CBS Uses Copyright To Scuttle Star Trek New Voyages: Phase II Episode 268
McGruber writes "The NY Times ('Cookies Set to Cleared, Captain!') is reporting that CBS is blocking fan-generated internet series 'Star Trek New Voyages: Phase II' from making an episode using an unproduced script from the original series. In a statement, CBS said, 'We fully appreciate and respect the passion and creativity of the "Star Trek" fan and creative communities. This is simply a case of protecting our copyrighted material and the situation has been amicably resolved.'"
The original writer of the episode, sci-fi author Norman Spinrad, was enthusiastic about the production, and planned to direct it himself.
not hurting anyone (Score:2, Funny)
CBS's heart must not be *truly* Klingon.
Definition: Amicably (Score:5, Funny)
Re:It's a perfectly valid (Score:5, Funny)
Star Trek New Voyages is art?
Only for distressingly small values of the term.
IP yeah u know me (Score:5, Funny)
Thankfully the era of media conglomerates owning pop culture will soon be over. With fan efforts like Kickstarter, new IP can be made with a Creative Commons or Copyleft scheme that will preserve it from being captured and abused by corporations while allowing fans free creative reign.
Can you imagine what western culture would be like if Homer's descendants were the Greek Disneys?
public: Hey, he didn't even make up the original myths, he just retold them!
Greek lawyers: Doesn't matter. Copyright extents to the author's death plus 3,000 years.
public: But what about culture?
Greek lawyer: These temples don't pay for themselves, bitch. Now we've gotta take it up with the Hebrews on this Samson character. Clearly they're infringing on our Herakles IP.
Hebrew lawyers: Get in line. We're already filing a lawsuit against those Messianics for unauthorized derivative material. They lifted our entire Torah and just added new material at the end.
St. Paul Diddy: It's called sampling. This book wasn't nothing before I got here.
troll lawyers: Cease and desist all of you. We bought the IP rights to the Sumerian tablets. All of you are in violation.
Re:IP yeah u know me (Score:5, Funny)
As a matter of fact, Eurozone countries are already paying back [bloomberg.com] the Greek for the privilege. They just do it under a false pretext.
Star Trek as a Religion (Score:2, Funny)
Why could we not just declare Star Trek a religion? It pretty much is one at this point. As long as what is produced is not for profit, I would think the creation of "religious materials" might get better protection.
Of course IANAL constitutional or otherwise...