Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

VIACOM: SPIKE SUIT COSTING US A FORTUNE
New York Post ^ | 6/18/03 | DAREH GREGORIAN

Posted on 06/18/2003 3:47:15 AM PDT by kattracks

Edited on 05/26/2004 5:14:45 PM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]

That's the amount of cash The National Network says it has lost by not being allowed to change its name to Spike TV - and the network fears it could wind up losing "hundreds of millions of dollars" more.

TNN, owned by Sumner Redstone's Viacom Inc., made the claims yesterday in the state Appellate Division, where it is seeking to lift a lower court's temporary ban on the name change, which was supposed to go into effect this past Monday.


(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 06/18/2003 3:47:15 AM PDT by kattracks
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: kattracks
All because of Spike Lee's massive ego. Disgusting.
2 posted on 06/18/2003 4:18:25 AM PDT by BlessedBeGod
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BlessedBeGod
They're both hard lefties. Let them sue each other.
3 posted on 06/18/2003 4:20:01 AM PDT by Leisler
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: kattracks
Wait 'til Viacom sees how much it loses after the name change.
4 posted on 06/18/2003 4:21:18 AM PDT by PBRSTREETGANG
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Leisler
Lefties still win, though. Lawyers get the $16 mil.
5 posted on 06/18/2003 4:21:46 AM PDT by BrooklynGOP
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: kattracks
Are railroads going to have change the name of the device that hold the rail to the tie?
6 posted on 06/18/2003 4:32:04 AM PDT by sticker
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kattracks
"TNN "sought to exploit" his persona with the name Spike TV, which it had marketed as an "aggressive and irreverent" network for men.

TNN President Albie Hecht "has conceded that Spike Lee was one of the role models for the network name,"

Who's zooming whom? Why didn't they just name it the Pee Wee Herman Network?


7 posted on 06/18/2003 4:40:09 AM PDT by RippleFire
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kattracks
"VIACOM: SPIKE SUIT COSTING US A FORTUNE"

Where is the headline "VIACOM: Fake Hype for Hillary's Book Costing us a Fortune"
8 posted on 06/18/2003 5:10:19 AM PDT by UNGN (I've been here since '98 but had nothing to say until now)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kattracks
Sumner Redstone is a sleazeball. No tears here.
9 posted on 06/18/2003 5:19:06 AM PDT by Aquinasfan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kattracks
A good compromise would be to name a toilet "Spike"!
10 posted on 06/18/2003 5:19:31 AM PDT by Highest Authority
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kattracks
He also found while "the word 'spike' has many meanings," the focus in this case is the word's use in "the film and television industry."

I hope they (Viacom) win. Even if those who came up with the idea thought of "Spike Lee" when they were brainstorming for a new name, there 'are' many meanings of the word "spike" in "the film and television industry." And this should not be the sole factor in deciding this case anyway.

The reason for this is that the name of a station is an advertising decision. A carefully made decision, I assume.

I find it more likely that they would NOT have used the name if they thought that everyone would first think of Spike Lee -- that would alienate some regular viewers of TNN right off the bat. They would want to keep thier regular viewers and gain more.

So I'm sure while they were brainstorming and expressing their freedom of 'word association', they discussed all the ways the word spike might attract men to their station. Men wear spikes on their sports shoes, they spike their footballs and volleyballs, they spike their drinks, they use spikes in contruction, see spikes on young antlers while hunting, some spike their hair and they like women in spiked high heels.

I am sure this decision was made after such a session of brainstorming and a presentation done to the powers that be by a team. Of course "Spike Lee" came up in this brainstorming session, of course he did. So what? He doesn't own the word "Spike" or the sole right to be irreverent and whatever the heck else he thinks he is.

Oh well, we'll see how this comes out.
11 posted on 06/18/2003 5:28:25 AM PDT by just mimi
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RippleFire
Spike Lee would look so much better with a railroad spike driven into his forehead!
12 posted on 06/18/2003 5:28:52 AM PDT by Redleg Duke (Stir the pot...don't let anything settle to the bottom where the lawyers can feed off of it!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: kattracks
Aclaimed artist? Hey Spike, it's your friggen first name, it's not your ownly name. Are you saying not child can every be called Spike, no product can ever be called Spike and not entity can every be called Spike.

Hey all you Ron's out there, my attorny is on the phone.

Lee's publicity agent must be doing cartwheels right now.

Any judge that would buy into this is a moron.
13 posted on 06/18/2003 5:42:52 AM PDT by DoughtyOne
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kattracks
demeaning, vapid and quasi-pornographic content

Said the pot to the kettle.

14 posted on 06/18/2003 6:05:33 AM PDT by tbpiper
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kattracks
How about "Bruce TV"?

THAT has a ring.......!

Tia

15 posted on 06/18/2003 7:30:41 AM PDT by tiamat ("Just a Bronze-Age Gal, Trapped in a Techno World!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kattracks
>That's the amount of cash The National Network says it has lost by not being allowed to change its name to Spike TV - and the network fears it could wind up losing "hundreds of millions of dollars" more.

I think this is all
a big, fat, hairy-assed LIE.
Now think about this:

Millions of people
never would have heard of this
name changing business

if Spike hadn't sued.
Now, the network's getting TONS
of publicity

and even people
who don't get cable know it.
I believe lawsuits

are being used as
advertising gimmicks in
many media

driven cases. (Like
the whole Winona Ryder-
Saks Fifth Avenue

sequence of events.)
I think these are planned-out ways
of just getting press...

16 posted on 06/18/2003 7:41:06 AM PDT by theFIRMbss
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DoughtyOne
Hey Spike, it's your friggen first name, it's not your ownly name.

"Spike" is not his real first name this self important P.O.S was born "Shelton Jackson Lee" in 1957. Who is he to reserve names of his choosing being named after a Southern Civil War Hero.

The descendents of band leader Spike Jones should sue Shelton Jackson Lee.

17 posted on 06/18/2003 8:03:22 AM PDT by Mike Darancette (Soddom has left the bunker.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: BrooklynGOP
and at least 7 million of that will wind up in the Edwards campaign. Donated by clerks, interns and copy machine repair technicians, of course...
18 posted on 06/18/2003 8:09:54 AM PDT by Skip Ripley
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Mike Darancette
I agree. Our society is so f'd up. Why this piece of human refuse can raise this issue and actually get anyone to listen to him is beyond my understanding. Some judge is actually willing to allow him to cost the corporation millions for this flimsy reason. I doubt it cost the corp this much, but in truth I wouldn't be surprised if they are experiencing certain large losses.
19 posted on 06/18/2003 8:10:31 AM PDT by DoughtyOne
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: kattracks
According to Google:

Spike Lee didn’t show up until page 5.

20 posted on 06/18/2003 8:11:55 AM PDT by far sider
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson