Maybe the defunct Medford Mail Tribune does not have "dibs" on it.
A new newspaper wants to use the name Rogue Valley Tribune. I have heard that the owner of the now-gone Medford Mail Tribune said "no." The name "Tribune" still belongs to them, he said.
Maybe not.
For my entire lifetime the local paper has been called "The Trib" in casual speech. I suspect that using the name Tribune has some value to a new paper hoping to establish a readership and subscriber base.
I got this letter from a local attorney:
Nice post by Jack Mullen, sharing his memories about the old Mail Tribune, and his wish that the new Rogue Valley Tribune could use the name "Tribune."
I will observe that the new RVTribune could probably now use the name Mail Tribune, because the old Medford Mail Tribune has apparently abandoned use of that tradename by announcing that it has ceasing doing business in all forms (electronic and otherwise). I will also observe that I this morning checked the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) “TESS” database, and I found that there is no record of the name Mail Tribune or Medford Mail Tribune ever having been formally registered with the PTO. That means at most that only common law trademark rights are held by the former MMT, and as they appear to have abandoned use of the name Mail Tribune. The new RVTribune owners might check with their trademark counsel to obtain confirmation that the abandonment is complete and that therefore the RVT might can now use the old name if it chooses to do so.”
Conde Cox
Law Office of Conde Cox
P. O. Box 1379
Ashland, OR 97520
Direct Office Phone (541) 944-7788
Email: conde@lawofficeofcondecox.com
“Oregon Super Lawyer,” Business Bankruptcy
“Best Lawyers in America,” Bankruptcy, Creditor-Debtor Rights, Insolvency and Reorganization
“AV Rated,” Martindale Hubbell
President, Federal Bar Association—Oregon Chapter (2022-2023)
5 comments:
It sounds like we're talking at cross purposes. Saslow may own the rights to the name 'Mail Tribune', but nobody owns the rights to the word 'Tribune'. Many newspapers use that name, including the Oakland Tribune that Mr. Mullen mentioned working for. I don't see how the name 'Rogue Valley Tribune' would infringe on anybody's copyright.
The issue will probably have to be settled in a tribunal.
I don't get why Saslow would even care, he sure didn't care about saving the MT, any more than any of the other vultures did.
If M&M candies stopped making candy, would they still own the name M&M? (I say yes).
Hostess stopped making Twinkies, but they still owned the name "Twinkies". Hostess sold the "Twinkies" name to a different pastry manufacturer, who now makes Twinkies in their factory.
It doesn't matter if Steve Saslow stopped publishing the Mail Tribune. He still owns the name, and particularly the "Tribune" name for local use. There's a Chicago Tribune, and you could have a Portland or Eugene Tribune, but as it relates to the Rogue Valley market, Saslow controls the "Tribune" name as it relates to publishing. The Hayseeds from Redmond think that they can come into this market and steal Saslow's asset, but I think that Saslow would prevail in court if it got to that.
Unless Anonymous is an undisclosed Trademark Attorney, I believe I'll pay more attention to Conde Cox.
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