VLC Player - Jean-Baptiste Kempf, 20 Years of Open Source Innovation - The Lorenzo's Music Podcast

by Tom Ray

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In this episode of Lorenzo’s Music Podcast, I have a fascinating conversation with Jean-Baptiste Kempf, the lead of the VLC open source project, which has been a staple in multimedia for nearly two decades. Jean shares the origins of VLC, tracing back to a student project in Paris, and how it evolved from a niche solution for streaming video on local networks to a widely used media player that supports an extensive range of codecs and formats.

We talk about the challenges of maintaining this project, community contributions, and how VLC has managed to remain relevant even today. Jean discusses the project’s commitment to accessibility and quality, emphasizing the need for open-source alternatives in a world increasingly reliant on corporate platforms for media consumption.

We also talk about its ongoing efforts to ensure that users can play any media format, new & old, preserving access to all kinds of media.

Key Takeaways

  1. Project origins VLC started as a student project in Paris.
  2. Codecs VLC’s ability to play various formats is a key feature.
  3. Supporting old media The importance of maintaining access to media formats for the future.
  4. Streaming options VLC integrates with streaming services and radio stations.
  5. Open Source VLC aims to remain a free and accessible media player with open source community engagement and contributions.
  6. Moving forward The future of VLC includes advancements in audio and video formats.

Connect with VLC

This episode was recorded on May 21, 2026. Special thanks to Jean-Baptiste Kempf of VLC for sharing his insights and experiences with me.

Listen to the full episode on your favorite podcast platform or watch the video above.