Bangkok Broadcasting & Television Company, Thailand’s foremost broadcasting corporation, has been awarded $8.3 million in damages for willful copyright and trademark infringement by IPTV Corporation, BKT Group, and its management. All defendants were found liable for illegal copying, selling, and rebroadcasting of BBTV’s copyrighted programs.
BBTV initiated formal legal proceedings on May 28, 2009, when it filed a complaint against the defendants for illegally rebroadcasting BBTV’s copyrighted programs bearing BBTV’s federally trademarked logo.
Following the five-day trial in the middle of May 2010, the jury reached a unanimous verdict finding all of the defendants liable for willful copyright infringement and trademark infringement. On July 8, the court affirmed the jury verdict and awarded BBTV $8.3 million in damages and permanently barred the defendants from commencing any activities which could infringe BBTV’s rights in the future.
BBTV operates Channel 7 in Thailand and is one of the country’s six major free television channels. BBTV was established in 1967 and has become the country’s number one TV station over the decades. ♦
For more information, visit www.ch7.com.