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WKRP on air in Cincinnati...in a different way

KML0224

KML0224

We now have WKRP-LP, low-power channel 38 in Cincinnati, under a new set of call letters it seems. I wonder what the people at WKRC-TV (CBS) channel 12 will think of this one? ::)

www.wkrp.tv
 
I wonder what the people at WKRC-TV (CBS) channel 12 will think of this one?

Not much, I guess. Often times stations protest (and win) the fcc against call letters that sound "too close."
 
I see that this station once had the call letters of WBQC-LP. Did it happen to stand for "Warner Brothers Queen City" at one time?
 
Was looking at their schedule on TitanTV Guide...it's somewhat decent. Kind of surprise they aren't affilicated with America One (since alot of indy stations are.)
 
I think their sister WOTH-LP is an A1 affiliate, thus why WBQC-LP (er, WKRP-LP) isn't.

- Trip
 
That's gotta be news to WKRP-LP channel 6 in Alexandria, TN. Those are their call letters, unless they've switched and the FCC website hasn't changed yet to reflect it. Channel 38 in Cincinnati still shows as WBQC-CA in the FCC database and on the TitanTV schedule.
 
I wouldn't be surprised to see them get a cease and desist from both FOX and WKRC, because it sounds to close, and those aren't even the real call letters. I'd expect this to be short lived.
 
mbatchelor said:
I wouldn't be surprised to see them get a cease and desist from both FOX and WKRC, because it sounds to close, and those aren't even the real call letters. I'd expect this to be short lived.
Click to expand...

Not to mention whoever owns Mary Tyler Moore's production company now (either News Corp. or Liberty Media).

In the early 1980's, a small AM radio station in Dallas, GA (a suburb of Atlanta) took the WKRP callsign. MTM productions protested with the FCC, but the FCC said MTM has no rights whatsover. The cast of the show was invited to the inaugural broadcast, but no one came.

The callsign changed to WDPC in 1989 and the format to religious. A search of FCC records (via fccinfo.com) shows the callsign has been used on a station in North Vernon, IN (1989-1997, now WJCP), a TV station in Charleston, WV (WKRP-TV from 1988-1998, now WDPX).

It sounds like to me an arrangement is being made to get the callsign from the other LPTV station. Apparently, this guy is trademarking the rights...which may put an end to all rerun showings and DVD sales of WKRP, as whoever owns the rights may fear a lawsuit (or they may sue the station owner preemptively).
 
jal41 said:
Apparently, this guy is trademarking the rights...which may put an end to all rerun showings and DVD sales of WKRP, as whoever owns the rights may fear a lawsuit (or they may sue the station owner preemptively).
Click to expand...

If taking "WKRP in Cincinnati" off the air is aim, in my opinion, his efforts to trademark WKRP will end up backfiring, as (1) chances are the name "WKRP in Cincinnati" has been trademarked by MTM, and (2) its usage would predate the trademark.
 
If I've got this right.......(and it's complicated)........

MTM was bought out by International Family Entertainment (an arm of CBN's Family Channel). Through various ownership changes, IFE should now be owned by Disney.
 
sshuffield70 said:
If I've got this right.......(and it's complicated)........

MTM was bought out by International Family Entertainment (an arm of CBN's Family Channel). Through various ownership changes, IFE should now be owned by Disney.
Click to expand...

According to Wikipedia, IFE along with MTM was sold to Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation in 1996. MTM ceased operations and was folded into 20th Century Fox Television.
 
Trivia: WKRP Dallas, GA the first song played on the station was The Little River Band's Lonesome Loser started at the wrong speed (for those that know what a record is).
 
azumanga said:
jal41 said:
Apparently, this guy is trademarking the rights...which may put an end to all rerun showings and DVD sales of WKRP, as whoever owns the rights may fear a lawsuit (or they may sue the station owner preemptively).
Click to expand...

If taking "WKRP in Cincinnati" off the air is aim, in my opinion, his efforts to trademark WKRP will end up backfiring, as (1) chances are the name "WKRP in Cincinnati" has been trademarked by MTM, and (2) its usage would predate the trademark.
Click to expand...

After looking at the web site again, he didn't copyright "WKRP in Cincinnati" he copyrighted "WKRP Cincinnati"... take a look

WKRP and WKRP Cincinnati are registered trademarks and owned by Block Broadcasting
Click to expand...

So, since the show is called WKRP in Cincinnati, there shouldn't be any bases for a lawsuit on copyright infringement. I'm just guessing, don't have a law degree, only a broadcasting degree.
 
I don't think 20th Century Fox has anything to fight. 'WKRP Cincinnati' will be the calls and promotional name of a real licensed TV station, while 'WKRP in Cincinnati' refers to the sitcom and the mostly fictional radio station of the same name--folks will know the difference.

Use of "WKRP" in any form of broadcast operation in Cincy was a no-brainer--you'd think someone would have tried it sooner. I'm not sure how MTM's lawsuit ever got off the ground back in the day, as they clearly had not legal right to stop an FCC licensed station from choosing those calls.
 
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