DocBug exclusive: Anheuser-Busch, the owner of the popular American beer brands Budweiser and Bud Light, is suing the Disney-owned ABC television network for copyright violation after ABC’s broadcast of ads for the two beers during this year’s Superbowl. In a statement, Anheuser-Busch lawyers said the fact that the disputed segments were ads for their own products did not excuse ABC’s behavior, nor did fact that Anheuser-Busch had paid $26 million to have them aired. “We have to protect our content,” explained one executive.
ABC executives said they could not comment on ongoing litigation, but that they were considering filing a similar suit against themselves for the broadcasts of ads for Desperate Housewives and Lost during the game.
(Thanks to Wendy Seltzer for something resembling the link.)