Abstract
The use of program formats has slowly but surely developed into an important component of the television industry. This article examines the surprising gap between the constantly growing, multi-billion-dollar trade of program formats and their unclear and contradictory legal treatment. From both the social and commercial standpoints, television formats are valuable creations. Understanding the two products, the paper and program stages, of a television format and their respective markets, is fundamental to discussions of its legal protection. Interestingly, under current law, the less-developed stages of the process (program ideas and paper formats) are awarded more protection than the aired program format, which accumulates higher levels of investment, creativity, and expression. Internal industry mechanisms, such as vertical integration, damage to reputation, and industry institutions, exist in both markets and are still able to control and influence members' behavior to some extent. However, while the influence of internal industry mechanisms is still strong in the paper format market, in the program format market, which continues to grow, such mechanisms have weakened, amplifying the importance of a clear legal system. The absence of protection will certainly not completely eliminate the production of new program formats. However, these factors do not add up to a case against protection. The changes in the program format market in the last two decades support the theory that the overall effect of providing legal protection for TV formats would promote beneficial competition and encourage more original creations. The underlying question for television formats should not be whether to protect but rather how.