top of page

How long will he be engaged in copying on television?


More than 30 TV channels operate in Uzbekistan today. It is no secret that the majority of the country's population spends its time in front of the television, as well as on social networks.

In October 2013, due to "technical reasons", the NTT family TV channel returned to the air under the name "Sevimli" in 2014. According to the data published by the Kantar Media company in 2019, "Sevimli" TV channel took the lead among national channels with 3.38% audience, while it took the second place with 2.78% audience. Owned by "ZorTV" TV channel.


The main audience of "Sevimli" TV channel is the population from 7 to 70 years old. The television programs "Zirapcha", "My Mother-in-law General", "Eslab, eslab...", which caused quite a stir and attracted the attention of many people, gather a large audience of television viewers. But the fact that most of these programs are almost identical to the idea of programs created by Russian TV creators, naturally, this does not worry Uzbek TV viewers.

In fact, every intellectual property is protected under international law. If we consider our example, in order to create an alternative to a program or show that is popular in one country in another country, it is necessary to make an agreement with the authors of the original idea. The most important of these is franchising.

Franchising is the sale or temporary use of a trademark and/or firm's technologies (organizational methods) to another entrepreneur. The owner of the trademark or technology is called the franchisor. A person who buys the right to use the rights belonging to the franchisor is called a franchisee. In this process, the set of rights provided by the franchisor to the franchisee is often called a franchise. According to the current legislation of the Republic of Uzbekistan, only citizens registered as commercial organizations and business entities can be participants in the franchise agreement.

The meaning of franchising is to distribute a successful business by increasing it, that is, to adopt the image and technologies of a company that has been thoroughly tested in practice. The franchisor gives the franchisee the right to use its name, work method, know-how, experience, knowledge, production and management technologies on a paid basis.

The main document regulating franchise relations in Uzbekistan is the Civil Code, in particular, its Chapter 50 (franchising) and Chapters 59, 62, 64, 65 (intellectual property).

In addition, there is a law of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On Copyright and Related Rights". The activity of the Intellectual Property Agency was established under the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Despite this, copying on our national TV channels continues openly. In particular, the reality show "Zirapcha" is almost the same as "Patsanki" on the Russian "Pyatnitsa" TV channel, and its idea is to return the lost "street" girls to the right path, educate, is to help girls who want to change their lives. Reality shows have no limits. In the program, war, quarrels, insults are given openly, even the rules of the process of selecting girls (casting) are the same as those of Russia. It is worth mentioning that before airing the reality show "Patsanki", the Russian TV channel bought the copyright to his idea from the British TV show "Reining the Wild". At the same time, the reality show about child rearing "Ideal Mother" is very similar to the reality shows "Moya prekrasnaya mama" on the Russian channel "Subbota" and "Super Mamochka" on the STS channel. The fact that the TV program "Lunch Time" is exactly similar to the program "Vremya obedat" on the Russian channel "Perviy" will undoubtedly surprise experts. The creators of "Sevimli", who stole the idea, did not even try to slightly change the name of the program.

In this regard, the National TV channel is not far behind "Sevimli". For example, the late-night MTV Show entertainment program on the TV channel is very similar to the "Evening Urgant" on the Russian TV channel "Perviy". In both, the presenters joke and improvise in the process of talking about current issues with the guests invited to the show. The show's studio decor is similar, and both start with music. The MTV Show airs every week from Monday to Friday at 9:00 PM.


The TV project "Vechriny Urgant" itself is not original. We would not be mistaken if we say that it is a version of the US TV show Late Night Show adapted for the Russian audience. Ivan Urgant, the host of the Russian alternative, went to the USA on purpose before the launch of the TV project, talked with the creators of the show, and tried to introduce something new to his project. "Evening Urgant" has been broadcast since April 16, 2012, and TV viewers compared it to the TV show "Dobriy Vecher s Igorem Ugolnikov", which aired earlier. In turn, the TV show was copyrighted by the Americans.


The "Amirkhan Umarov Show" is very similar to the "Pust Govoryat" talk show, which was hosted by the famous Russian showman Andrey Malakhov until 2017, in terms of its structure and mode of conducting. In both, a topic is selected and invited experts express their opinions. "Amirkhan Umarov's show", like "Pust Govoryat", is often criticized by TV viewers. In our opinion, even Amirkhan Umarov copied Andrey Malakhov's behavior and farewell style while hosting the TV show.

The "Yor-yor" show hosted by Muhabbat Khamroyeva on the ZOR TV channel, which has been causing various opinions and discussions on social networks lately, is the "Davay pojinimsya!" hosted by Larisa Guzeyeva on the Russian "Perviy" TV channel. almost identical to a talk show. In both shows, the groom meets three candidates for the bride and chooses one based on the analysis of the "matchmakers". After seeing this show on the air, it caused a lot of discussions, and most of the TV viewers said, "...This is something completely foreign to our nation, the Uzbek people, our traditions and values. Our young men and women have grown up to the point that they don't go out in front of many and put themselves on the market saying "I need a husband" or "I need a wife". These things were carried out through suitors, secretly, with the participation of close relatives.

It is no secret that the Russian TV show "Ugaday Melodiyu" was copied from the "Navo show", which was very popular a few years ago on the "Yoshlar" TV channel, and which is now being repeated from time to time. Since 1995, not only actors, show business representatives, but also ordinary citizens are invited to the show, which has been broadcasted by Valdis Pelsh, and the participants have to listen to a short fragment of a song and find it. A small difference between "Navo Show" and "Ugaday Melody" is that singers, TV presenters and actors are invited to it.

Unfortunately, other new reality or talk shows broadcast on our TV channels are not distinguished by their originality. In 2020, the national movement "Rise" conducted a sociological survey to determine the TV channels with the highest rating among Uzbeks. According to the results of the survey, 44.5% of the participants said that they watch national TV channels. At the same time, 12.5% of the participants noted that there is a lack of original entertainment programs and talk shows on TV channels, and 12.4% of reality shows.

Of course, today, in order to present quality TV shows, talk shows, and reality shows to TV viewers, creators must have their own directions and original ideas. Why don't the TV creators understand that copying from foreign TV channels, trying to gather more audience, will have a negative impact not only on the image of this TV channel, but also on the image of Uzbekistan?

After all, plagiarism means copying someone else's work and making it one's own. Such theft is evident in the full or partial publication of a scientific, literary, musical or artistic work in one's own name without the permission of the author, as well as appropriation of discoveries or inventive proposals. Depending on the degree of social danger of the culprit's actions, he will be prosecuted civilly or criminally, and the rights of the real author will be restored. Article 65 of the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On Copyright and Related Rights" entitled "Methods of Protection of Copyright and Related Rights" stipulates that regardless of the fact that the author, owner of related rights or other owner of exclusive rights will be harmed by the infringer, based on the nature of the offense and the degree of guilt of the offender, he has the right to demand compensation in the amount of from twenty times to a thousand times the amount of the basic calculation instead of compensation, taking into account the business practices.


Also, according to information, one of the main obstacles to Uzbekistan's membership in the World Trade Organization is the very poor state of copyright enforcement in our country. Therefore, translating artistic works without the permission of the author or the right holder, openly appropriating music or the ideas of shows, movies, and serials does not serve to form such positive opinions about our country abroad.

Nargis Qosimova





6 views
bottom of page