Controversy over LIVE Broadcast of ‘Fire Baseball’… Shadow of Growing Conflict between JTBC and C1 in Broadcasting Industry
The success of the content has sparked a new conflict. Amid the ongoing dispute between JTBC and production company Studio C1 over the popular sports entertainment program ‘Strongest Baseball,’ controversies are escalating as the lIVE broadcast of the new program ‘Fire Baseball’ spreads.
In particular, SBS Plus announcing that they will broadcast the second season of ‘Fire Baseball’ lIVE is impacting the entire broadcasting industry.
Produced by Studio C1, ‘Fire Baseball’ involves the participation of Jang Siwon PD and key cast members who led ‘Strongest Baseball,’ and was originally planned to be aired on JTBC as an extension of ‘Strongest Baseball’ Season 4.
However, after parting ways with JTBC earlier this year, it was independently released on YouTube. JTBC raised issues such as excessIVE production costs, obstruction of work, and unauthorized deletion of electronic records against C1, leading to JTBC filing a criminal complaint against C1 and subsequently blocking YouTube videos of ‘Fire Baseball’ for copyright infringement.
JTBC claims that “Studio C1 deleted data from the JTBC server without permission and produced similar content that infringed on the IP of ‘Strongest Baseball’,” while Studio C1 opposes by stating that “JTBC’s systematic obstruction is to seize production rights.”
Studio C1 alleges that “JTBC engaged in unfair practices such as obstructing stadium rentals, enticing cast members, and invading editing rooms,” and has announced a legal response in return.
Despite the extreme conflict, Studio C1 continues to consistently release ‘Fire Baseball’ content on YouTube.
However, there have been disruptions in content delIVEry, with some episodes being deleted due to reports from JTBC. GIVEn the nature of the YouTube platform, there is a risk of channel closure if copyright warnings accumulate, causing anxiety for both the production company and fans.
The core of the controversy lies in the upcoming lIVE broadcast of ‘Fire Baseball.’
With SBS Plus set to broadcast the ‘Fire Fighters VS Inha UnIVErsity’ game at the Gocheok Sky Dome on the 22nd, tensions have escalated between the two sides.
SBS Plus explained that they wanted to ensure viewers’ content choices with their broadcasting decision, but JTBC stated that they are aware of the scheduling and are discussing future legal responses.
The TV lIVE broadcast of ‘Fire Baseball’ is a first this time, and the broadcasting industry is considering not just a one-time scheduling but also the possibility of subsequent content scheduling.
With expectations that new derivatIVE content could emerge based on the popularity of the program, this controversy takes on a more complex nature within the competitIVE landscape between terrestrial, cable, and digital platforms.
Above all, this incident exposes the structural issues of the current broadcasting market where the boundaries between content production, distribution, and copyright protection have become blurred.
The legal dispute between JTBC and Studio C1 goes beyond a simple contract dispute and has the potential to have significant repercussions on the entire broadcasting ecosystem, drawing attention to future developments.