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I think that when they say customers don't want to own content they are alluding to having access to large libraries of content and paid for on a subscription basis. No fuss (except the limited ways in which you can view the content because of DRM). No worries about backup or storage. Yes, we want that. But not in place of permanent access to content without being vulnerable to future costs or price increases or format changes.
In theory, that can be appealing to have a large variety at your fingertips, but as we've seen in music pricing already, the prices are quite high, and then after paying what could have built a rather large library of your favorite music, you are left with nothing if you stop your subscription.
But beneath the surface, we all know that content owners have one goal - maximizing their revenues. That mean, quite simply, that they want to remove as much of the money from your pocket as possible. If they have to give you some of what you want, they will, but better for them if they can give you what you want and still keep all the control over content and keep charging you over and over for it.
What they don't mention is that people do like to own content for their own purposes, no matter how appealing it might be to also have access to large libraries of rented content. Just because people subscribe to NetFlix or Blockbuster online doesn't mean that they don't want to buy DVDs also. And just because people read at the library doesn't mean that they don't want to own a book.
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