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ARTICLE · 22 JANUARY 2007

IP – The Next Big Thing In Reality TV?

Spruson & Ferguson Lawyers
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What do the Da Vinci Code, The X Factor and The Block all have in common apart from being stunningly successful? All had to deal with highly publicised claims that they were based on ideas stolen from someone else.

AustraliaIntellectual Property
Chris Bevitt
Chris Bevitt
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What do the Da Vinci Code, The X Factor and The Block all have in common apart from being stunningly successful? All had to deal with highly publicised claims that they were based on ideas stolen from someone else.

At Shelston IP, we receive many queries along the lines of "I have this great idea for a new TV show [book, movie etc]. How can I protect my intellectual property so someone doesn’t steal it?" And the answer: Not easy, but there are many things you can do to improve your position as discussed below.

Recent cases – Idol/Da Vinci/The Block

In the UK, the owners of the Idol concept sued the producers of The X Factor claiming that The X Factor reproduced over thirty elements of the Idol program format. The case received considerable publicity but settled just before going to trial for a range of reasons including the fact that one of the parties was a key player in both programs.

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