The Supreme Court has confirmed the sentence that obliges Atresmedia to cease the broadcast of Pasapalabra with the ‘El rosco’ challenge, in a new chapter of the long judicial battle for the rights of one of the most recognizable elements of the television contest.
The resolution represents a setback for Antena 3, which since the program's return to its lineup had recovered one of the most successful formats in its daily programming. The core of the conflict is once again situated in the ownership of the intellectual property rights associated with that specific challenge of the contest.
The decision of the High Court thus confirms the previous judicial criterion and reinforces the position of the plaintiff in a litigation that drags years of confrontation between audiovisual operators and rights holders linked to the format.
A judicial battle that has pursued ‘Pasapalabra’ for years
The dispute over Pasapalabra is not new. The contest had already disappeared from Telecinco precisely due to a judicial conflict related to the format's rights, after years of broadcast as one of the most consolidated programs on Spanish television. Subsequently, the format landed on Antena 3, where it once again became an audience pillar.
The new judicial clash focuses specifically on ‘El rosco’, one of the most emblematic and recognizable challenges of the program, practically turned into its main hallmark.
The Supreme Court's resolution adds pressure on the immediate future of the format, although the exact scope of the judicial execution and how it impacts the specific continuity of the program in its current configuration will have to be known. For now, Atresmedia has not publicly communicated an immediate official response regarding the practical impact of the ruling.