August 20, 2001 11:10pm
Erotica Publisher Sues Oprah Winfrey Magazine
Source: Reuters
(BERLIN, GERMANY) -- A German publisher of erotica said on Monday he was suing for breach of copyright against a magazine devoted to U.S. talk show host Oprah Winfrey [http://Oprah.com].
In a New York court filing, Ronald Brockmeyer, publisher of O Magazine [http://O-Magazine.com] said that O, The Oprah Magazine [http://Oprah.com/omagazine], a title that regularly features Winfrey on the cover, had engaged in unfair competition and trademark infringement.
"I know that lawsuits are a burden on your life but I had no choice," the Essen-based Brockmeyer said in a statement. "O is my trademark. I built it up and protected it for years."
"The defendants knew about my rights but went ahead anyway and they refused to stop when I asked them to."
The German magazine features 100 pages without advertising with erotic photographs, including of women, scantily clad in shiny black, in a variety of poses. It sells for $12.95 in the United States.
The latest issue of O, The Oprah Magazine, focuses on improving friendships and losing weight with a friend and also features various tips from the television star. It offers a 12-issue subscription for $24.
The suit was lodged against the American magazine's publishers, the Hearst Corporation [http://HearstCorp.com] and Harpo Print LLC, and seeks an injunction against the further use of the term "O Magazine" and the "O" letter design.
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