VietNamNet Bridge - Since using videos without permission, the national television VTV may have its YouTube account closed permanently. The struggle with copyright infringement has become hot once again.

Bui Minh Tuan, a cameraman, decided to report to YouTube about the copyright infringement made by VTV after lodging complaints to the national television without receiving any reply.

On February 29, VTV’s YouTube channel was temporarily forced to stop operation for the copyright infringement. 

According to Tuan, VTV’s ‘Chao buoi sang’ (Good Morning) Program used images from his ‘Yamaha Trung Ta’ channel on YouTube. The national television did not show the source of images and videos when broadcasting on VTV’s YouTube channel.

A lot of copyright infringement cases have been reported recently. S+ Tieu Dung and The Thao of The Thao (Sports) TV and Bong Da (Football) TV channels were accused of illegally using the images from ‘Xuyen Viet Mot Minh’ (Going through Vietnam alone) video clip by Doan Xuan Truong.

Thao TV had to apologize for the infringement and remove the video clip from its YouTube channel.

What was happening on national television can be seen as a warning to those who accidentally or deliberately break laws on intellectual property.

In the case of VTV, analysts commented that the infringement is so serious that it may have its YouTube channel closed forever if VTV and Tuan cannot agree on the issue. 

In an official notice released on February 29, VTV admitted that its editors did not strictly follow the production process and used materials they found on the internet without asking for permission from the author of the materials.

Analysts said that what was happening on national television can be seen as a warning to those who accidentally or deliberately break laws on intellectual property.

They noted that the copyright breach mostly happens with movies. Many agencies which illegally spread movies have been fined and forced to remove infringed content. However, many websites and apps still broadcast films illegally.

Fim+, a service which provides licensed films on internet, said shortly after it began providing service through Box Fim+, website, mobile apps, SmartTV and IPTV, it discovered hundreds of copyright infringement, where films were broadcast on Facebook, YouTube and tens of other websites and mobile apps such as Bomtan, Yuphim, Xemphimmienphi and vPhim.

Fim+ has been closely cooperating with appropriate agencies to protect the copyright and deal with copyright infringement cases. It has also been trying to protect itself by cooperating with Facebook and Google (YouTube) to force the infringement.

However, Fim+’s representative said it would be a long-term struggle to fight against the copyright breach. In many cases, website administrators denied responsibility and claimed innocence, saying that the websites operated under the mode of social networks where members shares movies and video clips. 

Buu Dien