Republic TV can use 'Nation Wants to Know' but not 'News Hour'

The Delhi High Court on Friday gave its ruling on the matter between Republic TV and Times Now linked to use of 'Nation Wants To Know' and 'News Hour' branding.

In its ruling, the court restrained Republic TV from using the trademark 'News Hour' but allowed it to use the tag line 'Nation Wants To Know'.

In its petition, the Benett Coleman & Co. -- the parent company of the channel Times Now -- had sought a permanent injunction against Arnab Goswami's ARG Media Outlier from using the marks 'News Hour' and 'Nation Wants to Know' or any other derivatives or combinations of the same.

The Times Group had contended that the 'News Hour' was registered in 2014 and the mark itself has been in use since 2006. Therefore, the plaintiff Group claimed statutory right over this trademark. As for the phrase 'Nation wants to know', Times Group claimed that the tagline 'was a product of the efforts of the editorial and marketing team' during the creative efforts undertaken for and on their behalf. 

The tagline was to be used during the debates and discussions conducted during the primetime program News Hour, which was anchored by Arnab Goswami up until his departure in November 2016.

According to 'Bar and Bench', Republic TV countered the claim saying that viewers of the two news channels are 'informed and literate' and cannot confuse the programmes aired on the two channels especially since the animosity between thew two is matter of public knowledge.

While the court found no merit in defendant's argument against distintiveness of the registered mark of 'News Hour', with regard to 'Nation Wants To Know' the court said the issue needs further examination of documents, Bar and Bench reported.

Reacting to the court ruling, Republic TV, in a statement, said: "We thank the people of India for standing by Arnab Goswami and his team to claim his right to use the phrase he once coined. The phrase itself is at the core of the founding philosophy of the Republic Media Network which puts the people of India first and above all at every step and juncture."

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