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- Media24 launched legal action against two Oudtshoorn women for illegally distributing its publications on WhatsApp.
- The action emanates from an internal investigation by the media company.
- Media24's CEO said piracy affected the sales of publications and impacted the livelihoods of employees.
Media24 launched legal action against two women who allegedly reproduced and distributed copies of its publications via WhatsApp, thereby violating the company's copyrights.
In papers filed in the Western Cape High Court, the publisher alleges that Christiana Catharina Gorgens and Leanda van den Berg shared PDF versions of Huisgenoot Lugbraaier in 2022 and between April and July 2023, shared various editions of its publications with members of the "Newspaper and Magazine Group" on WhatsApp, including Beeld, Sarie, Die Burger and Rapport.
The court action emanates from an investigation led by Media24's Afrikaans news deputy editor, Theresa Olivier, and the general manager of marketing and subscriptions, Madelein Venter.
Venter alleged in her affidavit that Van den Berg and Gorgens subscribed and trialled a subscription with Media24 and consented to its terms and conditions.
Olivier alleged that the two women were the administrators of the WhatsApp group in which they illegally distributed several editions of Media24 publications.
Media24 wants the court to declare the alleged illegal circulation of these publications as a violation of the copyrights of its literary and artistic works.
The publisher also wants the court to prevent Gorgens and Van Den Berg from illegally reproducing and circulating its publications and to hand over the mobile devices used to distribute it. Furthermore, the company wants the court to determine a reasonable amount payable by the duo for royalties.
In his affidavit, Media24 CEO Ishmet Davidson said piracy not only affected the sales and the investment returns of publishers, but it also trickled down the value chain to authors, editors and the quality of investigative journalism that ensured that South Africa's democracy was upheld.
He said:
The court will enrol the application for hearing on 29 January should the respondents not oppose it.
