Cromwell to Clear Channel: Buzz off

[Lakeboy]

Billboard Radio Monitor reports this today...

Cromwell, Clear Channel Settle Over Buzz Trademark
Dec. 12, 2005
By Chuck Taylor


Clear Channel has lost its buzz—or at least it’s going to have to pay to keep it in the future.

In a lawsuit filed by competitor the Cromwell Group, the two companies have settled a federal trademark infringement lawsuit filed in June of 2004, stating that Cromwell has a copyright on the “Buzz” moniker for radio stations.

In accordance with the terms of the agreement, Clear Channel will license from Cromwell the right to utilize “Buzz” in specified markets, including Houston where it owns KTBZ (the Buzz). Cromwell has previously licensed the Buzz to other companies, including Entercom, Regent and Cumulus.

Cromwell president Bayard Walters cautioned that the company plans to continue protecting the Buzz trademark and encourages any stations that may currently be utilizing Buzz without a license to be proactive in contacting the company.

Cromwell Group and its affiliates operate 22 radio stations in Nashville, Tenn, Owensboro, Ky., Tell City, Ind., Decatur, Ill., Mattoon/Effingham, Ill., and surrounding areas.

 

[jetfli]

> In a lawsuit filed by competitor the Cromwell Group, the two
> companies have settled a federal trademark infringement
> lawsuit filed in June of 2004, stating that Cromwell has a
> copyright on the “Buzz” moniker for radio stations.

The GOOD: Little guy wins. Congrats to Cromwell for stepping up to take on the Goliath.

The BAD: Now a rash of radio companies may start copyrighting buzzwords.

The WORSE: Those folks over at Cromwell are going to be incorrigible for some time to come (grumble, grumble).

The HOPE for the future: Maybe this bodes well for that other local little guy in a lawsuit, Southern Wabash.

 

[NotSoSilentBob]

> > In a lawsuit filed by competitor the Cromwell Group, the
> two
> > companies have settled a federal trademark infringement
> > lawsuit filed in June of 2004, stating that Cromwell has a
>
> > copyright on the “Buzz” moniker for radio stations.
>
> The GOOD: Little guy wins. Congrats to Cromwell for stepping
> up to take on the Goliath.
>
> The BAD: Now a rash of radio companies may start
> copyrighting buzzwords.
>
> The WORSE: Those folks over at Cromwell are going to be
> incorrigible for some time to come (grumble, grumble).
>
> The HOPE for the future: Maybe this bodes well for that
> other local little guy in a lawsuit, Southern Wabash.
>

Jetfli,

On behalf of The Cromwell Group, I hereby issue you a cease-and-desist for your use of the term "buzzwords" in the previous post. This is a clear violation of Cromwell's trademark on the word "Buzz". Please edit your post accordingly.<P ID="signature">______________
Bob
Moderator, Nashville board
Radio-Info.com--Always Tuned In

"I don't spread rumors, but I sometimes make outrageous speculations with no factual basis."</P>

 

[romer979fm]

> On behalf of The Cromwell Group, I hereby issue you a
> cease-and-desist for your use of the term "buzzwords" in the
> previous post. This is a clear violation of Cromwell's
> trademark on the word "Buzz". Please edit your post
> accordingly.
>
and "1000 monkeys with 1000 laptops (udpated from 'typewriters')
will produce the complete works of Shakespeare in 1000 years."

or "even a blind squirrel finds a nut every now and then"<P ID="signature">______________
but wait...there's more!</P>

 

[tibbs]

> > On behalf of The Cromwell Group, I hereby issue you a
> > cease-and-desist for your use of the term "buzzwords" in
> the
> > previous post. This is a clear violation of Cromwell's
> > trademark on the word "Buzz". Please edit your post
> > accordingly.
> >
> and "1000 monkeys with 1000 laptops (udpated from
> 'typewriters')
> will produce the complete works of Shakespeare in 1000
> years."
>
> or "even a blind squirrel finds a nut every now and then"
>

If Cromwell instead had put that energy into
making their stations competitive, we all
would have won. Does this mean they can use
the Buzz without the Rocks? Does anybody
listen or care? I wonder if this is the
end of the lawsuit or will CC push on for
an appeal? I wish they had lost the right to
the name Venus.

 

[RadioRob]

Since the establishment of this legal president, how are non-engineering types suppose to describe a ground loop problem? I’ll ponder that while sipping on a Budweiser and enjoy a nice beer bu…..DAMN YOU BUD WALTERS!<P ID="signature">______________
The radio business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side.</P>