Medianet warns infringement of channel rights will be met with legal action

Medianet has issued a statement expressing concern that some tourist establishments operating in Maldives are offering TV channels under the authorized distributorship of Medianet through other sources. 

Medianet, the largest Pay TV and cable TV operator in Maldives, is the authorized distributor of 48 TV channels within the territory of Maldives.  

The channels are; PLTV, PLTV HD, Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 HD, Star Sports 2, Star Sports 2 HD, Star Sports Select 1, Star Sports Select 1 HD, Star Sports Select 2 HD, Boomerang HD, Cartoon Network, Cartoon Network HD+, CNN, Warner TV HD, BBC World News, Sky News, Sky News HD, DreamWorks HD, Baby TV, Baby TV HD, National Geographic Channel, National Geographic Channel HD, Nat Geo Wild, Nat Geo Wild HD, &flix HD, &pictures HD, Star Chinese Channel HD, &flix, Zee Bangla HD, Zee Bollywood, &TV HD, Wion, Zee Cinema, Zee Cinema HD, Zee Café, Zee Café HD, Zing, People TV, Zee TV, Zee TV HD, Curiosity Stream, Ice Sports, Ice TV, Zee Classic, TDC, Zee Zest HD, Nick Junior, and Nickelodeon. 

Medianet warned that any person or company, including tourist establishments, found infringing or otherwise violating any rights held by Medianet, by including any of the channels it holds authorized distributorship of as part of an in-room cable TV service or by showing or viewing any of the channels in any manner within its premises, without the company’s express permission, will be subject to legal action. 

 "...including but not limited to suing for compensation by virtue of Broadcasting Act (Law No. 16/2010) and Copyright and Related Rights Act (Law No. 23/2010) for the infringement of rights held by Medianet,” warned the company in its statement.  

Medianet said it will continue to appeal to Maldives Broadcasting Commission and other relevant state authorities to take appropriate legal action against parties who violate the established legal mechanism of broadcasting and undermine the legal entitlement of parties who hold the rights under relevant laws.