ABC accused of exploitation over Michael Jackson show

— Michael Jackson’s estate has slammed an upcoming television special about the late King of Pop, describing it Wednesday as a “crass and unauthorized” effort to exploit the singer’s name.

U.S. broadcast network ABC says “The Last Days of Michael Jackson” will feature never-before-seen interview footage and the testimony of a tour operator who was outside his mansion in southern California the day he died.

The Jackson estate issued a statement saying the special, scheduled to air Thursday, “is not sponsored or approved by the estate” of the pop sensation, who died in 2009.

Disney-owned ABC, which has not responded, is accused of unauthorized use of a copyrighted photo and silhouette image in trailers and pro- motional materials, but those items have since been removed from the program.

“We are told ABC intends to use music and other intellectual property owned by the estate such as photos, logos, artwork and more in the program itself, without having licensed the rights to any such material,” the statement said.

“Imagine if this was done with any of ABC’s intellectual property. We believe the special to be another crass and unauthorized attempt to exploit the life, music and image of Michael Jackson without respect for Michael’s legacy, intellectual property rights or his children.”

Jackson is estimated to have sold 350 million records, including “Thriller,” the best-selling album of all time.