American Idol creator Simon Fuller has sued the US TV network Fox, claiming some fees and credits for the US version of The X Factor.
Fuller charges the News Corp broadcasting company, and producers Fremantle Media North America of breaching a 2005 contract.
This is a precedent dispute in 2004 arising similarities between Fuller’s American Idol talent show and Cowell’s UK show, The X Factor.
Fuller sued Cowell for copyright infringement, over claims The X Factor copied the format of Fuller’s show, Pop Idol, the original forerunner to American Idol.
Fuller claims the case was settled in 2005, after it was agreed that X-Factor would not air in the United States until 2011 and that Fuller would be granted an
executive producer credit on Cowell’s show if it ever aired in the United States.
Fox and Fremantle however, insist that Fuller ‘has not been hired, nor performed any duties’ on the program. They believe that the claim by Fuller is ‘without merit and they expect to prevail.’
Fox broadcasts both American Idol and the US version of The X-Factor, and Fremantle Media is producing both shows.
“Despite the clear agreement to grant Fuller an executive producer credit and to pay him an executive producer fee, defendants have refused to honor their obligations and have further refused to negotiate in good faith,” Fuller’s current legal action states.
The legal action was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, after the relevant parties were unable to settle the matter privately, according to Fuller’s spokesman.
