Spike TV's Debut Not To Happen?

[Forgotten Sin]

Story By: Ben Johnson
June 12, 2003

It appears that the lawsuit Spike Lee filed against Spike TV (the newly reformatted TNN that's set to debut Monday) was a lot more serious than we thought.

Lee won a preliminary injunction, that could help him prevent TNN from changing its name to Spike TV (at least push it back from this Monday). Lee does have to post a $500,000 bond, however, and agree to cover all of Spike TV's court costs and fees if he loses the case.

Aside from the name, the judge also cited that it goes after the "irreverence and aggression" that he's known for.

We hope to have more details on this as soon as possible. If anyone watches TNN programming tonight or tomorrow and notices a change in the promotion (different debut date, etc) for Spike TV, let us know via email.

Shit... This could be weird...

[The_One]

I know..this is a little freaky.

[Jason]

If Lee ruins my chances of seeing new episodes of Ren and Stimpy I will be extremely pissed

[Monica]

It is suspose to be on today (the new logo). But I am guessing they haven't won anything yet to use the new logo.

I'll check in four hours when Raw comes on... until then, I'm not even turning on the TV.

[Rebel]

667 said in post # :
I'll check in four hours when Raw comes on... until then, I'm not even turning on the TV.

Well it still says TNN.

[Jason]

Originally posted by Rebel


Well it still says TNN.

I noticed that today when I was flipping through channels,they said the new shows will start on June 26th

[Forgotten Sin]

More news:
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Viacom Loses $16.8 Million in Spike TV Delay
Story By: Tracey Russell
June 17, 2003

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Media giant Viacom Inc.'s TNN network told an appeals court Tuesday it had lost nearly $17 million since film director Spike Lee last week blocked the cable channel from changing its name to "Spike TV."

The 46-year-old director of "Malcolm X," "25th Hour," and "Do the Right Thing," won a temporary injunction Thursday stopping the station's name change, saying he feared he would be erroneously associated with the network.

The cable network, seeking an immediate stay of the injunction, said Lee's action had cost it $16.8 million.

Cable operators were told not to switch the logo icon to Spike TV as planned because of the injunction, which caused "substantial confusion, expense and disruption," according to TNN lawyer Clara Kim.

Kim said losses could mount for the revised station. If it is not allowed to "relaunch," Kim said the company could lose in excess of $42 million.

Lee's lawyer, Johnnie Cochran, argued that a name change would cause the film director irreparable injury by associating "an acclaimed artist's name" with the "demeaning, vapid and quasi-pornographic content of 'Spike TV'".

The renaming of the network, which now shows reruns of programs such as "Star Trek," "Bay Watch," and "Miami Vice," was meant to coincide with a programming shift to include the racy animated series "Stripperella," featuring the voice of Pamela Anderson, "Gary the Rat," featuring the voice of actor Kelsey Grammer and "The Ren & Stimpy Adult Party Cartoon."
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[Forgotten Sin]

Johnnie Cochran?? uh-oh!