Hi Bruce, In the December 2004 MAPS magazine the letter that Oliver Berliner wrote says that the French conglomerate, Thomson S. A., in 2003 acquired ownership of the trademark. Thomson announced it would no longer make use of it as the consumer electronics it made would be phased out due to Chinese competition so they will license the trademark selectively to "responsible and prestigious users", large and small. Berliner hinted it had been disclosed in confidence who would use it and said it had to do with radio and radios, and he felt very bad about it.
In 1988 GE left the consumer electronics manufacturing leasing to Thomson the right to manufacture under the HMV and RCA and even GE marques. Hidden in that contract was a clause that gave Thomson the ownership of the marques in 15 years. If it is the Chinese firms that take ownership you may see licensed HMV crap o phones in Wal-Mart. With regard to your second question, I doubt the current owner, Thomson, would know a crap o phone from a Auxetophone. Steve > Who currently has rights to the His Master's Voice, and Nipper Picture? > Have > they every tried to anything about the illegal use of the trademark and > name? > > Bruce
