# Cable news hosts reusing show names after moves **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 28, 2011, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-news-hosts-reusing-show-names-after-moves/597915 "2011-09-28T19:11:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![hoenikker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hoenikker/32/7296_2.png) [@hoenikker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hoenikker)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2011, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-news-hosts-reusing-show-names-after-moves/597915/1 "2011-09-28T19:11:17Z")
It might not be possible for anyone who isn’t an insider to answer this, but just in case, does anyone know what the deal is with cable news hosts moving networks and keeping their show names? Example: Keith Olbermann reused the “Countdown…” name after moving from MSNBC to Current TV, and Lou Dobb’s new show on Fox Business News is the same as his old one on CNN. Do these guys own their own production companies that retain the rights to their show names? Did they buy the rights from their old networks? Or are the names not legally protected to begin with? Anyone know? ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2011, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-news-hosts-reusing-show-names-after-moves/597915/2 "2011-09-28T20:28:43Z")
When Letterman moved to CBS, he wanted to name the show _Late Night_ but NBC refused, so in that case, the network did own the name. And when the ABC series _Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell_ was canceled, they agreed to let _NBC’s Saturday Night_ pick up the name. \*Lou Dobbs Tonight \*may be too generic a name to protect. So in the case of _Countdown_ I suspect MSNBC didn’t want to reuse the name, so Olbermann was able to negotiate for it in his separation agreement. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2011, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-news-hosts-reusing-show-names-after-moves/597915/3 "2011-09-28T20:37:53Z")
This should probably be moved to Cafe Society…