[dostick]

The article does not give much beyond what you already read in the title. What obscure forces and how? Isn’t it an open standards non-profit organisation, then what could possible hinder it? Maybe because technologically closed standards became better and nonprofit project has no resources to compete with commercial standards? USB Alliance have been able to work things out, so maybe compression standards should be developed in similar way?

[baobun]

Supposedly the whole story is told in their linked book.

[eggspurt]

From Leonardo, who founded MPEG, on the page linked: "Even before it has ceased to exists, the MPEG engine had run out of steam – technology- and business wise. The same obscure forces that have hijacked MPEG had kept it hostage to their interests impeding its technical development and keeping it locked to outmoded Intellectual Property licensing models delaying market adoption of MPEG standards. Industry has been strangled and consumers have been deprived of the benefits of new technologies. From facilitators of new opportunities and experiences, MPEG standards have morphed from into roadblocks."

[dostick]

Exactly. That passage only making it more confusing.