AfterDawn: News

Zattoo blocked by Universal and Warner

A German court has given both Universal and Warner Bros a preliminary injunction against the streaming video portal Zattoo.

The site had been running commercial spots using films from Universal and Warner. Zattoo shows free German TV channels on its site as free web streams while adding advertising to the content.



The studios however are now suing the site saying "its agreement with German channels does not allow it to insert commercials into its films."

Zattoo is now blocked from streaming any Warner and Universal films until a settlement is reached, and the site pays additional licensing fees.

The IPTV provider, which launched 4 years ago, has over 4 million registered users and is available in Germany, Denmark, France, Spain, Switzerland and the U.K.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 24 May 2009 0:29

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• 5 comments

• pphoenix

  Greed = The downfall of mankind.
  
  RIAA;
  
  * EMI
  * Sony Music Entertainment
  * Universal Music Group
  * Warner Music Group
  
  
  MPAA;
  
  * Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group (Walt Disney)
  * Columbia Pictures (Sony)
  * Paramount Pictures (Viacom)
  * 20th Century Fox (News Corp)
  * Universal Studios (NBC Universal)
  * Warner Bros. (Time Warner)

  24.5.2009 07:23 #1

• attar

  Quote:RIAA;
  
  * EMI
  * Sony Music Entertainment
  * Universal Music Group
  * Warner Music Group
  
  
  MPAA;
  
  * Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group (Walt Disney)
  * Columbia Pictures (Sony)
  * Paramount Pictures (Viacom)
  * 20th Century Fox (News Corp)
  * Universal Studios (NBC Universal)
  * Warner Bros. (Time Warner)A rogues gallery posing as victims.
  Truly we live in the Golden Age of BS.

  24.5.2009 20:51 #2

• varnull

  There are masses of films made and released in Europe every year.. Independent and small productions which then get bought up by the greedy MAFIAA people and shoved out across the horrid multiplex thatns... sometimes.
  
  Time to give hollywood the finger and start to appreciate OUR culture again.
  
  Universal/warner.. your last few offerings have been over hyped trash. No sale.

  24.5.2009 21:37 #3

• Wild9

  I completely agree. Most of what comes out of Hollywood is propaganda.
  
  I am sick of seeing only Hollywood or Bollywood..there are countless films being released across Europe that get nowhere near the coverage these big celebs get and it's wrong. It's all about money, men in suits and their political influence.
  
  I cannot recall one recent 'blockbuster' I really liked, except perhaps 'I am Legend'. I detest the political-correctness, the over-use of CGI at the expense of a decent script and unless you have the attention spam of a newt you quickly come to the conclusion that most of these films follow not only the same pattern, but emanate from the same source.
  
  I want my culture back - and I want to see real American acting brought back as well. Hollywood is wrecking the industry by monopolising it, with films that are basically just crap..flooded with actors who's acting is as false as their latest skin-job.
  
  This is a blunt rebuke of Hollywood and it is meant to be; the whole industry over there needs a kick up the ass, a return to basics instead of a never-ending cycle of over-hyped tripe that loses interest in no time at all. Please watch some of our European films..is it that much trouble to read subtitles?
  
  There's directors out there who deserve better, but they don't get it because they don't have the money and they don't sing and dance to the money men's way of doing things - this despite the popularity of what's left of the internet. People are fed up with the same old recycled rubbish, it's like watching BBC Question Time under the false pretext this week's show might be somewhat different from the last. It never is but it does put your bum on a seat and that is all they care about. My rant is over.

  28.5.2009 09:41 #4

• SuperXL

  Originally posted by Wild9: ...is it that much trouble to read subtitles?
  it most certainly is too much trouble. i dont pay my hard earned money to get educated by reading your movie dialog. i paid all that money (to hollywood's salaries) to be entertained and all of my attention must be focused on the handsome leading male, or the leading lady's boobs (real or fake). there is absolutely no way that i can concentrate on reading and the events on screen. i'd have to watch it twice or learn to speed read, and who has time for either one of those? Nerds!!! that's who. and i ain't about to be called a nerd for you or anyone else.
  
  but in all seriousness, i fall for the recycled/reused hype of hollywood. it's entertaining. simple as that. almost all stories are clichéd and the hero character gets to win in the end, but unfortunately that's what keeps drawing people in.

  29.5.2009 22:50 #5