China’s version of TV talent show ‘The Voice’ in legal dispute with copyright owners
One of the most popular TV talent shows in China is in a legal dispute with the foreign owner of the copyright to the programme.
The Dutch production company Talpa Media has issued a statement alleging that Star China is preparing a fifth series of The Voice of China without a legal contract to do so.
The previous legal agreement between Star and Talpa expired on January 8 and production of the fifth series of the show was unlawful, the statement said.
Talpa signed an agreement on Thursday with another production company Zhejiang Tangde to make series five to eight in China, it said.
Star China said earlier on Thursday that Talpa had broken the conventions for renewing contracts and seeking new partners and had charged hundreds of millions in copyright fees. Talpa had terminated the contract without consulting the firm, it added.
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Talpa later rejected the allegation that it negotiates contracts in China any differently than in other markets around the world.