May 21, 2009
Hollywood launches action against European TV website
Two of Hollywood's most powerful studios are suing European web video startup Zattoo, amid claims that it is illegally profiting from broadcasting their movies online. The Guardian reports.
Lawyers for Universal and Warner Bros claim that the Swiss website - which rebroadcasts a number of television stations live online - is adding advertising to films that are shown on German TV via its peer-to-peer online service.
Zattoo has responded by saying that the adverts in question are merely those shown on TV by the German broadcasters ARD and ZDF, and that it is operating legally under a licensing deal with the two companies. However, a court in Hamburg has ordered Zattoo to stop showing streams for the two stations until the case is resolved.
The site rebroadcasts a number of stations live online - either from stations with public service funding, or through licensing deals. It currently shows channels from broadcasters including the BBC, Eurosport, MTV Germany and Al Jazeera and boasts more than 4m users worldwide.
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