The Inspiration Networks says it has no connection with Michael Jay Solomon's new venture, the broadband-based World Inspirational Network (WIN), and that it will fight any "unauthorized use of its registered trademarks."
In a statement released Friday (Dec. 10), Inspirational Networks said WIN had no legal right to the "Inspirational Network" name. “The Inspiration Networks has spent more than twenty years building and developing our distinctive ‘inspiration’ and ‘inspirational’ brands, which include our family of networks, programs, trademarks, and logos, and we will vigorously enforce our rights and oppose any individual or entity who attempts to infringe on them," said Dale Ardizzone, Inspiration Networks chief legal counsel, in the statement.
Solomon, former head of Telepictures (Dallas, Falcon Crest) and Warner Bros. International, and partner Luca Longobardi, described as an Italian financier, last month were pitching WIN as the next big thing in Christian content aggregation and delivery according to a release from press release distribution service Marketwire. WIN could not be reached for comment at press time.
WIN is billed as a subscription-based live Christian content streaming site that delivers sermons, family-friendly movies, concerts, documentaries and more, most of the content supplied by individual ministries, including content from Trinity, to computers, X-boxes and mobile devices, plus TV's via a wireless HD set-top.
"The time has come for technology to work on an unprecedented level for the kingdom of God," WIN says on a promotional video pitching the service to investors, particularly as a way to reach teens on topics from forgiveness and love to The Resurrection and the Rapture, says WIN. It also bills as a selling point that fact that content is searchable by individual topic so viewers can hone in on a topic "without having to watch a sermon in its entirety."
WIN also talks about the advantages to investors of low entry costs, including no plant or equipment expenses and no production cost, since it is aggregating content provided by individual ministries. WIN says the primary costs will be for outside marketing and staff.
Inspiration Networks already delivers Christian content on-air (including VOD) via satellite and cable carriage as well as online.
