BEIJING, China (AFP) — The Dutch production company behind the global reality-television hit “The Voice” has won a rare intellectual property rights victory in China, with a court ordering its former local partner to rename its version of the show.
Talpa Media and Star China Media made a hugely successful edition of the show for four years, but have fallen out bitterly after the Dutch firm ended the contract but Star went ahead with another season anyway.
It held auditions in November and was due to start broadcasting next month.
But the Beijing Intellectual Property Court said on a verified social media account it had ordered Star to “immediately cease using the name ‘The Voice of China’ in all publicity, promotions, auditions and advertisements for its singing competition talent show”.
But it did not call a halt to the show.
The Dutch company got “99 percent” of what it asked for the in the ruling, Talpa CEO Pim Schmitz told AFP Thursday.
If Star’s new show uses prohibited intellectual property from “The Voice” such as rotating chairs or a similar logo Talpa will probably take further legal steps, he said.
“I’m happy about the outcome of this case,” he added.
Foreign companies often struggle to protect their trademarks in China.
Last month, US social network Facebook won a trademark case against a local beverage factory who in 2014 had registered the brand “face book” for products such as drinks and potato crisps.
Facebook, which is blocked in China, sued and a court ordered officials to revoke the local registration and reconsider the issue.
In March, however, the same court ruled against US technology giant Apple in a case over a small maker of leather goods that was using the iPhone name.
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