BBC Studios Compels CultBox to Take Down Story about Doctor Who Launch

September 4, 2018

Earlier today, an observant fan in Germany discovered that iTunes had released the launch date of Doctor Who Series 11 in a post which offered the series for presale. This offer was extended over all of  iTunes' regional websites, reporting the same launch date.

Cultbox reported on the story, including the launch date, and was sent a legal notice from BBC Studios to desist.

iTunes released the launch date for Doctor Who series 11, a series we can't wait to see.

We reported this.

Sadly, we've been sent a legal letter for doing so. Apologies, everybody. We're only a small, independent fan site. Story has been taken down.

— CultBox (@CultBoxTV) September 4, 2018

CultBox wisely capitulated in the face of potential legal problems from the large corporation and edited the story, explaining the reason.

Though I know which date was reported, I will not reveal for fear of receiving a legal notice myself.

Several media people on Twitter have complained about the way CultBox was treated.

Stuart Manning has created some stunning Doctor Who artwork for the Radio Times and other media outlets.

BBC Studios needs to have a word with themselves. Threatening fans with legal action for repeating information released through one of their media partners really isn't a good look. https://t.co/2pbSpR8IyM

— Stuart Manning (@stuart_manning) September 4, 2018

Former Doctor Who Magazine editor and TARDIS aficionado Clayton Hickman:

That is appalling behaviour. They should be ashamed of themselves. They won’t be, of course. They never are. Sorry you had to go through that 😘

— Clayton Hickman (@claytonhickman) September 4, 2018

Doctor Who Companion founder Philip Bates:

Hi CultBox; co-founder of @TheDWCom here - just wanted to say you have our support. This is disgusting behaviour from the BBC.

— Philip Bates (@prbates36) September 4, 2018

The official word from the BBC is that Doctor Who will return "Autumn 2018".

Update, September 5, 2018:

The BBC has announced the air date of the first Series 11 episode, titled The Woman Who Fell to Earth, as October 7, the same air date given on itunes which CultBox reported.

BBC entertainment news correspondent Lizo Mzimba included this statement with his announcement of the air date:

“Meanwhile, BBC Studios, which makes the time travel drama, has been criticised by many fans after entertainment website Cultbox was threatened with legal action for reporting the launch date a day before the BBC's announcement.

The site had referenced an official page for the BBC series on the iTunes store, which had published the launch date.

 A cease and desist letter sent on behalf of the BBC said that they considered the now removed story on Cultbox contained "classified information", and that it constituted "a breach of a trade secret".”