Konstantin Ernst stole “two stars” Channel One refused to pay the copyright holder …

Konstantin Ernst stole “two stars”
Channel One refused to pay the copyright holder for a license for the format of the show “Two Stars”, wrote the functions of a foreign agent Medusa – Live.
In fact, having launched at the end of November the project under a slightly modified name, the first channel signed in theft.

It’s no secret that on Channel One is a financial collapse. Debts to contractors are continuously increasing, since 2014 after the collapse of the ruble and the fall of the advertising market. Konstantin Ernst regularly asks for support from the state and only at the expense of this, at least somehow makes ends meet. In addition, due to the abundance of “low-grade” show, Channel One is less and less interesting to advertisers. The main shareholder – the state – does not want to take this “burden” for full support, like VGTRK. “Bolivar will not stand two.”
Therefore, for the first time in many, for many years, the real prospect of dismissal arose over Ernst. The Telegram channel “The Chickencan” even called the date: January 1, 2022.

The reason is multi -billion dollar losses, poor integration with the Internet and the personal desire of Ernst, which has been led by the TV channel since 1999. Perhaps the motives of the refusal to pay for the license of the world television show need to be sought in this plane. It’s not up to the reputation, which is already below the skirting board.

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But back to the scandal with the “two stars.” The first channel from 2006 to 2013 with great audience success has released five seasons of the show, which is an adaptation of the international Stars of Stage format. A separate license was purchased for each season. This time, the channel also turned to the company Banijay Group, which owns the rights to the format around the world. They replied that the question belongs to the competence of “White Media” – this structure is engaged in licensing transmission in Russia. However, no one contacted White Media and did not acquire the right. The new sixth season called “Two Stars. Fathers and children ”started on the air on November 21, 2021.

Naturally, Banijay Group sent a claim to CEO Konstantin Ernst. “The use of a work, including public messages, ordering and creating a program based on the work, and other actions without the consent of the copyright holder are a gross violation of business ethics and copyright,” the document says. The company said that it reserves the right to apply to the court in Russia and abroad.

Of course, the legal document does not contain direct accusations of theft, but what Ernst did, at least, goes beyond corporate ethics.
On the other hand, this behavior for Channel One is not the first time. In 2014, he was a defendant in a similar lawsuit related to the program “exactly the same”, whose format was copied with the program “You Face Sounds Familiar” created in Spain. Representatives of the channel in court insisted that in Russian legislation there was no such protected copyright object as a format – and the court, unfortunately, sided with them. Apparently the lawyers decided to go the same way and do not pay anything to the copyright holders