CCTV’s CNTV may sue BesTV for pirating Olympics broadcast
CCTV’s national online TV station CNTV recently divulged that it is considering taking legal action against Shanghai Media Group subsidiary Shanghai BesTV New Media (600637.SH), claiming BesTV illegally broadcast content from the 2012 London Olympics without a license.
CNTV stated that it was awarded exclusive online and mobile broadcasting distribution rights to the 2012 Olympic Games by the IOC for mainland China and Macau, and that no online or mobile video platform can broadcast Olympic events in those regions without first licensing the content from CNTV.
CNTV presented notarized evidence that BesTV broadcast Olympic content on its IPTV platforms in Guangdong, Jiangsu, Hubei, and Sichuan illegally obtained from the Shanghai integrated broadcast and control platform, providing users with time-shifted playback from its servers and creating its own special 2012 London Olympics channel.
This legal dispute arrives at a time when CNTV and BesTV are competing in the IPTV content providing. CNTV sublicensed online video right for London Olympics 2012 to Sina, Sohu, Tencent and Netease and reached huge audience.
Sources: Legal Daily, Marbridge Consulting (03/09/12)
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