bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sponsorType

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Nectar Gan

The television production ­company behind the first four seasons of The Voice of China, a popular adaptation of the Dutch reality talent show The Voice, has been ordered by a Beijing court to use a different name for its singing competition.
The ruling follows a bitter legal dispute between Star China Media and its former partner Talpa Media, the Dutch production company that owns the f­ormat of the show.
China’s version of TV talent show ‘The Voice’ in legal dispute with copyright owners
Shanghai-based Star China Media was the leading producer of the first four seasons of The Voice of China, which has been a huge success on the mainland.
But its collaboration with ­Talpa Media ended in January when the legal agreement ­between them expired. Talpa subsequently signed a contract with another Chinese production company, Zhejiang Tangde, to produce seasons five to eight.
Undeterred, Star China Media started auditions in November for a show that it had planned to call 2016 The Voice of China, which is due to air in July.
Hundreds fall victim to ‘Voice of China’ winner scam
But the Beijing Intellectual Property Court ruled on Monday that, based on Zhejiang Tangde’s application, Star China Media must “immediately cease using the name The Voice of China in all publicity, promotions, auditions and advertisements for its singing competition talent show”, the People’s Court Daily reported.

The court ruled there was a possibility Star China would ­infringe a registered trademark and that the high similarity ­between the names 2016 The Voice of China and The Voice of China was likely “to cause confusion and misunderstanding among the public”, amounting to unfair competition.
It said once 2016 The Voice of China was broadcast, it would be “disseminated and spread on a relatively large scale,” which may “constitute an infringement to Tangde’s exclusive licence, make it more expensive and more difficult for Tangde to safeguard its legal rights or even make it hard for the company to exert its rights in the authorised period”.
‘The Voice’ singer’s murder shines light on the dark side of celebrity: deranged fans
In January, Star China Media claimed Talpa had terminated their contract unilaterally after demanding the company pay a “sky-high fee ... hundreds of times more” than its initial licensing fee of more than 2 million yuan (HK$2.36 million) four years ago.
Talpa denied the accusation, and accused Star China of preparing a fifth season without a legal contract. It also sought an injunction in Hong Kong to ban Star China from producing and broadcasting the next season of The Voice of China in January.
The ruling came days after regulators imposed stricter limits on adaptions of foreign shows,“to boost innovation and the creation of original works”.


Is Kim Kardashian’s star power fading, even as her multibillion-dollar brand Skims continues to grow?

How Netflix’s Culinary Class Wars season 2 stays ‘true to the original essence’

What’s next for Katseye? The ‘global girl group’ on their Beautiful Chaos Tour and reclaiming their lives as 20-year-olds

In memoriam: 29 beloved celebrities we lost in 2025, from Diane Keaton to Robert Redford

Reality TV

Court orders Chinese version of ‘The Voice’ to use a different name

The Voice of China is the mainland’s popular licensed version of the format by Talpa Media of the Netherlands. Photo: SCMP Pictures

Executives from Talpa and Zhejiang Tangde announced their production deal for the mainland's version of The Voice in January. Photo: SCMP Pictures

News

China

Politics

Dutch copyright holder Talpa Media handed production rights for next four seasons of popular programme to Zhejiang Tangde in January


Court orders Chinese version of ‘The Voice’ to use a different name

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Dutch copyright holder Talpa Media handed production rights for next four seasons of popular programme to Zhejiang Tangde in January

Dutch copyright holder Talpa Media handed production rights for next four seasons of popular programme to Zhejiang Tangde in January