Legal Fixation

"Bad Twin" and Broken Synergy

Fans of the show "Lost" are probably aware that one of the passengers on the doomed fictional flight was the author of a manuscript entitled "Bad Twin," and that said manuscript miraculously survived the crash. As part of its varied efforts at taking the Lost adventure beyond the television screen -- including mysterious websites and questionable ad partnerships -- ABC commissioned an author to write "Bad Twin." The network also suggested various clues he should incorporate into the book, presumably other books, music, etc., which they would eventually reference on the show. Unfortunately for ABC, the author didn't take those suggestions to heart, and instead inserted references to entirely different elements. Now the book has become a bestseller, and ABC has to decide if it wants to pony up the cash to get copyright clearances for those clues, or ignore them and risk the wrath of the Lost fanatics. Why these "suggestions" weren't contractual obligations I have no idea.

posted by Matthew Saunders @ 2:10 PM