Erotica Mag Sues Oprah Over Trademark

Aug. 22, 2001 -- There's little chance of getting these two confused, but a German publisher of erotica is suing Oprah Winfrey's magazine, O, for breach of copyright.

In a New York court filing, Ronald Brockmeyer, publisher of the non-Oprah O Magazine, said that O, The Oprah Magazine, a publication that features the talk show queen on every single cover, had engaged in unfair competition and trademark infringement.

Two Very Different Os

Let's compare: The German magazine features 100 pages of erotic photographs, such as scantily clad women in a variety of poses. It sells for $12.95 in the United States. Meanwhile, the latest issue of O, The Oprah Magazine focuses on improving friendships and losing weight with a friend. It offers a 12-issue subscription for $24. At the very least, Oprah's magazine seems to have a better price.

In his statement, Brockmeyer said, "I know that lawsuits are a burden on your life but I had no choice. O is my trademark. I built it up and protected it for years. The defendants knew about my rights but went ahead anyway, and they refused to stop when I asked them to."

The suit was lodged against the American magazine's publishers, the Hearst Corporation and Harpo Print LLC, and seeks an injunction against the further use of the term "O Magazine" and the O letter design.

OK, we're not even going to bring up the upcoming Othello-in-high-school movie, also titled "O."

Reuters contributed to this story.