By Venkatachari Jagannathan
Chennai, Dec 7 (SocialNews.XYZ) India's national television broadcaster Doordharshan (DD) has been making copyright claims with social media channel YouTube against the channels focus on space technology that use ISRO's rocket launch visuals, said a YouTube space technology channel promoter.
"The DD made a copyright claim to YouTube against Gareeb Scientist and the entire advertisement revenue from that post has been lost to DD," the promoter of Gareeb Scientist channel not wanting to be named told IANS.
He said DD has claimed copyright violation against overseas channels and some have decided to stop covering Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) rocket launches.
According to him, a British YouTuber Matt Lowne in a tweet said he has decided to stop covering ISRO rocket launches since apparently showing images of their launches infringes their copyright.
Meanwhile the Indian space agency has said it is the producer of all its rocket/satellite launch broadcast/telecast by DD and the latter does not have any copyright.
In a reply to questions raised under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said it is the producer of the launch broadcast which is telecast by DD, social media handles and official website.
"DD does not have any rights over the ISRO footage. However, DD, being a government entity, supports broadcasting of ISRO launches from Sriharikota on a request basis," ISRO said in its RTI reply.
The space agency also categorically said DD does not have rights over independent animations produced by ISRO.
To a query whether ISRO rocket launch footage in public domain are available for free to independent creators and whether DD can claim copyright revenue from someone using it for educational purposes the space agency replied: "The material of ISRO launches available in public domain can be used by an individual(s) for non-commercial activities with the permission of the department."
The ISRO also said there is no written contract between it and the DD.
(Venkatachari Jagannathan can be contacted at v.jagannathan@ians.in)
Source: IANS
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