Occupy Oakland copies Oakland Tribune logo, thinks it's free speech

BANG recently sent a cease-and-desist letter to the publisher of the "Occupied Oakland Tribune," which copies the Tribune's logo and its name.

http://www.insidebayarea.com/oakland-tribune/ci_19691729

The response from Occupied Oakland Tribune? Stop squelching our free speech!

http://occupiedoaktrib.org/2012/01/07/press-release-oot-refuses-to-give-in-to-intimidation-by-bang/

Give me a break...

 

Because newspaper employees are part of the wealthiest one percent and all ...

 

Well, perhaps not the journalists, but the Oakland Tribune is part of a larger corporation run by Dean Singleton, who, even if not literally part of the 1%, is certainly emblematic of the problem.

 

I'm going to bottle tap water, print out Coke labels, sell them for a buck a pop and call it free speech.

Although, I suppose I could just call it water and sell it for a buck a pop, too.

 

The other Occupiers should denounce this blog. It is counter productive.

 

This will not end well.

 

Satire and parody are both protected uses. And you can't say that a font as ubiquitous as Old English is in any way protected. So there are legitimate ways to argue this instance - although it's pretty obvious Occupy is infringing on something. Infringing on what exactly is the question.

 

I get that, but it seems like every minor setback or every time "the media" isn't covering Occupy 24/7, it's some sort of oppression from the one percent. It just makes me laugh that a newspaper is now the one percent.

 

Trademarks protect a product. No reasonable person would confuse the Oakland Trubune with an "Occupy" rag. Stupid move by the paper.

 

Since when does that matter? A lot of these occupy groups are fighting cops, homeless, people trying to get to work, and mom-and-pop shops, neither of who are in the 1 percent.

 

Oy.

 

From a PR perspective it's a stupid move. But from a legal perspective it's exactly what they must do in order to protect their brand. If you fail to enforce your trademark in a timely manner, you can lose your ability to enforce it later. The Oakland Tribune is right to send a cease and desist notice.