or


[06/16/03 - 12:00 AM]
Spike Puts Spike on New TNN Name
By Brian Ford Sullivan (TFC)

CHICAGO (thefutoncritic.com) -- Today, Monday, June 16 was scheduled to be the date TNN officially changed its name to Spike TV. That's not the case after a ruling last week by the Supreme Court in Manhattan. The ruling was the result of a lawsuit brought against the Viacom-owned channel by filmmaker Spike Lee over the use of the name "Spike."

Lee alleged the network was using his name as a means to draw viewers to the channel without his consent. While normally such a suit would seem frivolous (and hence why it was not originally reported about here), the lawyers for Lee, including Johnnie Cochran Jr., have revealed some devastating evidence to back up their claims.

His team produced an interview with TNN's president Albie Hecht in the April 16 edition of the Philadelphia Inquirer which saw the network head giving Lee's claims some merit:

As for the Spike TV handle: "We were looking for a name that would reflect the attitude we wanted - smart, sexy, active, irreverent, slightly aggressive and unapologetically male," says Hecht. (We've got goosebumps!)

His role models: Spike the macho vamp in Buffy the Vampire Slayer; directors Spike Lee and Spike Jonze. As a verb, think spike a volleyball. "It's a cool spike. An aggressive spike," Hecht says.

Such revelations gave State Supreme Court Justice Walter Tolub reason enough to put an injunction on the channel from using the "Spike TV" name. He also ordered Lee to post a $500,000 bond to cover Viacom's costs in case the company prevails.

As of today all references of Spike TV have been removed from the network's official web site, leaving just a note about the change:

We told you we would be changing our name. Due to a New York State ruling we can't do that at this time. We are still going to be the First Network for Men. Stay tuned as we build and change.

TNN will simply revert to the "New TNN" tagline it had used previously for the time being. The channel has no plans to reschedule any of its programming, including "The Strip," a series of adult-oriented cartoons seen as the linchpin to the network's rebranding. The two-hour block bows on June 26.

The Supreme Court in Manhattan is currently scheduled to resume arguments from both parties on June 23.

For the complete article in the Philadelphia Inquirer, click here.

For more information on the legal merits of Spike Lee's allegations, visit Findlaw.com's article on this subject.





  [june 2003]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S


· SHOWATCH
(series past and present)
· DEVWATCH
(series in development)
· MOVIEWATCH
(tv movies and mini-series)





[11/04/24 - 04:01 PM]
Video: "Zombieverse 2: New Blood" - Official Trailer - Netflix
The groundbreaking K-zombie series returns bolder than ever, with enhanced zombies, new members and wilder quests full of non-stop thrills and laughter.

[11/04/24 - 02:01 PM]
"Outer Banks" Renewed for Fifth and Final Season Following Fan Celebrations at Poguelandia and Multi-Country Pogue Tour
The news comes two days after the second Poguelandia: An Outer Banks Experience, held November 2 at The Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California.

[11/04/24 - 01:31 PM]
Acorn TV's Hit Detective Crime Drama "Dalgliesh" Returns with All-New Episodes Monday, December 2
Season 3 is made up of three distinct mysteries, each two episodes long.

[11/04/24 - 12:01 PM]
NBC Unveils Lineup of New and Returning Beloved Holiday Programming
New programming for 2024 includes "Jimmy Fallon's Holiday Seasoning Spectacular" and "A Motown Christmas," hosted by Smokey Robinson and Halle Bailey.

[11/04/24 - 11:01 AM]
The Final Bell: Production Begins for the Third and Final Season of "Heartbreak High"
In Season 3, it's time for Hartley High's graduating class to say 'goodbye' to school, and 'hello' to adulthood!

[11/04/24 - 11:01 AM]
NBC's "The Voice" Taps Music Icon Sting and Multi-Hyphenate Jennifer Hudson as Season 26 Mega Mentors
Hudson joins Michael Bublé and Reba McEntire while Sting joins coaches Snoop Dogg and Gwen Stefani to mentor the remaining artists as each team prepares for the Knockouts, beginning Monday, November 11.

[11/04/24 - 10:31 AM]
Aussie Luke Hemsworth Joins the Cast of Prime Video's Global Hit Series "Deadloch" Season Two
Hemsworth will join lead cast members Kate Box, Madeleine Sami, Nina Oyama and Alicia Gardiner.

[11/04/24 - 08:32 AM]
Netflix Announces Release of the Documentary "Avicii - I'm Tim" and Avicii's Last Show from Ibiza's Ushuaia
The documentary "Avicii - I'm Tim" and "Avicii - My Last Show" will launch globally on Netflix on December 31.

[11/04/24 - 08:31 AM]
Video: "Countdown: Paul vs. Tyson" - Narrator Announcement, Sneak Peek & Key Art Debut
Ice T will narrate the three-part follow-doc leading up to the Netflix and MVP's heavyweight boxing mega-event.

[11/04/24 - 08:02 AM]
"La Liberacion" Will Premiere Exclusively on Prime Video on January 17
The unique series created and directed by noted filmmaker Alejandra Márquez Abella premieres January 17 on Prime Video.

[11/04/24 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey" - Official Trailer - Netflix
On December 26, 1996, John and Patsy Ramsey woke up the morning after a loving family Christmas to discover their youngest child, six-year-old JonBenét, was missing, a chilling ransom note left downstairs.

[11/04/24 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland" - Official Trailer - Hulu
St Nick (voiced by Gerard Butler) receives a delayed letter on Christmas Eve from the Princess of Hearts.

[11/03/24 - 07:30 PM]
Video: AMC Networks Releases a First Look at Season Three of "The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon"
Starring Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride as the beloved characters "Daryl Dixon" and "Carol Peletier," the new season is set to premiere in 2025 on AMC and AMC+.

[11/02/24 - 06:12 PM]
Video: "Outer Banks" Season 4 - Part 2 Official Trailer - Netflix
Buried secrets surface as the Pogues race to find a legendary artifact - with a dangerous gang of rival treasure hunters hot on their trail.

[11/01/24 - 03:15 PM]
ABC News Studios Announces "Price of Fame: The Liam Payne Story - A Special Edition of 20/20," Airing Nov. 3 at 10 P.M. EST on ABC
The one-hour special explores Liam Payne's meteoric rise to celebrity as a member of boy band One Direction and his personal journey, including his struggles with mental health and the pressures of stardom, as well as his efforts to reinvent himself as a solo artist.