Reacting to media reports earlier this week that 80 Chinese copyright owners had formed an anti-piracy alliance to start a massive legal assault against Chinese Internet video website Tudou.com, Huang Huiwen, vice president for Tudou.com, told local media that the company has not received any written notice or document about the lawsuit and has no idea about the claims made by Joy.cn.
Previous reports stated that about 80 Chinese copyright owners, including Joy.cn, Beijing Polybona Film Distribution, Beijing Orange Sky Entertainment Group and SFS Emperor, had organized an anti-piracy alliance and were planning a massive legal assault against Tudou.com for copyright infringements. Toudou.com is a Chinese Internet video website that allows users to upload and view videos.
Huang says she does not know where the anti-piracy alliance comes from and the members of the alliance, with exception of Joy.cn, did not contact Tudou.com about copyright issues before. She says Tudou.com and Joy.cn previously did reach an agreement over Tudou's unauthorized use of Joy.cn's media content. However, Joy.cn has now revealed relevant facts to media, which violates the terms of that agreement. Tudou.com will sue Joy.cn for compensation.
After Tudou.com released these comments in local media on Wednesday, Joy.cn now says Tudou.com has not shown any regret about its infringements and continues to ignore the legal rights of copyright owners. In reference to Tudou.com's statement about raising a lawsuit against Joy.cn, the website says it will respond directly and hopes Tudou.com can also directly respond to the anti-piracy alliance.
At the same time, the anti-piracy alliance published a joint announcement on January 7, 2009 that some of its members, including Joy.cn, Universe Film and Xiamen Radio and TV Group, will formally raise an infringement lawsuit against Tudou.com on the same day. The alliance asks Tudou.com to stop infringements and make a written apology.
