EntertainmentHighlight

Michael Jackson Estate Sues ABC Over Copyright Infringement

849

EURWeb

Don’t mess with Micheal Jackson. That is the message sent out by the Estate of Micheal Jackson, who announced that they are suing ABC and its parent company Disney, for their recent airing of the special The Last Days of Micheal Jackson. The special, which aired on Thursday, May 24 on ABC, was made up of interviews with Jackson himself, his family, associates, collaborators, biographers and media figures, and and covered his career as well as his last days.

The Estate alleges that ABC used footage it owns without getting permission to do so.

The complaint says:

“Disney and ABC committed willful and intentional copyright infringement when they used the Estate’s copyrighted materials without the Estate’s permission. Disney’s conduct here was particularly surprising given that it has no tolerance for anyone using its copyrighted material in even the most trivial of manners.

Disney and ABC’s conduct is also contrary to law and industry practice, and despite several cautionary letters from the Estate to Disney and ABC attorneys, Disney and ABC never sought the Jackson Estate’s permission to use any of the material owned by the Estate in the broadcast.

“Can you imagine using Disney’s intellectual property – like Mickey Mouse, Cinderella, Star Wars, The Avengers, Toy Story, and so many other works – without asking Disney’s permission or getting a license? The Estate has no choice but to vigorously protect its intellectual property, which is the lifeblood of its business,” said Howard Weitzman of Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump & Aldisert LLP, who, with his partner Jonathan Steinsapir, filed the lawsuit for the Jackson Estate.

Among other Estate copyrighted materials used, without permission by ABC and Disney, are: (1) significant and repeated excerpts of Michael Jackson’s most valuable songs and recordings, like “Billie Jean”, “Beat It”, “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough”, “Bad”, “Leave Me Alone” and many others; (2) substantial portions of Michael Jackson’s ground-breaking music videos like “Thriller”, “Black or White”, “Bad” and almost a dozen others; (3) large swaths of footage from Michael Jackson’s iconic live performances, including extensive footage from the “Triumph” tour with his brothers (owned by the Estate) and classic performances embodied  in the video specials “Michael Jackson: Live in Bucharest” and “Michael Jackson: Live at Wembley”; (4) a key moment from the Estate’s 2016 Spike Lee directed documentary, Michael Jackson’s Journey from Motown to Off the Wall; and (5) unique footage from the Estate’s 2009 critically-acclaimed feature film, Michael Jackson’s This Is It (by far, the highest grossing music documentary of all time).

A spokesperson for ABC released this statement:

“ABC News’ documentary explores the life, career and legacy of Michael Jackson, who remains of great interest to people worldwide. The program does not infringe on his estate’s rights, but as a courtesy, we removed a specific image from the promotional material.”

Leave a comment

Related Articles

Annie’s Slip, Davido’s Triumph, and the Unforgettable Moments at Headies’‘Back to Base’

Stepping onto the 17th Headies Awards stage at the Landmark Event Centre...

History Makers: Liverpool Claim Unprecedented 20th League Championship

By Samuel Akpan with agency report Liverpool have been crowned Premier League...

Breaking: Sexual harassment allegation: Suspended Sen. Natasha ‘apologizes’ to Akpabio

In a move that has been described as both an apology and...

Exclusive: FCT Set to Roll Out High-Capacity Buses As Abuja Terminals Near Completion

Abuja residents are buzzing with excitement as they count down to the...

US Grants Asylum to Over 800 Nigerians in Two Years

Over the past two years, 897 Nigerians were granted asylum in the...

Naira abuse: Singer Terry Apala Spends Weekend in Ikoyi Prison

Afrobeat and Apala artist Terry Apala, whose real name is Terry Alexander...

400,000 followers bid farewell to ‘Pope Among People’ in Rome

By Daniel Okejeme with agency report In a testament to his global...

NPA Inaugurates Committee to Drive Port Operations Transformation

The Federal Government has launched the Ports and Customs Efficiency Committee (PCEC)...

$4.2m COVID-19 Relief Funds Scandal: Prominent Osun Monarch, Pastor Face Jail Terms in US

A prominent Yoruba monarch, Oba Joseph Oloyede, the Apetu of Ipetumodu in...

TikTok Star Dies While Live Streaming

A video making the rounds on social media has shown the moment...

NGE, Senate, House of Reps’ Press Corps Felicitate NNPCL’s spokesman Soneye on NIPR Award

Following numerous congratulatory messages, the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and the...

Information Commissioners in APC-Controlled States Hail Tinubu’s Reforms, Nigerians’ Resilience

President Bola Tinubu’s administration received commendation from Information Commissioners of APC-controlled states...

Tribunal upholds FCCPC’s $220m fine on Meta, awards $35,000 as costs

Meta Platforms Inc.’s effort to overturn the $220 million fine imposed by...

Just in: Ex-Rivers Deputy Speaker Sues FG, CBN, Others Over Release of LG Funds to Administrator

A legal challenge has emerged for the Rivers State Sole Administrator, retired...

Rivers Administrator Ibas at Reps, Wants More Time for Briefing

Due to the precarious security and political environment stemming from the state...

US Dollar Climbs to N1,605 as Naira Weakens

The Nigerian naira has continued its depreciation against the US dollar at...

FCT Police’s Swift Action Leads to Recovery of Snatched SUV 30 Minutes After

In a remarkable display of swift operational efficiency, the Federal Capital Territory...

Why I am angry with Kollington Ayinla— K1

As controversy rages on over the dispute between Nigerian Fuji music legends,...

Striking NiMet workers suspend action

Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) workers in Abuja called off their strike on...

NEC Approves Cotton, Textile Board to Boost Economy

The National Economic Council (NEC) has approved the creation of a Cotton,...