DVD News

Online Rental Retailers Face Studio’s Crack Down

By James Wray Apr 11, 2005, 12:11 GMT

Some of the world’s biggest studios and distributors have been involved in a court battle against UK online rental service Boxchoice.com over the rental of retail copies of DVDs.

The Rental Rights Protection Programme (RRPP) confirmed today that it has successfully secured a Court Order against online rental dealer Boxchoice.com in its latest action for copyright infringement.

Under the order, obtained in a London court last month, Boxchoice is prohibited by the Court from renting out retail product.

The company was also ordered to pay nearly $26,000 in legal costs and is expected to face further damages pending the courts decision and examination of the company’s financial details.

A spokesman for the RRPP said: "This is the latest in a string of successes for the RRPP. Whilst we have brought actions against many rental dealers, this is the first against an online rental outlet. The RRPP monitors all the online rental services in the UK and generally speaking they comply with the distributors’ rental rights. Unfortunately Boxchoice has been a persistent infringer and they have now had to pay a heavy price."

Warner Bros. Entertainment UK Ltd, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment Limited and Paramount Home Entertainment (UK) were among the distributors taking part in the initiative to curb abuse of rental rights.