News
Starz sues Disney over iTunes movie sales
Starz Entertainment is suing Disney’s Buena Vista Television unit for copyright infringement and breach of contract, claiming the company is allowing other movie download stores to sell titles that were exclusively licensed to Starz. “Under the terms of the 1993 and 1999 Starz-BVT agreements, extended by BVT in 2005, Disney is prohibited from selling its films for transmission over the Internet prior to Starz’s first exclusive license period and during all of Starz’s exclusive license periods,” Starz says in its announcement of the suit. “Despite this prohibition, the suit notes that Disney has ‘begun to sell over the Internet via services like Apple’s iTunes Store and Walmart.com the very same Disney films licensed to Starz.’ Such conduct, the suit adds, constitutes ‘a blatant breach’ of the licensing agreements between BVT and Starz.”
Next: MoMA Music Mug iPod holder available
Previous: Two Apple TVs versus Mac mini photo gallery posted
Shop in the loungeStore for iPod + iPhone Accessories.
Comments
If you have a comment, news tip, advertising inquiry, or coverage request, a question about iPods or accessories, or if you sell or market iPod products or services, read iLounge's Comments + Questions policies before posting, and fully identify yourself if you do. We will delete comments containing advertising, astroturfing, trolling, personal attacks, offensive language, or other objectionable content, then ban and/or publicly identify violators.
Recent News
- Report: iPod, iPhone failures due to common part issues
- Sign up for our iPodweek newsletter, coming later today
- Memorex to launch SingStand mic, miniMove speaker for iPod
- Mix: Spore Apology, MTS Russia, Another 3G lawsuit
- Tunewear rolls out line of iPhone 3G cases
- EA: Spore for iPhone coming soon, other titles revealed
- Master Lock iCage offers iPod theft protection
- Mix: Pull My Finger, NTT DoCoMo, Turkcell, Jewel Quest II
- Etón debuts Porsche Design P’9121 Stereo System for iPod
- Sharp intros mini audio system with iPod dock
Recent Reviews
- Apple iPhone 3G (8GB/16GB)
- Numark TTi USB Turntable with Universal Dock
- Jensen JiMS-525i Docking Digital HD Radio System for iPod and iPhone
- Gear4 DUO Versatile Speaker System for iPod
- Boston Acoustics Horizon Duo-i
- myvu Crystal 701 iPod Edition
- JBL On Stage 200ID
- Griffin ClearBoost for iPhone
- Sleek Audio SA6 In-Ear Earphones with Tunable VQ Technology
- Vestalife Ladybug & Element Skateboards Limited Edition Ladybug
1
Disney? Abusing copyright? What’s next?
Posted by m.s. on March 22, 2007 at 12:57 PM (PDT)
2
I guess that’s understandable. They waited quite a while before they dropped the suit, but I guess moves like this take time.
Posted by DDSD on March 22, 2007 at 1:31 PM (PDT)
3
Gee, you would have thought that *someone* at Disney legal would have looked at the iTunes contract before they signed it.
Posted by otaku on March 23, 2007 at 10:02 AM (PDT)
4
What Starz needs to understand is that this isn’t any different than buying the movies on DVD.
If what they’re claiming is correct, Disney can’t sell any of those movies in any way. (DVD, rental, ect)
Posted by Jake on March 25, 2007 at 3:11 AM (PDT)