using Wi-Fi in a coffee 
shop, scanning and sending documents, etc.):

http://feeds.thisamericanlife.org/~r/talpodcast/~5/1nys4Wh8ptA/496.mp3

or

http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/podcast.thisamericanlife.org/podcast/496.mp3

which, as you'll note from the URL, is (ironically) in MP3 format -- a 
patent-covered format one cannot play with free software in many 
countries without doing something covered by software idea patents.  As 
far as I know there are no alternative formats available; no Ogg Vorbis 
RSS feed.

Thus the show's publishers are, perhaps unknowingly, encouraging some 
people to engage in patent infringement (such as free software users 
without an MP3 player).  Or perhaps encouraging free software users to 
think that their system is broken if it won't play MP3s (probably 
because the OS distributor can't legally distribute an MP3 player) when 
really the problem is MP3's fault.

This looks to me to be an opportunity to ask the show to distribute 
their show in Ogg Vorbis as well.

Have any of you asked "This American Life" about this issue?  If so, 
what did they say in response?

Thanks.