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Legal Issues

by Mike Masnick

Wed, Apr 29th 2009 1:03pm




Filed Under:
australia, copyright, tv guide

Companies:
icetv, nine network


Australian High Court Says Electronic TV Guide Isn't Copyright Infringement

from the good-news! dept

Back in 2006, an Australian TV network, The Nine Network, sued a startup, IceTV, for creating an electronic program guide that listed out when TV programs played for use in programming DVRs and such. It was difficult to see how a simple listing of TV program info could be infringement, but an Australian court disagreed, saying that the networks owned their own scheduling info. Luckily, however, Phill informs us that Australia's high court has overturned the lower court ruling, saying that creating your own TV program guide without licensing the info is perfectly legal. It's sad that it had to take nearly three years for this conclusion, but at least it's the right result.

13 Comments | Leave a Comment

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  1.  
    identicon
    Anonymous coward, Apr 29th, 2009 @ 1:46pm

    Europe as well

    A group called VG Media in Germany, which represents several major private broadcasters, is actively sueing both print and electronic program providers for listing their programs and not paying an exorbitant "licensing" fee...the world has gone mad.

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  2.  
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Apr 29th, 2009 @ 2:36pm

    Wouldn't a tv programming schedule be considered fact to an extent? I thought you were unable to claim copyright on facts...

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  3.  
    icon
    Analyst (profile), Apr 29th, 2009 @ 2:41pm

    Re:

    Exactly

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  4.  
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Apr 29th, 2009 @ 2:46pm

    Re:

    But the schedule is subject to change so its not exactly a fact just highly probable.

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  5.  
    identicon
    neil, Apr 29th, 2009 @ 5:47pm

    Re: Re:

    um no!
    facts can change look at the law of gravity it was a fact that gravity worked on Newton's law but then Einstein shattered it.

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  6.  
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Apr 29th, 2009 @ 6:07pm

    Re: Re: Re:

    It's all relative

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  7.  
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Apr 29th, 2009 @ 6:08pm

    It would be funny if one would publish their schedule.

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  8.  
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Apr 29th, 2009 @ 6:55pm

    Re:

    It would be funny if NO one would publish their schedule.

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  9.  
    icon
    Mike (profile), Apr 30th, 2009 @ 12:16am

    Re:

    Wouldn't a tv programming schedule be considered fact to an extent? I thought you were unable to claim copyright on facts...

    In the US, yes. In many other countries they have "database rights" which allow you to get a copyright on a "collection of facts" such as an entire TV listing...

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  10.  
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    Yeebok (profile), May 1st, 2009 @ 10:17pm

    What worries me ...

    Is that given the quantity of viewers 9 has over here it's damned unlikely there'd be enough people using the service to make the time spent re-presenting the data worthwhile.

    9 does air 'a current affair' and 'today tonight'. Check them out for an example of tabloid TV..

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  11.  
    identicon
    wefr, May 22nd, 2009 @ 10:47pm

    111China printing industry developed this years, who can tell us? China based plastic injection molding services with low costs and supeior quality Steel and aluminum scaffolding for construction is a very useful tool.

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  12.  
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    China Tent, Oct 8th, 2010 @ 11:38pm

    Amazing stuff,Thanks so much for this!This is very useful post for me. This will absolutely going to help me in my projects .

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  13.  
    identicon
    China Tent, Oct 8th, 2010 @ 11:58pm

    I was actually looking for this resource a few weeks back. Thanks for sharing with us your wisdom.This will absolutely going to help me in my projects .

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]


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