Norfolk woman files suit against NBC over idea for TV show

Posted to: News Norfolk TV

By Tim McGlone
The Virginian-Pilot
© May 23, 2008

NORFOLK

A local woman has filed a $30 million lawsuit against NBC, claiming the television network stole her idea for a show about caring for the elderly.

Cynthia Donn Tessler of Baldwin Avenue in Norfolk filed the suit Friday in U.S. District Court.

She said in the suit that between 2002 and 2004 she was in negotiations with NBC to develop a TV show called "Parenting Your Parent," a series exploring how adult children care for their elderly parents.

NBC initially promised her $750,000 to use the copyrighted materials she developed for the program, the suit says.

The collaboration "did not come to fruition," the suit says, and NBC executives told her they would not be using her work.

In 2007, NBC began airing a series called "Trading Places," which Tessler says contains, "in whole or in part," the material she developed for "Parenting Your Parent."

"Trading Places" runs on the NBC Nightly News and is featured on the MSNBC.com Web site.

NBC, which had not yet been served with the lawsuit, did not respond to phone and e-mail messages Friday.

Intellectual Property

Submitted by E.G. on Fri, 05/23/2008 at 6:23 pm.

Actually, this instance may come under the umbrella that covers "Intellectual Property", which broadly or specifically addresses the issue of 'ideas and concepts that flow into patents and copyrighted materials'. If Ms. Tessler was in negotiations and she was assured that her materials, meaning the written and discussed options, would not be used, and she can prove here that it did happen after all, then she just might have a case.

The collaboration “did not

Submitted by fergus on Fri, 05/23/2008 at 5:11 pm.

The collaboration “did not come to fruition,” the suit says, and NBC executives told her they would not be using her materials."

Obviously she didn't have just an idea in her head.She must have had something written down. Note the word MATERIALS.

greedy

Submitted by canyouspell on Fri, 05/23/2008 at 2:08 pm.

Wow, she filed a $30 MILLION dollar lawsuit with NBC over this..? I hope she has a good lawyer because i know NBC does.

Not much of a case here

Submitted by tvpirate05 on Fri, 05/23/2008 at 1:51 pm.

I wish her the best, but she might have a very difficult time proving that NBC stole her idea, since you can't copyright an idea. Script yes, but a concept? No...especially one as broad as that. Unfortunately, ideas get taken all the time.

Unless she has actual footage on tape, or maybe some scripts, the judge might throw this one out. All NBC has to do is re-pitch her idea, then put their own spin on it and they have a show.