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Spike Lee and TNN settle, allowing network to call itself `Spike TV'
By SAMUEL MAULL
Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK --
Spike Lee and Viacom Inc. have settled a lawsuit the filmmaker filed to keep the media giant from calling its TNN cable television network "Spike TV."
"Spike TV lives," TNN President Albie Hecht said at the Television Critics Association summer gathering in Los Angeles. "We're really pleased about this settlement, that we have the use of our name. We always believed we had the right to use our name."
Lee had obtained a temporary injunction in June, preventing the name change, but on Monday state Supreme Court Justice Walter Tolub lifted the order after both sides reached the agreement
No details of the deal were available.
The ruling means Viacom, which also owns the CBS network and MTV, can proceed immediately with plans to rebrand TNN as Spike TV, the "first television network for men." Viacom said it was renaming TNN to attract more men to an audience already two-thirds male.
Hecht said the network would change its on-air name as soon as possible.
Lee, director of "Malcolm X" and "Do the Right Thing," got the injunction after claiming that Viacom was renaming TNN in a deliberate attempt to hijack his name, image and reputation.
Lee, whose real name is Shelton Jackson Lee, said he objected to being associated with lowbrow programming.
TNN broadcasts reruns of "The A-Team," "Baywatch" and "Miami Vice" and sports entertainment such as pro wrestling, "American Gladiators," "Car and Driver Television" and "Trucks!"
The network also carries an animated series featuring Pamela Anderson as the voice of Stan Lee's "Stripperella," an undercover agent who is also a stripper.
"I no longer believe that Viacom deliberately intended to trade on my name when naming Spike TV," Lee said in a joint statement with Viacom officials. "As an artist and a filmmaker, I feel that protection of freedom of expression is a critical value and I am concerned that my efforts to stop Viacom from using the Spike TV name could have the unintended consequence of threatening the First Amendment rights of Viacom and others."
During the hearing, TNN Vice President Kevin Kay said the network had lost millions of dollars since the injunction and stood to lose millions more if the ban continued.
Hecht declined to disclose how much money the network has lost during the protracted legal battle or whether any money was involved in the settlement. "It's been rough," he said.
"We have settled the case with Viacom," said one of Lee's lawyers, Terry Gross. He would not divulge details. "It's obviously good when parties settle."
"We are pleased to put aside our differences with such a highly respected and influential creative talent as Mr. Lee and we are delighted to have resolved this lawsuit with him," Viacom officials said in the joint statement.
Hecht said MTV planned to continue its working relationship with Lee and his wife, Tonya. Lee has done a film for MTV and his wife has produced spots for MTV-owned Nickelodeon.
While the case was pending, Lee was in Los Angeles filming "Sucker-Free City" for Showtime, a cable network owned by Viacom.
The judge ordered both sides to meet him in his courtroom Tuesday morning.
In September, Spike TV will premiere "The Joe Schmo Show," a spoof of reality shows in which only one contestant is legitimate. Everyone else on the show, from the host to the other players, are actors following a pre-determined outline.
Spike Lee and TNN settle, allowing network to call itself `Spike TV'
By SAMUEL MAULL
Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK --
Spike Lee and Viacom Inc. have settled a lawsuit the filmmaker filed to keep the media giant from calling its TNN cable television network "Spike TV."
"Spike TV lives," TNN President Albie Hecht said at the Television Critics Association summer gathering in Los Angeles. "We're really pleased about this settlement, that we have the use of our name. We always believed we had the right to use our name."
Lee had obtained a temporary injunction in June, preventing the name change, but on Monday state Supreme Court Justice Walter Tolub lifted the order after both sides reached the agreement
No details of the deal were available.
The ruling means Viacom, which also owns the CBS network and MTV, can proceed immediately with plans to rebrand TNN as Spike TV, the "first television network for men." Viacom said it was renaming TNN to attract more men to an audience already two-thirds male.
Hecht said the network would change its on-air name as soon as possible.
Lee, director of "Malcolm X" and "Do the Right Thing," got the injunction after claiming that Viacom was renaming TNN in a deliberate attempt to hijack his name, image and reputation.
Lee, whose real name is Shelton Jackson Lee, said he objected to being associated with lowbrow programming.
TNN broadcasts reruns of "The A-Team," "Baywatch" and "Miami Vice" and sports entertainment such as pro wrestling, "American Gladiators," "Car and Driver Television" and "Trucks!"
The network also carries an animated series featuring Pamela Anderson as the voice of Stan Lee's "Stripperella," an undercover agent who is also a stripper.
"I no longer believe that Viacom deliberately intended to trade on my name when naming Spike TV," Lee said in a joint statement with Viacom officials. "As an artist and a filmmaker, I feel that protection of freedom of expression is a critical value and I am concerned that my efforts to stop Viacom from using the Spike TV name could have the unintended consequence of threatening the First Amendment rights of Viacom and others."
During the hearing, TNN Vice President Kevin Kay said the network had lost millions of dollars since the injunction and stood to lose millions more if the ban continued.
Hecht declined to disclose how much money the network has lost during the protracted legal battle or whether any money was involved in the settlement. "It's been rough," he said.
"We have settled the case with Viacom," said one of Lee's lawyers, Terry Gross. He would not divulge details. "It's obviously good when parties settle."
"We are pleased to put aside our differences with such a highly respected and influential creative talent as Mr. Lee and we are delighted to have resolved this lawsuit with him," Viacom officials said in the joint statement.
Hecht said MTV planned to continue its working relationship with Lee and his wife, Tonya. Lee has done a film for MTV and his wife has produced spots for MTV-owned Nickelodeon.
While the case was pending, Lee was in Los Angeles filming "Sucker-Free City" for Showtime, a cable network owned by Viacom.
The judge ordered both sides to meet him in his courtroom Tuesday morning.
In September, Spike TV will premiere "The Joe Schmo Show," a spoof of reality shows in which only one contestant is legitimate. Everyone else on the show, from the host to the other players, are actors following a pre-determined outline.
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