BBC Upset That Fans Are Knitting Dr. Who Characters
from the send-in-the-daleks dept
While many people are familiar with copyright issues concerning things like music, movies and software online, there's another community that also has been quite active: the knitting community. For a few years now there's been an ongoing battle between hobbyist knitters who have uploaded patterns that others feel are infringing on their copyrights. Now it appears that issue is touching on the tech/sci-fi community as well. Boing Boing points us to the news that a fan of the famed BBC show Dr. Who had created some knitting patterns of his own that would enable anyone to knit various characters from the show. This isn't a case where he was uploading someone else's patterns -- but he had created his own. The BBC, however, flipped out and told him to remove all such knitting patterns as they infringed on the BBC's copyrights and trademarks. This seems like yet another case of overly aggressive enforcement of intellectual property rights because someone can, not because it's a good idea.It's nearly impossible to see how a fan getting people to knit versions of Dr. Who characters somehow diminishes the rights of the BBC. All it's doing is enabling fans (who are also into knitting) to express their fandom. If anything, the BBC should be encouraging this kind of fan support, rather than trying to stifle it and shut it down. It's stunning that after all these years, people still don't realize that helping fans express their feelings towards something is a good thing, rather than infringement.
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Filed Under: cease and desist, copyright, dr. who, knitting
Companies: bbc
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At least they didn't copyright the scarf
I'm not sure if I'm nmore startled that the BBC is alleging IP violations over this, or the mere fact that there is an entire community of people knitting Doctor Who characters. And I'm a Doctor Who fan myself. (Well, of the original series, anyway, not that currently running show with the same title and practically no other resemblance to it.) I mean, the knitted Daleks were totally understandable, but...
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Re:
The original series ran from 1963 to 1989. There was a so-so TV movie in 1996, and then the other thing that started in 2005, which is probably mostly what the knitters are working from, so no.
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BBC
The Doctor Who franchise is a big success story, one of the most prominent. While I can sort of understand trying to protect the reborn brand, the IP folks at the BBC have their heads in the past, policing knitting patterns when there are far bigger things afoot.
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Use your TARDIS go back & Undo that decision.
I don't care if you have to cross your own timeline.
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Idiots at other networks
Fellow TechDirters, please hold on a moment... This is to my NBC fan club I apparently amassed:
==================
Folks,
I was incredibly disappointed when the last recommendation I made for a NBC property suddenly changed and became a screen/character test. I throw you a bone here on TD and the next thing I know is that it becomes a marketing opportunity. Who the fuck are you guys at NBC Uni that troll TD? Please find your way through the dark. You're truly the Blind leading the blind. You want to know how bad your content sucks? Ok, here you go: I was importing DVDs from Australia that were better than your Saturday Night Live Shit, and that's where it starts. After 38 years, Lorne Michaels as done all he can with the show. But the fact remains that, well, you lost every single edge you have. So may your shows die a slow, and painful death and be replaced by a better production that utilizes internet technology, maybe on CBS or FOX! I wish all of you famed success and excellent luck in your DRM and content limitation drivel.
=====================
Ahem. Sorry about that. Thanks for staying with me.
Where was I. Oh yes. Dr. Who is cool.
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Re: Idiots at other networks
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Re: Idiots at other networks
NBC still basically sucks, though.
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Re: Re: Idiots at other networks
NBC still basically sucks, though.
Wow, Kevin, Thanks... Suddenly it makes sense why I haven't seen a Top Gear episode on Discovery Network for over Two years.
Friends at BBC, I know it's been a few years, but I still have the series set to record on my TiVo if you come back to Discovery.
For those who haven't been privvy to The genius of Top Gear, here are a few clips:
Top Gear Winter Olympics - Rocket-Powered Mini
What it takes to kill a Toyota Pickup
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The Beeb and Doctor Who
I've been watching Doctor Who since 1963 (not kidding). That probably makes it the longest running TV show in history, but there have been a few gaps. The latest series over the past three years have been FANTASTIC!
The Doctor is embedded into the British psyche - if you are in trouble, the Doctor will save you. We love him.
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Re: The Beeb and Doctor Who
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Re: The Beeb and Doctor Who
BBC could learn a lesson from Paramount. They've quietly looked the other way while fans write fiction, make new episodes (of the original series), make screen savers, wallpaper, etc.
Perhaps it's a "plausible deniability" issue - Paramount may simply claim they're "unaware" of the infringing content. After all, you can't be expected to defend against it if you don't know about it, right?
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The Chaser's tribute to Dr. Who:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0s95Mm0cFqg
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BBC is publicly owned!!
Under these circumstances I don't see why the owners - the British public- cannot do whatever the hell they want.
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Re: BBC is publicly owned!!
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Dr Who Code
The knitting patterns are code to produce a crude represntation of the Dr. Who characters.
If a child produced some logo code to produce an image of a Dr. Who character, and then uploaded it, would the wrath of the BBC be invoked?
Surely this is a case of a giant corporation intimidating an individual.
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It's not IP the Beeb is worried about...
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It's hardly conceivable that someone would try to sabotage their own product.
Was this just some insane monkey acting independently, or is there some committee or group who decided that this was a good idea?
Quick, someone get the Sonic Screwdriver to shake loose their brains. They haven't been used in ages.
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Trademark Enforcement
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Re: Trademark Enforcement
Not quite. At least in the US, it's a myth that you *have* to enforce it. It's only true that you have to enforce if there's a real likelihood of confusion. If it's obviously a fan-effort you do *not* need to enforce.
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Dr. Who
A firm, therefore, is forced to do these nutty things.
No, I'm not a lawyer. I could be wrong.
Thanks,
Bob
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Dumbasses
And with NO real radio airplay, only one top ten hit in 30 years, no "outside" promotional campaings and no gimmicks, they sold out concert after concert after concert for 30 years. And oh yeah, the songs were copyrighted. As is their name. You don't exactly have to be a rocket scientist to see that maybe, just maybe, theres a connection there. Duh.
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This issue has already been tackled once...
**make that "ultra beings dressed like a retarded gay ballet dancer from the 1980s" if you're referring to DC/Marvel comics who say they own the word "superheroes"
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dr.who
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They are pissing into their pants
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This seems to be the crux of most of these types of cease and desist orders.
My question is "why?" Why would selective enforcement jeopordize anyones "mark"?
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The c & d on Dr. Who's knitted representations
--Glenn
8]
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Utter hypocrisy!
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Utter hypocrisy! (follow-up)
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topgear
i find it funny how anyone in america can have heard of dotor who the old stuff is great but i find the ew stuff not so good how did it take on.
if you want to see something really great and classic BBC Sci Fi watch Red Dward utter excelence
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Re: topgear
I didn't know about Clarkson's stance. That's a bummer. The magazine subscription to TopGear is now on par with WallStreet Journal, and I am debating renewing. I knew they had to produce an American version for a while, but Still, it's a great show. Brainiac is also up there.
On another note, I think you meant Red Dwarf. Is it still running?
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http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/9089/foozc5.jpg
http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/91/bra inslugli1.jpg
Fan knitters not only show their love of a show by knitting for themselves, they spread the love for that program and create interest in others. I personally know of at least a dozen people that never would have bought Serenity DVD's if that octopus hadn't sparked conversation about the movie.
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Re:
You say that you're using that scale to weigh your Ebay packages, so you can check the cost of the postage? Pshaw. Hands against the wall, wifezilla, and drop the knitting needles.
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Re:
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Knitting
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Dr. Who
but I'd prefer warming up with a Six from Battlestar Galactica.
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http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/8862/jaynehat6jj1sp.jpg
"Pretty cunning, don't ya think?"
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