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Member, Beacon International Group, Ltd.
A judge in Florida has agreed to hear the case of a woman claiming to own the idea behind Oprah Winfrey’s OWN network.
U.S. District Court Judge Ursula Ungaro in the Southern District of Florida this week turned down a motion from lawyers representing Discovery Communications Inc. to dismiss a breach of contract suit filed against the company, which produces the network alongside Ms. Winfrey’s Harpo Productions Inc.
The plaintiff, Susan Kasi of Sunset Concepts I.P. Firm L.L.C., said she pitched an idea to Discovery executives for a similar channel to be called “Carefree TV” in 2003. In a complaint filed in June, Ms. Kasi said she noticed many similarities between her idea and OWN after it launched in 2011, including use of “footage of beautiful and inspiring places, guided imagery, meditation, music, art and philosophy.”
The judge’s ruling means things may be a bit less serene at OWN as the case proceeds.