Zuku Equipment Impounded! They Are Being Accused Of Copyright Infringement!
Zuku has found itself in the government’s crosshairs and that is a bad place to find yourself! They are being investigated by The Kenya Copyright Board. Here is the press release we have received:
The Kenya Copyright Board (KeCoBo) has today impounded equipment used by Zuku to illegally redistribute exclusive content on its cable television platform.
In industry lingo, the illegal Zuku act is also known as grey market re-broadcasting piracy. G*rey market* piracy is where one trades a commodity through parallel and unauthorized distribution channels.
KeCoBo officers while acting on a tip-off, mounted a sting operation on an alleged Zuku Control Room along Luhar Wadha street in Tononoka, Mombasa and confiscated equipment suspected to be used to illegally rebroadcast exclusive content without authorization.
Despite numerous and prior cease and desist warnings from KeCoBo and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the Wananchi Group-owned pay TV company has been unlawfully redistributing, the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket matches to its unsuspecting* *subscribers, initially in Nairobi and until today, in Mombasa.
The hugely popular IPL 2013 cricket is currently taking place in India between 3rd April and 26 May 2013.
KeCoBo would like to notify the public that SuperSport is the sole and exclusive holder of IPL broadcast rights in the territory of sub-saharan Africa and adjacent islands, including the territory of Kenya. Thus, Zuku’s broadcast of the IPL in the territory of Kenya is unlawful and infringes the BCCI’s rights and the rights of the BCCI’s official broadcasters and authorized licensees.
KeCoBo has been forced to act to ensure that Zuku immediately ceases and permanently desists from its illegal and infringing conduct.
The essence of Copyright law is to protect the expression of an idea from being copied without authority. KeCoBo firmly believes copyright protection is motivated by the State’s desire to balance the interests of the public and those of creators. It is in the public interest that creators of artistic works are motivated for them to promote their creative activity for cultural, social and industrial progress of the State.
The Copyright system therefore provides the legal safeguards necessary for creativity to thrive. This it does by safeguarding the interests of the rights holders and at the same time giving them an incentive to create.
Where the creative authors are assured that their rights will be protected and enforced, creative industries thrive.
