Home | Site Index | Disclaimer | Email Me!

Issues in original lawsuit: trademark infringement
Discussed by Court: fair use

New Kids v News America, 971 F.2d 302

    • common law trademark infringement
    • Lanham Act false advertising
    • Lanham Act false designation of origin
    • Lanham Act unfair competition
    • state trade name infringement
    • commercial misappropriation
    • intentional interference with prospective economic advantage
    • First Amendment defense

Cause Of Action

PLAINTIFF: The New Kids on the Block, reputedly at the time, one of the hottest musical acts.

DEFENDANT : News America, two newspapers of national circulation, conducted separate polls of their readers seeking an answer to a pressing question: Which one of the New Kids is the most popular?

To vote, readers had to call a 900 number, for which they were charged a fee.

The two papers raised the First Amendment as a defense, on the theory that the polls were part and parcel of their "news-gathering activities." The district court granted summary judgment for defendants. New Kids appealed.

The Court of Appeals ruled in favor of News America.