Fox Threatens to Sue Co. Over Billboard [taunting CNN, LOL!]

AP via Yahoo! ^ | 05-07-04 | DOUG GROSS

[Teacher317]

ATLANTA - Fox News Channel is threatening to take a sign company to court if it does not post a cheeky billboard tweaking archrival CNN.

Fox claims the owners of the billboard, across the street from CNN's Atlanta offices, refuse to post a message trumpeting Fox's successes in the ratings war between the cable networks.

Fox lawyer Dianne Brandi said in a letter that Atlanta company Camfaux may have buckled to pressure from CNN not to put up the message.

"Should you choose not to put up the billboard immediately, we will consider all options available to us, including, of course, legal options," Brandi wrote.

Camfaux president Tony Vergoven said his company owned the billboard when Fox began renting it in 1999 but has since sold it to Boardworks Outdoor Advertising, another Atlanta company.

"We have no control, or we'd be taking care of Fox," Vergoven said.

Boardworks officials did not return phone calls seeking comment.

"This decision was entirely up to the owner of the billboard," CNN said in a statement.

The proposed sign would read: "Now That CNN's Ratings are Gone With the Wind, Our Work on This Board Is Done. We Love You Atlanta. Brought to you by your friends at FOX News Channel."

Below that message would be a less-than-subtle pitch to the hundreds of CNN employees who file past the board every day.

"Sign Up with America's Newsroom! Forward resumes to resumes(at)foxnews.com."

Fox officials demanded that the sign be changed by noon on Thursday. By about 4 p.m., it remained unchanged.

Since 1999, the sign overlooking CNN Center has alternately trumpeted Fox's triumphs or taken jabs at CNN. It featured legal reporter Greta Van Susteren, shortly after she left CNN for Fox, and accused the network of lacking patriotism during the war in Iraq (news - web sites).

For the past several months it has read, "Come Home Connie. CNN Needs You." Connie Chung was fired abruptly in March 2003, not long after CNN founder Ted Turner called her "just awful" in an interview.

On a typical prime-time night during the last three months of 2003, Fox News Channel averaged 1.46 million viewers. CNN had 909,000 viewers and MSNBC had 293,000 viewers, according to Nielsen ratings.

[GottaLuvAkitas1]

WOW! Thanks for posting this. Cool beans!

I love Fox

[Vigilantcitizen]

Didn't Ted Turner have a finger in the outdoor advertising business in Atlanta?? Just curious.

Yep. Turner advertising.

[beaver fever]

Not funny.

So Boardworks has to be dragged into court, bankrupted and put out of business because it doesn't want to be dragged in a school yard scrap between two Mega Corporations with too much time and money on their hands. Now you can't chose who you do business with if the prospective customer has more money than you. Want to put the brakes on frovilous lawsuits? Start here.

[BushisTheMan]

Are you sure that Boardworks was not obviously happy to be on CNN's side?

If so and if they get sued and lose, one less DemoRAT to contribute to their side.

[NJ_gent]

Bump

[freekitty]

Gee, ya think they are holding Fox's viewpoint captive?

[ChadGore]

Loosing share ? Try the truth !

[SmithPatterson]

CNN is mad because Fox's motto is "We Report, You Decide" while CNN's has always been or at least interpreted, "We Distort, You Decide!!"

[Blessed]

>So Boardworks has to be dragged into court, bankrupted and put out of business because it doesn't want to be dragged in a school yard scrap between two Mega Corporations with too much time and money on their hands.<

Based on the facts we have before us I suspect Fox secured a long term lease on the board.Boardworks has refused to change the message.They are probably required to do so by the lease contract.You can not abdicate a lease agreement just because you are the new owner.

[Blessed]

Actually Turners dad was bankrupt and commited suicide.Turner sold the business and bought it back the next day.

[Doe Eyes]

Yeah, more lawsuits. Stick it to the businessman. You have no rights over the billboards you own. This is what conservatism has become.

[BigSkyFreeper]

"Now That CNN's Ratings are Gone With the Wind, Our Work on This Board Is Done. We Love You Atlanta. Brought to you by your friends at FOX News Channel."

LMAO! That is too funny!

[Blessed]

Since when is keeping your word not a conservative value?

[onyx]

LOL!
Hilarious!

[Cicero]

My first thought was that maybe Boardworks is a subsidiary of CNN. Who knows? Anyway, here's their web site:

http://www.boardworks.com/atlanta_listings.cfm

[BigSkyFreeper]

LOL!
Hilarious!

I thought so too! LOL A little bit of good news, a nice start to the weekend. :)