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CBS Broadcasting Inc. v. Edward Enterprises

WIPO Case No. D2000-0242

Outcome
Transfer
Domain names
cbs.net
Complainant
CBS Broadcasting Inc.
Respondent
Edward Enterprises
Panelist
M. Scott Donahey
Registrar
Network Solutions, Inc., based in Herndon, Virginia, United States of America
Decided
24 May 2000
Language
English

Source: WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center. Official copy: https://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/decisions/html/2000/d2000-0242.html

WIPO Arbitration

and Mediation Center

ADMINISTRATIVE PANEL DECISION

CBS Broadcasting Inc. vs. Edward Enterprises

Case No. D2000-0242

1. The Parties

1.1 The Complainant is CBS Broadcasting Inc., a corporation organized under

the laws of the State of New York, United States of America, having its principal

place of business at 51 West 52nd Street, New York, New York, United

States of America.

1.2 The Respondent is Edward Enterprises, an entity having an address at P.O.

Box 570131, Tarzana, California, United States of America.

2. The Domain Name(s) and Registrar(s)

The domain name at issue is <cbs.net>, which domain name is registered

with Network Solutions, Inc., based in Herndon, Virginia, United States of America.

3. Procedural History

3.1 A Complaint was submitted electronically to the World Intellectual Property

Organization Arbitration and Mediation Center (the "WIPO Center")

on March 31, 2000, and the signed original together with four copies was

received on April 13, 2000. An Acknowledgment of Receipt was sent by the

WIPO Center to the Complainant, dated April 6, 2000.

3.2 On April 6, 2000, a Request for Registrar Verification was transmitted

to the registrar, Network Solutions, Inc. ("NSI") requesting it to: (1) confirm

that the domain name at in issue is registered with NSI; (2) confirm that the

person identified as the Respondent is the current registrant of the domain

name; (3) provide the full contact details (i.e., postal address(es), telephone

number(s), facsimile number(s), e-mail address(es)) available in the registrar’s

Whois database for the registrant of the disputed domain name, the technical

contact, the administrative contact and the billing contact; (4) confirm

that the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the "Policy") is in

effect; (5) indicate the current status of the domain name.

3.3 On April 7, 2000, NSI confirmed by reply e-mail that the domain name <cbs.net>

is registered with NSI, is currently in active status, and that the Respondent,

Edward Enterprises, is the current registrant of the name. The registrar also

forwarded the requested Whois details, and confirmed that the Policy is in effect.

3.4 The WIPO Center determined that the Complaint satisfies the formal requirements

of the Policy, the Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the

"Uniform Rules") and the Supplemental Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute

Resolution Policy (the "Supplemental Rules"). The Panel has independently determined

and agrees with the assessment of the WIPO Center that the Complaint is in formal

compliance with the requirements of the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution

Policy, adopted by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers ("ICANN")

on August 26, 1999 (the "Policy"), the Uniform Rules, and the Supplemental

Rules. The required fees for a sole Panelist were paid on time and in the required

amount by the Complainant.

3.5 No formal deficiencies having been recorded, on April 10, 2000, a Notification

of Complaint and Commencement of Administrative Proceeding (the "Commencement

Notification") was transmitted to the Respondent (with copies to the Complainant,

NSI and ICANN), setting a deadline of April 29, 2000, by which the Respondent

could file a Response to the Complaint. The Commencement Notification was transmitted

to the Respondent by e-mail to the e-mail addresses indicated in the Complaint

and specified in NSI’s confirmation. In addition, the complaint was sent by

express courier to the postal address given. Having reviewed the communications

records in the case file, the Administrative Panel finds that the WIPO Center

has discharged its responsibility under Paragraph 2(a) of the Uniform Rules

"to employ reasonably available means calculated to achieve actual notice

to Respondent."

3.6 On May 1, 2000, not having received any response, the WIPO Center sent

the parties a formal Notification of Respondent Default.

3.7 On May 8, 2000, in view of the Complainant's designation of a single Panelist,

the WIPO Center appointed M. Scott Donahey to serve as sole Panelist.

4. Factual Background

4.1 Complainant registered the service mark "CBS" in connection with radio

and television broadcasting services with the United States Patent Office ("USPTO")

on July 9, 1968, for a period of 20 years, and renewed the application for an

additional 20-year period on July 9, 1988.

4.2 Complainant has used the CBS mark in connection with broadcasting services

since at least October 15, 1933.

4.3 Complainant has, over a period of some sixty-five years, expended substantial

sums of money advertising and promoting its services under the CBS mark.

4.4 On February 5, 1996, Respondent registered the domain name <cbs.net>.

4.5 To date, Respondent has not used the domain name to develop a web site.

4.6 Complainant has sent Respondent a letter requesting transfer of the domain

name at issue. Respondent did not respond to the request.

5. Parties’ Contentions

5.1 Complainant contends that Respondent has registered as a domain name a

mark which is identical to the service mark registered and used by Complainant,

that Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in respect to the domain

name at issue, and that Respondent has registered and is using the domain name

at issue in bad faith.

5.2 Respondent has not contested the allegations of the Complaint.

6. Discussion and Findings

6.1 Paragraph 15(a) of the Rules instructs the Panel as to the principles the

Panel is to use in determining the dispute: "A Panel shall decide a complaint

on the basis of the statements and documents submitted in accordance with the

Policy, these Rules, and any rules and principles of law that it deems applicable."

6.2 Since both the Complainant and Respondent are domiciled in the United States,

and since United States’ courts have recent experience with similar disputes,

to the extent that it would assist the Panel in determining whether the Complainant

has met its burden as established by Paragraph 4(a) of the Policy, the Panel

shall look to rules and principles of law set out in decisions of the courts

of the United States.

6.3 Paragraph 4(a) of the Policy directs that the Complainant must prove each

of the following:

1) that the domain name registered by the Respondent is identical or confusingly

similar to a trademark or service mark in which the Complainant has rights;

and,

2) that the Respondent has no legitimate interests in respect of the domain

name; and,

3) the domain name has been registered and is being used in bad faith.

6.4 It is clear that the domain name at issue <cbs.net> is identical

to the service mark in which the Complainant has rights.

6.5 Complainant has alleged and Respondent has failed to deny that Respondent

has no legitimate interests in respect of the domain name at issue. Alcoholics

Anonymous World Services, Inc. v. Raymond, WIPO Case No. D2000-007;

Bronson Plc v. Unimetal Sanayai ve Tic. A.S., WIPO Case No. D2000-0011.

6.6 Complainant's allegations fail to come within any of the four examples

of bad faith registration and use set out in Paragraph 4(b) of the Policy.

6.7 However, the Examples in Paragraph 4(b) are intended to be illustrative,

rather than exclusive. Telstra Corporation Limited v. Nuclear Marshmallows,

WIPO Case No. D2000-0003.

6.8 In Telstra it was established that "inaction" can constitute bad

faith use, and the Telstra decision has since been cited for that proposition

and followed by subsequent Panels. Ingersoll-Rand v. Frank Gully, d/b/a Advcomren,

WIPO Case No. D2000-0021; Guerlain, S.A. v.

Peikang, WIPO Case No. D2000-0055; Compaq

Computer Corp. v. Boris Beric, WIPO Case No. D2000-0042;

Association of British Travel Agents Ltd. v. Sterling Hotel Group Ltd.,

WIPO Case No. D2000-0086; Sanrio Co. Ltd. and

Sanrio, Inc. v. Lau, WIPO Case No. D2000-0172;

3636275 Canada, dba eResolution v. eResolution.com, WIPO

Case No. D2000-0110; Marconi Data Systems, Inc. v. IRG Coins and Ink

Source, Inc., WIPO Case No. D2000-0090; Stralfors

AB v. P D S AB, WIPO Case No. D2000-0112;

InfoSpace.com, Inc. v. Ofer, WIPO Case No.

D2000-0075.

6.9 Telstra established that whether "inaction" could constitute bad

faith registration and use could only be determined by analyzing the facts in

a given case.

6.10 In this case, the Panel finds that where (1) the mark is one that

is widely known in the United States, where Respondent purportedly resides,

and was widely known at the time Respondent registered the domain name at issue;

(2) Respondent gave no street address for itself or its Administrative

Contact in the information it supplied to the registrar; (3) Respondent

failed to respond to a letter from Complainant; and (4) Respondent failed

to Respond to the Complaint at issue or to deny any of its allegations, that

Respondent's inaction constitutes bad faith registration and use of the domain

name at issue.

7. Decision

For all of the foregoing reasons, the Panel decides that the domain name registered

by Respondent is identical to the service mark in which the Complainant has

rights, that the Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in respect

of the domain name at issue, and that the Respondent's domain name has been

registered and is being used in bad faith. Accordingly, pursuant to Paragraph

4,i of the Policy, the Panel requires that the registration of the domain name

<cbs.net> be transferred to the Complainant.

M. Scott Donahey

Panelist

Dated: May 24, 2000

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