Project Runway leaving Bravo
Fashion competition reality series “Project Runway,” freshly honored with a Peabody Award, is planning to change homes - Bravo with rival cable network Lifetime, it was announced Monday.
“Project Runway,” hosted and executive produced by German supermodel Heidi Klum, intends to move from Bravo to Lifetime but it may be no smooth sailing. Lifetime announced Monday that TWC has signed a five-year deal with Bravo to take over the newly Peabody honored show as of November.
However, NBC and Bravo are opposed to the change. NBC, which owns Bravo, filed suit Monday in New York Supreme Court against “Project Runway” producer the Weinstein Co., asserting the company violated NBC and Bravo’s right of first refusal, reports Variety.
An NBC Universal insider told Variety: “They’ve been sold stolen goods.”
In a statement, NBC Universal said it rightfully owned future seasons of “Project Runway” and claimed the Weinstein Co. closed a deal with Lifetime before Bravo had the chance to match the offer.
“NBC Universal regrettably had no alternative but to bring legal action to enforce its rights to this program,” it said in a statement. The lawsuit calls the five-year contract between Lifetime and the Weinstein Co. an “invalid agreement.”
Lifetime is not named as a defendant.
The Weinstein Co. maintains that NBC Universal is trying to “win in court what [it] lost in the marketplace.”
“We believe that this lawsuit is without merit,” David Boies, an attorney lawyer for the Weinstein Co., said in a statement, as quoted by Variety.
Lifetime said November would bring “Project Runway’s” sixth season to the network. The show’s fourth season ended last month and a fifth season will apparently unroll on Bravo over the summer.
Heidi Klum, which has been hosting the fashion-oriented reality television series since its inception in 2004. She will continue as host on the Lifetime version, while Tim Gunn will continue as mentor to the designers.
“Project Runway” was announced among this year’s recipients of the Peabody award for excellence in radio and television broadcasting Wednesday, thus becoming the first reality television show to ever win the prestigious prize.
© 2007 - 2008 - eFluxMedia http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_Project_Runway_Says_Bravo_to_New_Home_16112.html
“Project Runway,” hosted and executive produced by German supermodel Heidi Klum, intends to move from Bravo to Lifetime but it may be no smooth sailing. Lifetime announced Monday that TWC has signed a five-year deal with Bravo to take over the newly Peabody honored show as of November.
However, NBC and Bravo are opposed to the change. NBC, which owns Bravo, filed suit Monday in New York Supreme Court against “Project Runway” producer the Weinstein Co., asserting the company violated NBC and Bravo’s right of first refusal, reports Variety.
An NBC Universal insider told Variety: “They’ve been sold stolen goods.”
In a statement, NBC Universal said it rightfully owned future seasons of “Project Runway” and claimed the Weinstein Co. closed a deal with Lifetime before Bravo had the chance to match the offer.
“NBC Universal regrettably had no alternative but to bring legal action to enforce its rights to this program,” it said in a statement. The lawsuit calls the five-year contract between Lifetime and the Weinstein Co. an “invalid agreement.”
Lifetime is not named as a defendant.
The Weinstein Co. maintains that NBC Universal is trying to “win in court what [it] lost in the marketplace.”
“We believe that this lawsuit is without merit,” David Boies, an attorney lawyer for the Weinstein Co., said in a statement, as quoted by Variety.
Lifetime said November would bring “Project Runway’s” sixth season to the network. The show’s fourth season ended last month and a fifth season will apparently unroll on Bravo over the summer.
Heidi Klum, which has been hosting the fashion-oriented reality television series since its inception in 2004. She will continue as host on the Lifetime version, while Tim Gunn will continue as mentor to the designers.
“Project Runway” was announced among this year’s recipients of the Peabody award for excellence in radio and television broadcasting Wednesday, thus becoming the first reality television show to ever win the prestigious prize.
© 2007 - 2008 - eFluxMedia http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_Project_Runway_Says_Bravo_to_New_Home_16112.html