Vox Media reportedly stole intellectual property from documentary producer Danny Gold for an episode of its Netflix show “Explained,” Gold tweeted Wednesday.
“Explained” is a show produced by Vox and aired on Netflix. It aims to speak about various issues that affect people’s lives. Gold said he pitched an episode idea for the show in 2018 and later discovered the exact same scenario was used for an episode that aired in 2019. The episode aired after his idea was given a pass by Vox.
Screenshots tweeted by Gold show his pitch, which was sent to Vox on Jan. 22, 2018. Gold’s idea was to air an episode titled “The Next Pandemic.” The documentary producer included potential interviewees such as philanthropist Bill Gates. (RELATED: Vox Employee Who Condoned Violence Against The Wife Of Tucker Carlson Deletes Every Tweet He’s Ever Sent)
Wow crazy! My first suggested interview in the treatment was Bill Gates. The first interview I see mentioned in the IMDB for this piece is Bill Gates. Wild coincidence, or @voxdotcom ripping off a freelancer’s work? pic.twitter.com/84pJsOtqzm
— Danny Gold (@DGisSERIOUS) January 23, 2020
After passing on the idea, Vox reportedly used Gold’s episode plan and aired it in 2019 without notifying him or giving him any compensation. The episode was titled “The Next Pandemic,” which was the name of Gold’s pitch. The episode’s description on IMBD includes a note that Gates is one of the people interviewed for the episode, as Gold suggested in his 2018 pitch.
“If you’re not worried about a looming global pandemic, you probably should be. Are we prepared for an outbreak? Bill Gates and other experts weigh in,” the episode’s IMBD reads.
Vox Media did not respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller.
Gold added that he had not heard from “the higher ups at Vox” about the situation. He also clarified in subsequent tweets that the idea was not unsolicited.
Cleo Abrahm, one of the people tagged in Gold’s original tweet, did not respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller.
Gold later wrote that Abrahm said she was just “gathering the apps,” and that no one should send her “aggressive messages.” Abrahm is a producer for Vox.
“It was part of the hiring process for the role of season 2 producer (the season their version aired in),” Gold tweeted.
This ain’t going to go away, and I’m only going to get louder. People in this industry get away with this way too much.
— Danny Gold (@DGisSERIOUS) January 23, 2020
Netflix’s CEO Reed Hastings did not respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller.
“It’s absurd to me how blatant this is and how people think they can get away with it,” Gold tweeted. “Ask for treatments during the hiring process from producers, don’t hire those producers, then still their work. People in charge just assume you’ll keep your mouth shut. Don’t. Ever.”