Television Format According to Wikipedia.

Org, in television, a program format describes the overall concept, premise and branding of a copyrighted television program. Is a Television Format Protected by Copyright? According to WWW.Legal500.com, television formats have not been discussed at WIPO as subject of a separate international protection. With this lack of discussion from WIPO, it is clear that television formats are not expressly copyrightable and that local legislation still governs such rule on copyright. Philippines: TV Show Formats are Not Copyrightable The Supreme Court had the opportunity to explain that formats of television shows such as game shows are not copyrightable, as held in the case of Joaquin v. Drilon. Recently, ABS CBN sued Willie Revillame, Will Productions and TV5 for allegedly violating the rights of ABS CBN over the format of Wowowee which was formerly hosted by Revillame. ABS CBN claimed that Willing Willie copied the format of Wowowee. On March 10, 2011, the Court of Appeals ruled in favor of TV5. So far, the Joaquin v. Drilon decision still prevails and that formats of television shows such as game shows are not copyrightable. International Cases on Copyright of Television Formats The Dutch Supreme Court ruled that a format consists of a combination of unprotected elements. An infringement can only be involved if a similar section of several of those elements have been copied in an identifiable way. This decision arose from the case between the Castaway Productions of Survivor against Endemol, the producer of Big Brother. In this case the former claims that the latter merely copied its format. Their Supreme Court held that there was no infringement by Endemols Big Brother. In Brazil, a case involving two reality shows with almost similar formats namely Big Brother and Casa Dos Artistas, the Brazilian court held that the Big Brother format attracted copyright protection under the Brazilian law of copyright. It said that the format for Big Brother contemplates a program with meticulous description' and the whopping similarity between both programs does not stem from chance but from a badly disguised and rude copy of the format of the program Big Brother'. Endemol, the makers of Big Brother were awarded damages. In the case of Green v. Broadcasting Corporation of New Zealand more popularly known as Opportunity Knocks Case, the Supreme Court simply held that game show format did not attract copyright protection either as a literary or dramatic work. With respect to other format rights, in the recent cases of Nova Productions Ltd v Mazooma Games Ltd and others and Nova Productions Ltd v Bell Fruit Games Ltd, the High Court considered whether or not a video game could be categorized as a dramatic work for copyright purposes. The judge decided that the video game was not a dramatic work for a number of reasons. First, he said that it is not a work of action intended to be or capable of being performed before an audience'. Secondly, the judge found that the features of the video game were drawn at a very high level of generality and did not have sufficient certainty. Finally, the original development notes in which the claimant contended that the dramatic work was recorded was considered by the judge to be a literary work. It could not therefore be a dramatic work.
In conclusion, format rights are not internationally established. Therefore, we can only rely on the local legislation of every country to determine whether or not format rights are protected in their jurisdiction.