The Dutch production company behind the global reality-television hit "The Voice" has won a rare intellectual property rights victory in China, with a court ordering its former local partner to rename its version of the show. Talpa Media and Star China Media made a hugely successful edition of the show for four years, but have fallen out bitterly after the Dutch firm ended the contract but Star went ahead with another season anyway.
It held auditions in November and was due to start broadcasting next month. But the Beijing Intellectual Property Court said on a verified social media account it had ordered Star to "immediately cease using the name 'The Voice of China' in all publicity, promotions, auditions and advertisements for its singing competition talent show". But it did not call a halt to the show. The Dutch company got "99 percent" of what it asked for the in the ruling, Talpa CEO Pim Schmitz told AFP Thursday.