NBC Sued Over Font License
Font Bureau seeking at least $2 million damages for unauthorized use of type fonts on Jay Leno and Saturday Night Live.
Lisa Cross, Senior Editor -- Graphic Arts Online, October 12, 2009
TOP STORY 2009
Font Bureau Inc., Boston,
is suing NBC Universal Inc. for $2 million, claiming trademark infringement for unauthorized use of three typefonts. Font Bureau alleges the broadcaster bought one software license yet widely distributed unauthorized copies of three fonts: Bureau
Grotesque, Interstate and Antenna. The type designs are used in such 
NBC Universal sued by Font Bureau, which alleges unauthorized use of fonts on Jay Leno and Saturday Night Live. Shown: Bureau Grotesque
highly visible programs as "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon," "Saturday Night Live," and "The Jay Leno Show."
The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.
The Software & Information Industry Assn. says the software industry loses $11 billion to $12 billion in annual revenue to software piracy. NBC Universal places the toll of unauthorized use of intellectual property even higher, noting at its site, "Digital piracy is about more than music and movies. It affects virtually every high-value, innovative, technologically advanced industry. Indeed, piracy and counterfeiting around the world is estimated to cost companies more than $600 billion a year."
Font Bureau was founded in 1989 by noted publications designer and consultant Roger Black and type designer David Berlow. Font Bureau has designed over 1,500 fonts for over 300 publications.
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Font licensing is NOT a simple issue.
Defending the use of unauthorized fonts on your Windows based systems is NOT an easy task.
Font EULA's are not easliy locatable or very well described in software EULA's.
Many fonts "arrive on your systems" from legitimate other sources and are not removed after those sources are removed.
The truth is that there is NO WAY of attributing that the fonts on your systems were legitimate or not when it comes to document files created under Windows.
Read more at
www.pcprofile.com/Font_Piracy_Defend_yourself.pdf
and www.pcprofile.com/What_The_Font.pdf
Both of these were written some time ago but the issues are still valid.
If you want to find out what fonts you have installed contact us direct.
Rob Harmer - 2009-13-10 07:21:45 EDT -
Whether we appreciate it or not, Fonts are protected under copyright law. They are the product of design work and possess commercial value. Believe me NBC knows that. I suspect there is a tremendous amount of copyright infringement when it comes to fonts used online and on mobile networks. Most organizations, do not keep track of when and where they got their license to the fonts. -- by internet copyright lawyer --- www.web20lawyer.com
lior leser - 2009-12-10 17:32:02 EDT -
Very interesting, especially when you consider how controlling NBC is over sites like YouTube and hulu hosting episodes and clips of their shows. Go ahead - TRY to find a full SaturdayNight Live episode or archive clip on the Internet.
hollie - 2009-12-10 17:17:03 EDT -
One would assume 'Entertainment Weekly' is using it legally... since it's the main font they use?
popcollin - 2009-12-10 16:19:18 EDT
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