电视节目版式版权保护之法律困境和进路探索

电视台为追求高额利润,对其他电视台深受欢迎的电视节目进行复制、借鉴的情况时有发生。为维护自己利益,某些电视组织开始诉求司法部门给予自己的电视节目版式以法律保护。面对这个问题,欧美国家的法院在保护与否的立场上曾一度持否定态度。但近几年的司法判例结果显示这种立场正在发生变化,认可电视节目版式的版权属性,支持给予保护的观点逐渐占据上风。但电视节目版式版权保护在理论基础上仍存在争议。从已发生之判决来看,对电视节目版式除以版权路径给予保护之外,还可以寻求反不正当竞争法和商标法等相关法律给予保护。

The Legal Dilemma and Solution Exploration of Copyright Protection for TV Show Formats

Since some television stations have often copied the popular television programs of other television stations for high profit,TV organizations request judicial departments to protect their copyright of TV formats by means of law.The courts in Europe and the United States have ever denied the request.However in recent years,judicial judgments have showed that such trend is gradually changing to confirm the copyright of TV show formats and the affirmative protection stance prevails.Nevertheless,controversies still exist as to the theory basis of copyright protection for TV show formats.Upon analysis of judicial decisions,it is suggested that besides copyright law protection,TV programs format may be protected by other pertinent laws such as competition law and trademark law.