Unbelievable
although the problem doesn't appear to be as bad as it first looks - the WD Anywhere Access (allowing you to share the drive over the Internet so you can access it remotely) is the thing that won't allow you to share media files. Apparently, from reading the comments, it works fine over the LAN.
But still, a pointless exercise, and a stupid marketing risk for WD, because the only outcome from this will be that people will be put off buying WD stuff, and loads of conspiracy theories and chinese whispers will start to emerge about what else WD do with their hard drives.
Even if all the drive manufacturers are doing it in a year or so, in people's minds WD will always be the 'dirty' ones who did it first!
Bad move IMO.