Media & EntertainmentRSS

  • May 18, 2010

    Record Cos. Attack Defenses In 'Ellen' Copyright Suit

    UMG Recordings Inc. and its subsidiaries have asked a federal judge to strike affirmative defenses offered by Time Warner Inc. and the producers of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” in a suit accusing them of illegally playing sound recordings owned by UMG on the television show.

  • May 18, 2010

    Deadline Extension Granted In 'Rear Window' Spat

    A federal judge has given the copyright holders of the 1954 Alfred Hitchcock movie “Rear Window” more time to respond to a motion by director Steven Spielberg, Paramount Pictures Corp. and other movie studios seeking to dismiss claims that 2007's “Disturbia” is a knockoff of the earlier film.

  • May 18, 2010

    Lionsgate In Talks With Icahn

    In spite of recently introducing a poison pill provision to thwart billionaire investor Carl Icahn's efforts to take over the company, Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. says it is now in talks with Icahn to discuss ways to end the long-standing struggle for control.

  • May 18, 2010

    2nd Circ. Dresses Down Porn Memoir Copyright Claims

    A federal appeals court has affirmed the dismissal of a suit claiming that three book publishers and adult film star Heather Hunter ripped off an author's manuscript for Hunter's ghostwritten memoir “Insatiable: The Rise of a Porn Star.”

  • May 17, 2010

    Judge Won't Revisit Ruling That Tossed Milberg Suit

    A federal judge has declined to reconsider her April ruling dismissing a suit by casino developer Lakes Entertainment Inc. accusing Milberg LLP and several former partners of extorting $18 million to settle two securities class actions.

  • May 17, 2010

    Author Hits 'Avatar' Creators With Copyright Suit

    A California woman has sued filmmaker James Cameron, News Corp. subsidiary Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. and others, saying they stole elements of her book to create the blockbuster film “Avatar.”

  • May 17, 2010

    Icahn Continues Ch. 11 Fight With Donald Trump

    Billionaire investor Carl Icahn has decided to continue his fight with Donald Trump over the bankrupt casino company Trump Entertainment Resorts Inc., appealing an order that confirmed Trump's reorganization plan over his own.

  • May 17, 2010

    High Court Won't Hear Cablevision's 'Must Carry' Suit

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to take up Cablevision Systems Corp.'s challenge to an 18-year-old federal rule requiring cable television operators to carry local broadcast stations on their systems.

  • May 17, 2010

    Citadel Ch. 11 Restructuring Plan Wins Judge's Nod

    Citadel Broadcasting Corp. has won confirmation for a Chapter 11 reorganization plan despite stockholder Aurelius Capital Partners LP's efforts to show that the debtor had provided a lowball estimate of the company's value, curbing recovery for creditors and other parties.

  • May 17, 2010

    Casino Machine Co. IGT Gets Rival's Patent Suit Nixed

    International Gaming Technology has won its bid to toss rival electronic game maker Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty. Ltd.'s infringement suit over slot machine patents on the grounds that the defendant did not exercise complete authority over every step of the claimed method covered by the asserted patents.

  • May 14, 2010

    Lime Wire Loses Battle, But Record Cos. Losing War

    Last week's ruling that held Lime Wire LLC responsible for its users' illegal file-sharing was a significant win for the music industry, but the jury is still out on whether the decision will have any real impact on reducing online copyright infringement.

  • May 14, 2010

    DC Comics Sues Heirs' Atty In 'Superman' IP Suit

    DC Comics has sued the Los Angeles attorney who represented the heirs of now-deceased comic book authors in their bid to regain the rights to “Superman,” opening a new chapter in the long-standing feud over rights to the iconic superhero.

  • May 14, 2010

    Phila. Newspapers Inks Key Ch. 11 Deal, Ousts CEO

    Philadelphia Newspapers LLC said Friday it had worked out lingering disputes with its creditors and a group of lenders that offered a winning $139 million bid for the bankrupt publisher, paving the way for an exit from Chapter 11 with a new executive at the helm.

  • May 14, 2010

    Google Promises To Open Up In Face Of Italian Probe

    In an effort to end a nearly yearlong Italian antitrust investigation, Google Inc. has offered to amend certain contracts to increase the transparency of how revenues from Google-administered ads are shared with website operators.

  • May 14, 2010

    Insurer Loses Appeal Bid To Stay UMG Contract Case

    A federal appeals court has rejected American Home Assurance Co.'s challenge to a district court's decision not to stay a breach of contract case brought against the insurer by Vivendi SA subsidiary UMG Recordings Inc. pending arbitration.

  • May 14, 2010

    Judge Tosses $20M Pollution Suit Against Exxon, CBS

    A federal judge has again booted a lawsuit against Exxon Mobil Corp. and CBS Operations Inc. over pollution at the site of a former zinc smelting operation in Illinois.

  • May 14, 2010

    Lenders Fight Tribune's Latest Exclusivity Attempt

    Credit agreement lenders in the Tribune Co. bankruptcy are again fighting the media giant's request to extend its period of exclusivity for submitting a Chapter 11 plan of reorganization, saying another extension will be a waste of time and resources.

  • May 13, 2010

    Miramax Asks Court To Slay 'Kill Bill' Copyright Suit

    Miramax Film Corp. and the team behind Quentin Tarantino’s “Kill Bill” films have moved to dismiss a suit accusing Tarantino of copying characters and plotlines for the movies from a script developed by an inner-city teen.

  • May 13, 2010

    3M, News Corp. Want Final Ruling In Floor-Ads IP Case

    Both Cies Bisker LLC and the defendants in its patent infringement case over floor advertisements — 3M Co., FloorGraphics Inc. and two News Corp. units — are seeking a final judgment, which will allow Cies Bisker to appeal an unfavorable claim construction finding by the district court.

  • May 13, 2010

    'Soul Men' Suit Against MGM Survives Dismissal Bid

    A federal judge has declined to dismiss a lawsuit over the 2008 Weinstein brothers comedy “Soul Men” brought by the artist behind the 1967 song “Soul Man,” shooting down MGM Studios Inc.'s arguments that the film is protected by the First Amendment.