This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
In what it calls "a battle of David versus several Goliaths," a Provo-based streaming site has asked a federal judge in California to reverse himself and allow it to continue providing edited versions of movies and TV shows from four Hollywood companies during an ongoing legal dispute.
But the Hollywood studios are requesting that U.S. District Judge Andre Birotte remain staunch in his initial decision to issue a preliminary injunction Monday, temporarily barring the Provo-based VidAngel Inc. from streaming or transmitting the copyrighted works of the four companies.
On Wednesday, VidAngel filed a request that Birotte delay the injunction pending an appeal to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Immediate entry of the injunction threatens to destroy VidAngel's "unique market position and its market value," according to the Utah company.
The streaming site allows viewers to filter out certain words, nudity or violence from movies. Users "buy" a movie for $20, view it and then "sell" it back for $19 in VidAngel credit that same day.
The California companies — Disney Enterprises, Inc., Lucasfilm Ltd. LLC, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. — responded Thursday by saying, "Rather than complying with ... [the] preliminary injunction order, VidAngel has continued to operate its illegal service, causing further harm to plaintiffs and enriching VidAngel's owners."
It also accused the Utah-based company of "furthering its illegal business first" and "seeking permission second." The response also said VidAngel does not meet criteria required for a stay.
The Hollywood companies filed the original lawsuit in June in federal court in Los Angeles, accusing VidAngel of failing to pay for movie and television rights.
VidAngel filed a counterclaim in July asserting its actions and business plan are legal under the Family Movie Act.
The entertainment companies acknowledge that the statute allows editing of edit films — usually for so-called inappropriate content — but only with the permission of copyright holders.
Twitter: @PamelaMansonSLC