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Cable industry group sues Cotabato cable TV operator for infringement
(Business World (Philippines) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)The Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia yesterday filed on behalf of its members 12 copyright infringement lawsuits against Cotabato City-based cable television operator Maguindanao Skycable.
Maguindanao Skycable is one of several cable operators raided in September by the National Bureau of Investigation's (NBI) Intellectual Property Rights Division for allegedly acquiring and transmitting copyrighted programming from major broadcasting corporations.
The industry group said that despite the NBI raids in September, the cable operator had continued to air numerous cable channels without the necessary authorization from the owners.
The industry group, a regional association of 110 pay-TV companies filed the complaints at the Justice department on behalf of members owning the copyright for channels AXN, CNN International, Cartoon Network, Discovery Channel, the Disney Channel, ESPN Star Sports, HBO Asia, MTV Asia, National Geographic, Star Movies, Star World, and Star Sports.
Villaraza & Angangco Law Offices, the group's law firm, filed the lawsuits based on evidence gathered by the NBI after intensive surveillance and the raid of the Maguindanao Skycable office.
"With the filing of criminal charges the legitimate cable TV industry is demonstrating its full commitment to following through on enforcement actions. Pay-TV signal theft must be penalized as an unlawful practice," said the cable group's Chief Executive Simon Twiston Davies.
Mr. Davies said cable companies engaged in piracy unfairly compete with legitimate local pay-TV services providers who have properly obtained licenses from program owners.
Also, Mr. Davies said, many illegal operators do not pay license fees and taxes that could help prop up the government's fiscal situation.
"Last year, the Philippine government lost some P2.1 billion [in license fees and taxes] as a result of piracy in the pay-TV industry. We want pirate cable operators to come clean and pay their fair share," Mr. Davies said.
The cable group is an industry association dedicated to the promotion of multi-channel television via cable, satellite, broadband and wireless video networks across the Asia-Pacific region. It represents some 110 Asia- based corporations, which in turn serve more than 3 billion people.
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