With Injunction, SpikeTV Carries On

SpikeTV may have been derailed temporarily by a court injunction from filmmaker Spike Lee, but the Viacom channel isn't stopping its effort to reposition itself.

Lee sued in New York State Supreme Court and received a temporary injunction against Viacom's plans to rebrand TNN as Spike TV. After an announcement earlier this year and the unveiling of its logo at MTV Networks' big upfront presentation last month, TNN was scheduled to give way to Spike TV on Monday. But Viacom was forced to remove all mention of the name while it waits for a trial on the subject sometime this year. A spokeswoman said Tuesday that while the name is delayed, the plans for the network aren't. It will just continue as TNN until a decision is made by the court.

"We are continuing to move forward with our brand positioning as America's first network for men and will premiere our new programming," the spokeswoman said. That means plans are still go for a two-hour adult-oriented animation block called The Strip, which will begin to air as scheduled during the primetime hours of Thursday, June 26. It features Ren & Stimpy cartoons, a Kelsey Grammer animated vehicle called Gary the Rat and Stripperella, starring the voice and likeness of Pamela Anderson and written by Stan Lee.

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Other programming that had been planned to run in the new Spike TV will also go on as scheduled. That includes a June 30 special called The 100 Most Irresistible Women, the August premiere of Ride with Funkmaster Flex and the second season of SlamBall. The network's GQ Men of the Year Awards and the Video Game Awards will also run as scheduled.

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