Tag: Big Brother 14

Update: Judge Feess noted during the proceedings that “CBS has not convinced me that they will succeed in their copyright claims…CBS seeks to protect the idea of a show of contestants in a house where cameras are running…you can’t copyright that…. I don’t know if Glass House will have any effect on Big Brother… It will continue to go forward and be successful.” CBS Scott Edelman says ABC took CBS’s #1 summer show and copied it. Citing Wikipedia as a source showing other shows similar to Big Brother, the judged joked back and said he thought Big Brother was “just Survivor in a house.” Edelman argued, “The voyeuristic feel is the embodiment of the expression of Big Brother and found on both shows.” In regards to the deposition of producer Kenny Rosen, “We thought the record that was developed was extremely compelling,” Edelman said. “We clearly have violations of a [non-disclosure agreement] and violations of trade secrets.” The judge responded, “I am not persuaded the adult appetite of viewers for Big Brother (will change).” He went on with some personal comments, “I thought after one or two reality shows we would never see others. Audience fascination with these shows is well understood even if some of us can’t understand it.” Judge Feess also wanted to note that “The closer we get to nonfiction (programming), it’s more difficult to argue copyright infringement.” It seems networks can still attempt to sue for copyright infringment but that they shouldn’t expect a victory.

ABC has incurred a short-term victory. In the ongoing lawsuit that we have been keeping you updated on, early Friday morning, U.S. District Judge Gary Feess temporarily denied CBS’ request for a temporary restraining order against the ABC series. The Glass House, set to premiere Monday June 18 at 10/9c on ABC, will live on – at least for now. The hearing is still in session, as lawyers from both sides are arguing their points in front of the presiding judge.

Read as CBS Outlines how The Glass House is a Copycat

As we have been reporting, CBS claims that ABC and The Glass House contains private, confidential and copyrighted information from the reality summer hit, Big Brother. ABC denies these allegations, stating that the production values of The Glass House are not trade secrets and that Big Brother is actually a “stale” franchise.

This lawsuit has been clogging the internet since May. Fans of the CBS hit have been hinting at wanting live feeds for the behind the scenes battle in the lawsuit. Sadly, there is no such luck. While the Glass House premiere is just days away, Big Brother is set to hit airways July 12 at 9/8c on CBS! We, of course, are chatting up both shows and more in our FORUMS, so join us! Also, be sure to consider buying your Early Bird Superpass Feeds for Big Brother 14 through the Yak! It’d mean a lot!

Really, CBS? We’re going to get that detailed here? As we near the hearing tomorrow morning in the never-ending CBS v. ABC Big Brother/Glass House battle, CBS didn’t waste any time on Thursday releasing an eleven page document pointing out just how ABC has copied the CBS reality staple. Copyright expert, Jeff Rovin, reviewed Glass House footage from the past few days of live feeds and makes the case that the new ABC reality show is a copycat of CBS’s long running summer hit.

Read The Document (Provided by THR) Here

The claim mentions that everything from camera angles to “conversational pool/spa segments” to hair and set color to drapery and pillow colors is the same as Big Brother. In the document above, Rovin notes that “ABC and its creative team have introduced virtually nothing new in the way of staging, camera work, setting, narrative, wardrobe, or anything else that comprise the expression of Big Brother…Given all the possible expansions ABC could have introduced to the reality television genre, the producers clearly chose to replicate what CBS has spent more than a decade refining and perfecting.”

As we have been covering the live feeds in our YakkityYaks forums since they began two days ago, fans of Big Brother and viewers of The Glass House have been making comments on our site, Twitter and other social media sites. But the action behind the scenes has been much more provocative and entertaining that what we’re seeing on camera. While ABC has moved the cast in, started the game, continues to advertise and is set for a premiere on Monday night (at 10/9c), the ruling tomorrow might have other plans. As we previously reported, the judge is rule on whether or not a TRO will be in effect at CBS’s request.

In the document, Rovin has gone so far in comparing images of a blond woman from The Glass House and specifically Big Brother 10. “From the costuming to the hair color to the set color to the lighting, the look and feel of this clip from Big Brother ten is clearly indistinguishable from Glass House,” he noted about images taken from both shows.

Come tomorrow, we will have more concrete information regarding the fate of ABC’s The Glass House. Until then, we want to hear your thoughts on this whole case? What do you think of the moves CBS and ABC have taken in regards to this lawsuit? Are you tired of hearing about this case? Did you check out The Glass House feeds this week? Sound off below and in our FORUMS!