Local radio station ZM has landed itself in hot water with a major American production company after launching a competition that was too close to the name of a US reality TV series.
Lawyers for Bravo Media sent ZM a cease and desist notice, saying the competition name was too similar to that of its popular US reality series The Real Housewives of Orange County.
The company warned ZM had infringed intellectual property rights, forcing the radio station to rename its contest.
The competition, which will continue under the new name "ZM's Ladies of New Zealand", will see four Kiwi women move into a luxury hotel suite for a week, where they will be filmed as part of a week-long reality series.
Entries for the competition opened 10 days ago and producers have been overwhelmed by the number of applicants.
ZM content director Sarah Gandy said: "It's great to see so many incredible people coming out of the woodwork, willing to show us how it's done. We have some VERY exciting applicants and can't wait to reveal our 4 next week".
- nzherald.co.nz
