YouTube terminates VTV over copyright infringement

The YouTube channel of the state-run Vietnam Television (VTV) has been suddenly suspended, with the national broadcaster admitting later the same day that the termination was due to copyright infringement regarding its content.

On March 1, the channel, titled VTV, remained inaccessible, with a message saying it has been terminated because YouTube had “received multiple third-party claims of copyright infringement regarding material the user posted.”

VTV began reaching viewers via YouTube in June 2014, and the channel had attracted some 95,000 subscribers with nearly 10,000 videos posted before it was terminated.

A photo illustration shows YouTube on a cellphone, in front of a YouTube copyright message, in central Bosnian town of Zenica, early June 18, 2014.
Photo: Reuters

The state TV channel said in a press release around 10:00 pm on February 29 that it did use copyrighted content without permission in some programs.

VTV said it was notified by YouTube of the channel termination over third-party claims of copyright infringement on February 28.

“The claims came after some VTV editors used online content in their programs without the permission of the copyright holders, which violated our production procedures,” the broadcaster said.

“VTV has been enacting strict measures with respect to authorship and copyright protection.”

The national broadcaster also said it is actively working with relevant parties to resolve the copyright issues in order to reactivate its YouTube channel.

A screen grab showing the terminated YouTube channel of VTV. 

“Our content and programs can still be accessed online via the website of VTV and the mobile app VTVGo,” the television firm noted.

VTV has been accused of using videos filmed by others in their programs without their permission, according to tech website ICTNews.

In September 2015, Bui Minh Tuan, who runs a YouTube channel showcasing a number of drone videos, lodged a complaint to the VTV managerial board, saying the broadcaster had used seven of his videos without prior consent.

His aerial footage of natural beauties in the northern province of Ha Giang was used in a morning show aired on September 2, 2015, without proper credit being given to their true author, according to Tuan.

Tuan said VTV had infringed the copyright of his videos five times, and only “phoned me to apologize when the programs had already been broadcast.”

Tuan said he always declares copyright on his You Tube channel, and also provides detailed contact information.

“If VTV had called me to ask for permission and fully credited me in their programs, I would have let them use my videos free of charge,” he told ICTNews.

“But I do not know why they could not even make a phone call, instead of openly stealing my footage time after time, despite my repeated complaints.”

Mời quý độc giả theo dõi VOV.VN trên

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