India's Zee escalates copyright fight against Reliance-Disney's JioStar

By Reuters News

By Arpan Chaturvedi

NEW DELHI, Sept 25 (Reuters) - India's Zee Entertainment has asked the Delhi High Court to initiate contempt proceedings against Reliance-Disney joint venture JioStar, alleging it continued to use copyrighted content despite a court injunction, a legal filing shows.

The filing, dated September 21, escalates an ongoing copyright dispute between the companies. Zee alleges JioStar is guilty of "wilful disobedience" because it continued using Zee's music and songs in programmes broadcast on its platforms despite a court order barring such use.

JioStar, formed from the $8.5 billion merger of Reliance and Disney's Indian media assets in 2024, declined to comment. Zee did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The copyright case was heard on Friday. A source aware of the details of Friday's court hearing told Reuters the Delhi High Court asked JioStar for a response to Zee's latest allegations and the case will be heard next in December.

The lawsuit began in April when Zee sought $3 million in damages, citing 50 alleged copyright violations involving content from its music division.

In May, the Delhi High Court ordered JioStar not to "use, publish, broadcast, stream, upload" any of Zee's licensed works.

JioStar's lawyers have previously told the court the alleged infringements were "unintentional" and "purely residual in nature". The company said in May that it had removed a substantial volume of Zee content following the expiry of licensing agreements.

In its latest filing, Zee cited six instances between May and July that it said showed the continued use of its copyrighted works by JioStar.

JioStar is "illegally and actively exploiting" the works, Zee said in the filing.

The case is one of several copyright disputes highlighting increasing competition over content rights as India's streaming and broadcasting market consolidates.

JioStar, backed by billionaire Mukesh Ambani, is India's largest media and entertainment company. Zee, one of India's oldest broadcasters, is a smaller rival.

The Disney-Reliance joint venture has also previously launched a legal battle against Zee, alleging the unauthorised broadcast of popular Bollywood movies at a time when JioStar held the rights to the content.

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