MovieChat Forums > Doctor Who (1963) Discussion > I've always been a bit puzzled vis a vis...

I've always been a bit puzzled vis a vis fan audio recordings

posted 8 years ago by phonenumberofthebeast
4 replies | jump to latest

I mean, technically what those fans did was illegal, making an unauthorised reproduction of copyrighted material. But when the BBC comes calling because the fan project you undertook when you were 14 is now the only surviving record of their own show, how does that work? Do they just walk in and demand it, saying they'll sue them for unauthorised reproduction if they don't? Or do they offer up some kind of compensation, even though they own the rights?

Never say "Worst movie ever" to someone who's seen Highlander 2

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] NotAmyMerrick 8 years ago

Many times even in recent years the BBC have made public appeals for lost episodes of shows, they've always stated that nobody should worry about any legal matters and they don't have to even explain how they got the item in the first place.

Sometimes they do buy the items back off of people too.

[–] ed_zeppelin 8 years ago

I kind of see it from the BBC's point of view: they can hardly run "audio recording: Graham Strong" on the credits when said recording was illegal at the time (it's not like Strong was anticipating the importance of the recordings when he made them). A "thanks to" credit is probably the most diplomatic solution.

[–] pferreira86 8 years ago

From what I remember the fans just gave them the audio recordings. No one at the BBC forced them, the fans offered since they know the BBC is missing the episodes. Remember also that not just one recording from a fan is used for every episode. Up to three can be used for the animated episodes which I think is really great.