The article doesn't discuss it but pervasive DRM is also reducing the chances of some media being preserved for the future. A key problem is that newer digital distribution formats make it trivial to enable DRM by default as part of the compression process. One example is the new ATSC 3.0 UHDTV broadcast format, where we're now seeing even smaller local broadcasters transmitting all their content with DRM active, even though the majority of their content has no contractual or practical reason to be DRMed. It's just easier to leave the "encrypt" switch on 24/7.
This is a problem because many smaller broadcasters do not archive their feeds for more than a few months, especially locally-produced live content. Today, a large portion of the 70s and 80s-era local TV content we have is thanks to a few obsessive home recordists who would record 6 and 8 hour blocks of certain local channels on VHS. Today's pervasive default DRM eliminates this avenue of preservation.
It seems to me that we could just as easily record DRM’ed content (e.g. by taking screenshot videos), we’re just not as obsessed with recording it anymore
This is a problem because many smaller broadcasters do not archive their feeds for more than a few months, especially locally-produced live content. Today, a large portion of the 70s and 80s-era local TV content we have is thanks to a few obsessive home recordists who would record 6 and 8 hour blocks of certain local channels on VHS. Today's pervasive default DRM eliminates this avenue of preservation.