Comments on: Seven forces Rafters fansite to shut

By: David Knox

David Knox — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 11:52:24 +0000

Actually you bet wrong….

By: Ryan

Ryan — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 11:21:52 +0000

Nimbus,

*The word unofficial does not have to be used in the domain.
*Streaming full episodes is just common sense.
*You do not need permission to make a site, there is billions in the world and i highly doubt any of them got permission. I bet David didn’t for TV Tonight.
*Do a little research, yes.
*They can be asked to remove content, they cannot force them to hand over a domain because they don’t want the site out there.

By: Nimbus

Nimbus — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 11:14:44 +0000

Everyone can learn a lesson from this:-

*Always use ‘unofficlal’ in the doman name and site name.
*Streaming full episodes is a definite no no!
*How about acutally asking for permission.
*Do your homework before you publish the site.
*Fan sites use copyrighted material.. the text, dialogue, quotes, printed matter, scanned material, photos, captures taken off the DVD or television are all copyrighted and any fansite can be asked to remove them at any time.

By: Mike Beckham

Mike Beckham — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 05:59:40 +0000

No offense but a .info domain? Why not just put it on Geocities.

By: Ianblair23

Ianblair23 — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 02:55:19 +0000

I could not agree with you more Russell. Seven “official” website as an absolute joke. There is nothing there. And it is not just Packed to the Rafters. All of seven shows have very little information on their official websites. Time to get your act together Seven. Stop this stupid alliance with Yahoo, move back to seven.com.au and God’s sake start adding some bloody content.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 11:30:23 +0000

If Michael was willing to start a new site, i would be more than happy to host it from him. A .info domain simply. Seven would have to have a really good reason to take it.

By: R

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 07:12:45 +0000

Oh my god…

The fact is, Seven’s legal department have every legal right to do what they have done. The age of the website owner is irrelevant. The employees of Seven’s legal department are doing their jobs, not going around looking for 18 year old website owners to pick on.

Michael can just shift his site to a new domain name. If he wanted packedtotherafters.net or .info or whatever, all it takes is fifteen bucks to register the domain for a year, and one or two days for the new domain to be updated across the internet.

I agree, kind of a bummer but not the huge deal some here are making it out to be. And no, I don’t work for Seven.

By: Kubz

Kubz — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 04:12:44 +0000

“Packed To The Rafters” is not a registered trademark, therefore Michael has every right to use the name. Also in Australia a company/name is no longer required to obtain a .com.au domain.
Absolutely pathetic of a major business threatening a young person with legal action to get their way.

By: Nathan

Nathan — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 03:47:12 +0000

God, some people here are really annoying. Obviously Seven can take away the domain. They didn’t take away the site itself, merely the domain name. This guy can easier start again elsewhere. He should have realised that using a copy-righted name on Australia’s most watched TV show would get a reaction. A lot of other shows also have the shows name with a .com.au at the end, so why would Packed be any different? Not forgetting its a new show, so just because Seven’s website’s link doesn’t currently have much content doesn’t mean its not going to change.

Maybe people should be having a go at the other guy for being an idiot. Maybe he should have thought about the domain name, thought about what could happen if you used the title of an already running show and thought about what would happen if the name is already owned by Seven. Seven didn’t do anything wrong, it was the creator in the first place.

And I dont think he’d if he tried to take them on legally. Not only would Seven have some rather grand lawers, but Seven would be the one with the registered ABN, a copyrighted product and the like.

By: Peter

Peter — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 02:37:24 +0000

It’s disappointing to see Seven hound a dedicated fan like this. Were the people at Seven resentful that Michael was doing a better job on his fansite than they were on their own shoddy “official” website? Instead of having the courtesy to negotiate an agreement, Seven decided to take advantage of Michael because they knew that he, as an 18-year-old, wouldn’t have any paths for recourse in terms of legal issues. It is nothing short of disgraceful.

By: NJJC

NJJC — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 01:58:02 +0000

In Australia you no longer have to own the name/company to have .com.au so I dont see the problem there.

By: Russell

Russell — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:46:07 +0000

Wait. Am I missing something?

Seven’s “official” website at http://au.tv.yahoo.com/b/packed-to-the-rafters/ is not a website – it’s a logo!

There is nothing there! 19 still pictures and a series blurb and that is it?

This is the #1 show on TV – where is it’s web presence?

No ep guide. No music details. No video. No online eps. No cast info. No games. No downloads. Nothing! It’s laughable!

Here you have a show that Australian’s have shown a huge appetite for and Seven develops no online component at all?

They could be making money and creating a community here!

By: Nadine

Nadine — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 22:49:57 +0000

Ryan that is correct.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 14:09:10 +0000

Natasha, they made him transfer it to them or legal action would be take.

Nadine, that means that Michael can simply register a .info domain for the site. .Info is for information which it can be said to be based on information about the show.

By: Natasha

Natasha — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 12:03:59 +0000

And anyway ch 7 can’t take away the domain name if its not already taken?

By: Natasha

Natasha — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 12:03:22 +0000

Ch 7 think they own Australia and Australian tv. They are pathetic.