British TV Execs Outraged Over ABC's "Blueprint To Rip Off Foreign TV Series"

Guardian:

UK television executives have criticised a leaked memo from an executive at US network ABC that appeared to call on its in-house producers to rip off foreign format ideas.

ABC declined to comment on the memo, although those who have seen it believe it to be authentic.

UK producers' trade body Pact confirmed to MediaGuardian.co.uk it had also been made aware of the memo by one of its members and was "looking into it".

The document, dated June 24, was signed by Howard Davine, the executive vice-president of ABC Studios, the production arm of the US network, and first surfaced on US media blog Deadline Hollywood Daily before being circulated around UK independent producers.

American journalist Nikki Finke, who published it on her blog, described it as a "shocking official ABC Studios memo" that was a "bombshell" and a "blatant blueprint to rip off foreign TV series".

Read the whole story: Guardian