Some of you may or may not be following this story.
Rupert Murdoch and his little cottage business called, FOX NEWS, is so hypersensitive that they actually sued Big, bad Al Franken over his new book's title.. Because it included "Fair and Balanced."
I would think that someone would have explained to the house that Rupert Murdoch built, that parody is protected in the united states.
But then this is a man who cancelled his first wife for a new 30 years younger model and makes tons of dough on the sleaziest programs ever conceived and then call elections early with Bush's Cousin at the helm and give us his fair and balanced reports.
anyway, here is the update in case anyone cares.
maybe the formers Mrs. Murdoch would be humored.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp...nguage=printer
"Fox charged that Franken had violated its trademarked phrase "fair and balanced" by including it on the cover of his book entitled "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them." Fox is owned by News Corp. and Penguin is a unit of Pearson . The book went on sale on Thursday.
"There are hard cases and there are easy cases. This is an easy case," said U.S. District Judge Denny Chin. "This case is wholly without merit both factually and legally."
"Parody is a form of artistic expression protected by the First Amendment. The keystone to parody is imitation. Mr. Franken is clearly mocking Fox," said Chin.
The judge said he thought it ironic that a media company that should be fighting to protect free speech would seek to undermine the First Amendment. He also said he thought the "fair and balanced" trademark is weak because the phrase is used so often.
Rupert Murdoch and his little cottage business called, FOX NEWS, is so hypersensitive that they actually sued Big, bad Al Franken over his new book's title.. Because it included "Fair and Balanced."
I would think that someone would have explained to the house that Rupert Murdoch built, that parody is protected in the united states.
But then this is a man who cancelled his first wife for a new 30 years younger model and makes tons of dough on the sleaziest programs ever conceived and then call elections early with Bush's Cousin at the helm and give us his fair and balanced reports.
anyway, here is the update in case anyone cares.
maybe the formers Mrs. Murdoch would be humored.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp...nguage=printer
"Fox charged that Franken had violated its trademarked phrase "fair and balanced" by including it on the cover of his book entitled "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them." Fox is owned by News Corp. and Penguin is a unit of Pearson . The book went on sale on Thursday.
"There are hard cases and there are easy cases. This is an easy case," said U.S. District Judge Denny Chin. "This case is wholly without merit both factually and legally."
"Parody is a form of artistic expression protected by the First Amendment. The keystone to parody is imitation. Mr. Franken is clearly mocking Fox," said Chin.
The judge said he thought it ironic that a media company that should be fighting to protect free speech would seek to undermine the First Amendment. He also said he thought the "fair and balanced" trademark is weak because the phrase is used so often.
T, HAPPY 2000 POSTS, TRABOT!!!
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