SkyCam Prevails in Lawsuit Against Actioncam
Story Highlights
Outdoor Channel Holdings announced that a jury has ruled in favor of SkyCam in its lawsuit against Actioncam and Actioncam’s President & CEO, Patrick J. Bennett. Outdoor Channel Holdings owns and operates the SkyCam and CableCam aerial camera systems.
The jury’s decision, which was rendered Friday, Sept. 2nd in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma, found that Mr. Bennett, a former employee of SkyCam, breached his separation agreement with the company and that he, along with Actioncam, misappropriated SkyCam’s trade secrets and engaged in unfair competition.
The jury also determined that by clear and convincing evidence, both Mr. Bennett and Actioncam were willful and malicious, and acted with a reckless disregard of the rights of others. Along with Mr. Bennett, the other Actioncam executives and owners who testified were Phil Smauder, Ron Burden, and Dr. Kaveh Ashenayi. The case was initially filed in Apr. 2009. Actual and punitive damages were awarded to SkyCam.
“This ruling allows SkyCam to renew our focus on creating excitement for millions of fans by providing camera angles that put them in the heart of the action, hopefully without the distraction of unfair competition,” said Nic Salomon, president of SkyCam. “SkyCam remains committed to developing and deploying cutting edge technology, and will continue to take the necessary steps to protect our intellectual property.”
The SkyCam systems center around a sophisticated, computer-controlled cable suspension system that supports, stabilizes and allows for three dimensional movement of a camera to capture overhead video of major events. Putting the viewer right in the middle of an event, the use of aerial cameras has significantly changed the way sports and other entertainment programming are broadcasted both domestically and internationally by delivering angles and revealing perspectives that dramatically enhance the quality of coverage. SkyCam’s clients are among the biggest names in network and cable television.
