TNN gets 'OK' to go 'Spike'

Posted Tuesday, July 8, 2003 at 10:16 AM Central

by John Couture

Last month, Spike Lee took TNN to court over their planned use of the moniker "Spike TV," and forced them to delay their name change. Today, the director and Viacom, the media conglomerate who owns TNN, reached an agreement that will allow Spike TV to live.

Lee had argued in court documents that the TV network was trying to 'hijack' his image and use his name to sell their new programming. Spike TV purports to be the first channel to cater to men with masculine programming such as "American Gladiators" and adult-oriented cartoons. Ren & Stimpy and a new cartoon called "Stripperella," featuring Pamela Anderson as a stripper-turned-crime fighter, are two of the male themed cartoons that the network will carry.

Details of the agreement have not been made public.