Swedish Court Rules Against Commercials

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http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060412/..._commercials_1

Swedish Court Rules Against Commercials

Wed Apr 12, 11:52 AM ET

STOCKHOLM, Sweden - A Swedish appeals court on Wednesday ruled that a TV station violated the artistic integrity of two filmmakers by interrupting their movies with commercial breaks.

Swedish director and screenwriter Vilgot Sjoman, who died Sunday, and director Claes Eriksson sued TV4 after the station interspersed commercials during 2002 broadcasts of their films.

The two movies, Sjoman's "Alfred" and Eriksson's "The Shark Who Knew Too Much" were made before Swedish broadcasting laws allowed TV stations to interrupt movies with advertisements.

The Svea Court of Appeals upheld a lower court ruling saying the station violated the directors' integrity and copyright, since they had not given permission for the breaks.

Eriksson, who has produced several popular comedies in Sweden, said the ruling was a personal victory for him and Sjoman, whose provocative and sexually explicit films stirred controversy in the 1960s. Sjoman died at the age of 81 on Sunday at a Stockholm hospital of complications from a brain hemorrhage.

"He would have been incredibly happy," Eriksson told public broadcaster SVT after the ruling was announced. "This has taken four years of our time, and it is good that it was not been in vain."

The ruling means Eriksson can seek damages from TV4, but is likely to have little effect on Swedish broadcasters. Since 2002, TV4 and many other stations have started signing agreements with directors that allow for commercial breaks during their movies.

TV4 said it may appeal the decision to the Swedish Supreme Court.

Yahoo! News/AP-April 12, 2006