Seems unfair: rent-seeking activity

In classic economics rent was on land, because everyone needs to use some and it isn't being made anymore, so those who own and rent it out can live off the proceeds and don't need to work.

There are limits to the extent to which everyone else can be screwed over land rents, so new forms of artificial monopoly were invented. The form of enclosure called "intellectual property" taken to excess has also become a remarkably lucrative scam, partly because the main beneficiaries have been in a position to ensure that any "debate" over limiting the extent of this would be one sided. Few politicians choose to start fights with those who purchase ink by the barrel, which got the likes of Murdoch and his spawn into a position where Blair had to fly around the world to pay homage before he had any chance of winning the 1997 election. If you had imagined that the issue about undue influence of the owners of the media was restricted just to phone tapping you would have been wrong.