探討電視節目模版的法律保護

Abstract

在今天，歐美各國的製作公司研發成熟的「電視節目模版（Television Program Format）」做為交易授權的客體已行之有年。近年來隨著以此為商機的產業版圖逐年壯大，無法避免地產生越來越多的相關議題與爭訟，進而引起學界廣泛的注意及思辯。 依據智慧財產權的法理，電視節目模版做為節目製作的藍圖框架，是否構成著作權法上所謂的「創作」？或單純僅為一般的創意、構想？節目之間的模仿是否將構成著作權之侵害？或甚至是公平交易法上所謂不公平競爭行為？節目原創者是否有方法可阻止惡意抄襲？ 電視節目模版背後皆內含著原創團隊的智慧結晶，以及所投入的大量人力、資金、時間。本文經由國內外文獻、實務判決等研究整理後認為，當製作團隊運用創意巧思，經過詳細策畫，將各種素材如節目流程、遊戲規則、對白口號、美術佈景、節奏氛圍…等等予以選擇並加以串連編排，形成獨特的節目架構可供辨識並可重複再現時，應已具備足夠的表達與原創性，而可進入著作權法所保護的「創作」範圍內。 至於節目製作之前階段，尚未發展成為具體成熟節目模版的構想、概念及相關資訊等，雖未必能夠符合創作之要件，但在節目透過電視撥出之前，由於尚未喪失其秘密性，並因該秘密性而存在實際或潛在之經濟價值，再搭配適當的保密措施，應認其具備營業秘密之構成要件。 另外，電視節目作為電視台或製作公司提供視聽娛樂之服務，其節目模版藉由節目相當時間之播出，或經由廣告媒體及網路之強力傳播，呈現給視聽大眾之具體印象或形象足以使閱聽大眾認知並將之與節目來源產生聯想，而與其他節目相區別，形成公平交易法所保護之「表徵」，則模版原創者面臨抄襲時，亦可藉由仿冒行為或搾取他人努力成果等不公平競爭行為做為主張。

Today, Television Program Formats (TV formats) have been researched and developed as authorized objects for transaction by production companies in Europe and USA for decades. Recently, as the territory of TV format industry grows, unavoidably there are more and more related issues and disputes, which bring up the attention and debates of scholars. According to the legal principals of intellectual property law, is a TV format, which is known as the frame and blueprint of TV program production, in line with the definition of “work” under copyright law? Or merely an general idea or conception? Will it be copyright infringement when it comes to the imitation between different TV shows? Or will it be unfair competition? Is there any way for creators to prevent their TV formats from plagiarism? A TV format is a combination of intelligence, creativity, labors, money, and time put in by original creators. After researching the documents and legal decisions from local and many other countries, this article consider that when creators use their ideas and ingenuity for careful planning; select and arrange every kinds of material such as process of the show, plots, game rules, slogans, setting, rhythm, tone and so on, therefore compose an unique structure which can be identified by audiences and will repeat in the same way in every future episode, these achievement have enough expression and creativity to be in the protection under copyright law. At the previous process of TV program production, though ideas and conceptions that haven’t been specific yet to become a TV format may not have the requirements of “work”, due to their confidentiality before TV Show’s premiere, the actual or potential economic value because of the confidentiality, and the proper security measures which added in by holders, they may have the requirements of becoming trade secrets. Also, if TV shows, known as entertainment services offered by TV stations and production companies, have been broadcast for a long time, or widely spread throughout commercial media and Internet, the specific images and impression that their TV formats express to the audiences are recognizable to be associated with the source of the shows, and identifiable from any other TV shows. Thus it will be in definition of “marks” under competition law, and the original creators who face the plagiarism may take the conduct of piracy or squeeze other’s achievement as unfair competition to be their claim in the legal procedures.