UK MP says beoutQ must be ‘robustly tackled’

The UK Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) secretary of state has said the government is taking steps to stop TV service beoutQ from allegedly stealing content belonging to the UK’s media and entertainment companies.

In a meeting with the DCMS committee on Wednesday, May 8, Jeremy Wright QC said the UK embassy in Riyadh is speaking to officials in Saudi Arabia, where the TV service is based.

He also said the UK Department for International Trade is pursuing the matter.

The committee said beoutQ, which is broadcasting 100 UK-based TV channels to 400 million people, must be “robustly tackled”.

Its chair, Damian Collins, described the issue as “straightforward piracy”.

When asked if the UK government has addressed the Saudi-Arabian government directly on beoutQ’s live broadcasts of pirated content, Wright said talks were happening through diplomatic channels.

“It is important that we preserve intellectual property rights,” Wright said.

He added: “If we want to see good quality sport, we have to make sure that people are able to protect those rights so they can carry on delivering it to us. Those who are seeking to undermine those rights undermine that process.”

Broadcasters that have been affected by beoutQ’s alleged piracy include Sky, Channel 5, Premier League, ITV, Channel 4 and the BBC.