Technology has greatly changed the way that the arts and entertainment are viewed and distributed.  People with an internet connection have access to more images, audio and video files than ever before.  Just as the internet brings many different types of media together in one location, corporations are bringing together many different types of arts and entertainment products into one corporation.  For example, the Sony Corporation is primarily involved with the production of electronics as well as the creation of movies and games and the recording of music.  The Sony Corporation also has a large number of affiliated companies.  Sony Music owns a large number of record labels and operates in 47 countries.    AOL Time Warner handles online media, print publications, television broadcasts and the production of films.

Companies like Sony and AOL Time Warner are provide media to individuals through a variety of methods.  These companies are working towards Companies like Sony and AOL Time Warner, must adapt to the new media available.  The   Digital Rights Management utilized by AOL Time Warner is an attempt to protect the intellectual property of the corporation online while providing still providing media to consumers.  Apple Inc has produced FairPlay which is a DRM that is used with iTunes.  Only recently has iTunes created an option that allows music to be purchased on iTunes without DRM. Digital rights management tools allows companies like Apple, Inc, Sony  and AOL Time Warner to protect their intellectual property assets while displaying them for a large audience.

These companies make efforts to protect their products from copyright violation.  Since these companies operate on a global scale, they use protection tools that allow them to control how the media is viewed and how the media is available to be manipulated.  Corporations are establishing their own means to protect their intellectual property online.   Challenges arise when corporations that deal with intellectual property in a variety of countries.  Watchdog organizations that existed first only in one nation are coming together to help enforce copyright laws and further protect intellectual property online.