The Licensing Plate

CBS sues ABC, says new show copies “Big Brother”

CBS has sued rival ABC, accusing it of cloning its long-running U.S. summer series “Big Brother” with its new reality TV show, “The Glass House.”

Reuters (full article)

Glee Club TV Competition Shows in Copyright Infringement Dispute

What Fox’s “Glee” has wrought: Dutch broadcaster NCRV, the creator of “The Singing Office,” has accused the Canadian producer of “Canada Sings” ripping off its series’ format after selling the worldwide rights to Endemol.

The Hollywood Reporter (full article)

Why ‘Million Dollar Decorators’ Art Now Sits in a Lawyer’s Office

In July, photographer Michael Eastman brought a wild lawsuit against Warner Bros., NBC Universal and a celebrity interior decorator alleging that Bravo’s reality series Million Dollar Decorators infringed a copyright on a photograph by blowing it up really large and hanging it the living room of model/actress Daisy Fuentes.

The Hollywood Reporter (full article)

Warner Bros: we issued takedowns for files we never saw, didn’t own copyright to

In a Monday court filing, Warner Brothers admitted that it has issued takedown notices for files without looking at them first. The studio also acknowledged that it issued takedown notices for a number of URLs that its adversary, the locker site Hotfile, says were obviously not Warner Brothers’ content.

ars technica (full article)

Viacom Urges Second Circuit to Revive YouTube Suit

Viacom International and a host of content providers asked a federal appeals court yesterday to reverse a decision dooming their claim that YouTube is liable for $1 billion in damages for copyright infringement.

Law.com (full story)

As Cablevision Launches New App, Its Legal Battle With Viacom Heats Up

The “party line” from pay TV companies about iPad apps is clear now—it’s another television screen, not a new internet-based form of distribution. Some TV networks don’t care for that theory. Viacom has sued both Cablevision and Time Warner Cable over the issue. Cablevision’s new roll-out of its Optimum App to iPhones and iPod touches today—putting yet more content on more mobile devices—suggests this battle isn’t going to quiet down anytime soon.

paidContent.org (full story)

David Cassidy goes after ‘Partridge Family’ fortune

Cassidy told CNN that Sony Corp. has failed to pay him “a fortune” for what he’s owed for merchandise from the show.

“It’s just ludicrous and unfair and wrong. It’s greed,” the 61-year-old actor said.

CNN (full story)

Entourage Bosses Receive Cease And Desist From Reality Star

Entourage star Kevin Dillon portrays struggling actor Johnny Drama on the series and his character signs up to voice a gorilla cartoon called Johnny’s Bananas.

But the name of the animated show has landed TV bosses in trouble with former The Real World star Johnny Devananzio, who claims he owns the rights to his nickname Johnny Bananas.

contactmusic.com (full story)

The Wild Lawsuit Against Bravo’s ‘Million Dollar Decorators’

Photographer sues Warner Bros., Bravo owner NBC Universal and decorator Martyn Lawrence Bullard for allegedly blowing up a photo and using it on the show without permission.

The Hollywood Reporter (full story)

Simon Fuller Sues Fox Over ‘X Factor’

In a move escalating a long-standing rivalry between Simon Cowell and Simon Fuller, two of the most powerful television producers in England — and former partners in the success of “American Idol” — Mr. Fuller filed suit Wednesday in California against the Fox Broadcasting Company over the coming “Idol”-like singing competition show, “The X Factor.”

The New York Times (full story)

CBS Sues Writer of NBC’s ‘The Firm’ Claiming Show Was Stolen

A nasty legal fued has broken out over the upcoming TV series based on characters in John Grisham’s seminal legal thriller.

The Hollywood Reporter (full story)

‘South Park’ Bringing Cheesy Poofs to a Walmart Near You

In today’s defictionalization news, South Park‘s famous Cheesy Poofs will soon be available for public consumption to celebrate the 15th season of the show.

Adweek (full story)

‘South Park’ Wins Lawsuit Over ‘What What (In the Butt)’ Parody

A copyright infringement lawsuit against Viacom for stealing a YouTube viral phenomenon is dismissed.

The Hollywood Reporter (full story)

Happy Days actors accuse CBS of ‘despicable conduct’

Cast members of the hit television show “Happy Days,” who are suing CBS, accused the company of “despicable conduct” for not paying them for merchandising revenues.

The comment was made in court papers filed by the actors’ attorney in response to a claim by CBS that the case had no merit.

CNN (full story)

Gilbert Arenas ‘Basketball Wives’ Lawsuit: Breaking Down The Claims For Relief

The VH1 reality series Basketball Wives has stirred up a fair bit of controversy not only for the actions of the women involved, but also through a variety of lawsuits aimed at preventing some women from participating. Dwight Howard and Chris Bosh have sued or threatened to sue to prevent their ex’s from taking part in the show. This past week, Gilbert Arenas joined the fray as he filed suit against his ex-girlfriend Laura Govan and the production company responsible for the show. While the whole situation seems fairly ridiculous, Arenas’ lawsuit (PDF) could be the tipping point in ending the show.

SB Nation (full story)

Lawsuit Accusing CBS of Web Piracy Dropped

Alki David has dropped his lawsuit against CBS Interactive for offering P2P programs like Limewire on its subsidiary websites. But the legal dispute may not be over. In a notice of voluntary dismissal submitted to a California federal court, the plaintiff says he’s in the process of filing a much bigger amended lawsuit.

The Hollywood Reporter (full story)

Trademark dispute over groundhog Punxsutawney Phil settled

The trademark owners of the world’s most famous groundhog said on Wednesday they reached a settlement with a television network that used images of Punxsutawney Phil and Gobbler’s Knob in a Super Bowl ad.

Reuters (full story)

Viacom vs. Time Warner Cable: What the Pause in the iPad Lawsuit Means

On Wednesday, the two media giants filed a “standstill agreement” with a New York federal court. The move was made, according to a source who spoke to the Los Angeles Times, so that the companies could negotiate with each other without the time pressures that come with court-imposed deadlines for filings and hearings.

The Hollywood Reporter (full story)

Viacom Sues Cablevision Over iPad Streaming

If there was any optimism that content owners and distributors would come to resolution over streaming television on iPad devices, word that Viacom and Time Warner Cable are at the negotiating table has quickly been followed by news that Viacom is suing Cablevision over the same issue.

The Hollywood Reporter (full story)

NBA Star Chris Bosh Sued Over VH1′s ‘Basketball Wives’

Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh is being countersued by the mother of his child for getting in the way of a starring role on VH1‘s reality show Basketball Wives.

The Hollywood Reporter (full story)