Australia's Domain Holdings to defend REA's copyright infringement claims (updated)

Domain Holdings Australia

29/11/2024 04:26

(Updates with further details and background)
       Nov 29 (Reuters) - Australia's Domain Holdings  DHG.AX 
said on Friday it will defend copyright infringement claims made
by its larger rival, Rupert Murdoch's REA Group  REA.AX .
    The claims of infringement primarily relate to images for
181 property listings, the copyright of which REA only recently
acquired from the relevant photographers, Domain Holdings said
in an email to Reuters, without specifying details about
previous ownership.
    REA Group is yet to reply to a Reuters request for comment. 
    The News Corp controlled-REA Group, which recently ended its
pursuit of British firm Rightmove  RMV.L , has more than doubled
its market capitalisation in the last five years or so while
Domain's market value has dropped around 17% in the same period.
    "Of greater concern is REA’s efforts to acquire controlling
ownership of valuable data from the agents and vendors who paid
for this photography," Domain said.
    "This transfer of ownership should be deeply concerning to
the industry, as yet another example of a dominant market
participant taking actions that reinforce its position."
    Nine Entertainment  NEC.AX , which publishes local
newspapers such as the Australian Financial Review's weekend
version, owns around 60% of Domain Holdings. 


    ($1 = 1.5340 Australian dollars)
  

 (Reporting by Rishav Chatterjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Janane
Venkatraman)
 ((Rishav.Chatterjee@thomsonreuters.com;))