ABC

U.S. District Judge Gary Feess has refused CBS’s request to block ABC’s new Glass House, which premiered Monday, and detailed his reasons in a 16-page ruling released Friday. CBS says it will continue to pursue the case and is seeking additional evidence from ABC and Glass House producers.

CBS hasn’t been able to get a judge to block ABC from airing The Glass House, a new reality show with more than a few similarities to the long-running Big Brother, so now it’s working on winning over the public and the press with humor.

ABC scored a victory — at least for now — in the lawsuit over its upcoming reality series Glass House. U.S. District Judge Gary Feess on Friday morning temporarily denied CBS’s request for a temporary restraining order against the series, which is scheduled to premiere Jan. 18.

Attorneys for ABC and CBS will appear this morning before U.S. District Judge Gary Feess to argue whetherABC’s new The Glass House should premiere as planned on Monday night, or be bumped from the schedule over copyright and trade secret concerns.

U.S. District Judge Gary Feess scheduled arguments for Friday morning, just days before ABC’s Glass House is scheduled to premiere on Monday night. CBS wants the show knocked from airwaves because it claims the new series violates its Big Brother copyrights.

The last of the upfront deals were being sewn up late tonight, as ABC joined CBS on the far side of the finish line. According to media buyers, ABC was able to command an average CPM increase of 7%. In accordance with what appears to be a market-defining trend, ABC’s dollar volume was flat versus a year ago, when it racked up some $2.5 billion in advance sponsor commitments.

On Tuesday, CBS submitted a new court filing that portrays its legal adversary of being short on the merits and inconsistent in making the case that Glass House isn’t a copycat of CBS’s long-running hit Big Brother.

ABC has fired back at CBS in the fight over the Big Brother-like reality show The Glass House, filing an opposition to CBS’s request for a temporary restraining order Monday night.

CBS included new allegations in a filing Thursday that asks a federal judge to block the June 18 premiere of ABC’s The Glass House. CBS claims the series copies heavily from its hit show Big Brother and relies on experience and techniques used on that long-running series.

Walt Disney Co, owner of the ABC broadcast network and a suite of cable channels, will stop accepting some junk food ads on TV programs, radio shows and websites aimed at children, according to sources with knowledge of the plan.

Movies, autos seek to grab important audiences but price hikes haven’t reached double-digit range yet.

“Even CBS must realize it cannot copyright the idea of 14 contestants living in a house rigged with cameras,” the ABC court papers argue.

With the recent success of Good Morning America, ABC is launching a p.m. spinoff as a summer experiment. The hour-long Good Afternoon America is scheduled for a nine-week run starting July 9.

ABC is one of those networks you look at and think, “Hey, they’re doing great.” Lots of people talking about their shows, old and new. Then the ratings rise up to disappoint.

With 10 new series, the female-skewing network is reinventing its soapy Sunday night and giving a new comedy the post-Modern Family slot.

The sitcom gets a 22-episode pickup for next season.

The network said today it will devote its entire primetime schedule to a three-hour special on June 15 with the daredevil Nik Wallenda’s attempt. Part of the show will be an examination of the greatest stunts of all time.

People who download and click onto the “Into Now” smartphone and tablet application during the May 16 and 23 showings of Revenge become eligible for a free summer trip to New York’s Hamptons beach area, where the drama’s story is based. ABC and Yahoo are trying to take advantage of the growing trend of multiscreen use, or people who spend time on their phones or iPads while the TV is on. Yahoo’s “Into Now” app tries to make all of that easier.

After ABC renewed the obvious suspects on the scripted side, it is their reality counterparts’ turn. The network has picked up for next season veteran Dancing With The Stars as well as rising star Shark Tank.

ABC has renewed seven series, including comedies Modern Family and The Middle, as well as its popular dramas Grey’s Anatomy and Castle.

Though ABC is in fourth place this season, it’s still had a relatively decent year. Its average is flat to last year among adults 18-49, and after years of struggling to launch successful new shows, it has a handful of first-year dramas and comedies with potential. But its main problem remains the same as last year. Its top shows are aging and need to be replaced or rejuvenated.

Cougar Town is very much on the bubble but a possible cancellation by ABC would not necessarily spell the end of the underrated comedy about a group of wine-loving friends. TBS has been in talks with Cougar Town producer ABC Studios about potentially picking up the series starring Courteney Cox if ABC ends up canceling it.

Looking to generate advertiser interest prior to the upfront, ABC said its full-episode app for Apple devices has passed the 5 million mark in downloads. That’s up from the 3 million that ABC told MediaPost it had surpassed less than six months ago.

The striking similarities between ABC’s recently announced summer reality series Glass House and CBS’ veteran Big Brother were not lost on CBS brass. Four days after ABC’s Glass House announcement, CBS has fired off a letter to ABC warning it that proceeding with the show will likely result in legal action.

In the vein of CBS’s Big Brother, the summer competition series launches June 18.

The NBA lockout delayed the opening of the playoffs by a few weeks, but that may be the only lingering effect of the five-month work stoppage. With the postseason beginning Saturday, the three NBA playoff carriers seem poised for very strong ratings after yet another record-setting season.

Two black men who said they were “lookin’ for love” and auditioned last summer for the popular ABC reality television show The Bachelor sued the network on Wednesday, saying they were rejected because of their race.

CBS commits to simulcasting the Dyle mobile DTV service at four of its O&Os and has given permission to five affiliates  to get on board.  ABC has given the go-ahead to its affiliates in Dallas and Orlando. In addition, NBC has given its affiliate in Austin, Texas, permission to air its signal on the condition that it uses Dyle’s conditional access. For all that’s going on at NAB 2012, click here.