Taylor Sheridan’s ‘Landman’ is being sued over one scene — and no, it’s not that father-daughter moment
Taylor Sheridan's ‘Landman’ has gained massive popularity following its gripping storyline and the strong portrayal of the character through acting. However, the streamer, Paramount+, has landed in a legal battle following the use of an audio clip. As per Slash Film, in the ‘Landman’ Season 1 finale, an audio was allegedly used without the permission of its actual creator. The episode in question happens to be ‘The Crumbs of Hope.’ It reportedly contains a 90-second clip of the late real-life radio broadcaster Paul Harvey.
Being a show based on oil and its fluctuating market, the clip talks about oil prices, originally heard on the broadcaster’s show ‘The Rest of the Story,’ in a 2008 segment titled 'Gas Crisis'. The broadcaster, also known for his iconic segments such as 'An Open Letter From God', is heard criticizing rising oil costs and placing the blame on both the government and large corporations. Following the episode, Harvey's estate, Paulynne, claimed ‘Landman’ edited the clip to appear as though it was defending the oil industry. Paulynne has even alleged that the series infringed on copyrighted material. As per The Wrap, Jaime Wolf, Paulynne’s attorney, stated, "In the world of audio licensing, 90 seconds is an eternity. Paramount not only grabbed a long, copyrighted audio clip without our client's permission, but they also twisted the intent of Mr. Harvey's words by editing his original broadcast."
As per the outlet, the suit was filed on Monday, June 23, in the Southern District Court of New York, and alleges the clip was used in the ‘Landman’ finale episode without the knowledge or consent of Paulynne. For those unversed, the estate was founded by the broadcaster and his wife and colleague, Lynne Cooper Harvey. The suit also claimed that the recording used in the show was to “make it obvious to viewers that the recording used in the show was directly sourced from Mr. Harvey’s ‘The Rest of the Story’ broadcasts.”
Reports also suggest that Paulynne had written to Paramount Plus on March 14 and later contacted the streamer by phone to talk about the resolution of infringement; however, Paramount Global did not respond. “Paulynne’s prior knowledge and consent is willful in nature, remains continuous and ongoing, and violates Paulynne’s copyrights in and to the recording,” the suit reads, further adding, “Defendant’s commercial exploitation of the ‘Gas Crisis’ recording has resulted in a financial benefit to defendant and the loss of substantial licensing income to Paulynne.”
Paulynne is aiming to have the clip removed from the episode. Not only that, but the petitioner doesn't wish the 'Gas Crisis' recordings to be used by the series, anytime in the future. Meanwhile, the estate is seeking judgment for Paramount Global to “remove any content incorporating, in whole or in part, the ‘Gas Crisis’ recording from any web or other platform used, owned, operated, or controlled by [Paramount Global],” the filing read. Meanwhile, the outlet reports that the estate wishes to cease from any further use of the 'Gas Crisis' recording.
