C4 namesake fails to stop airing

A company with a similar name to TV station C4 tried in court yesterday to stop the channel airing the controversial South Park episode last night, fearing its name would be smeared.

C4, a sister station to TV3, is owned by CanWest.

C4 Productions, a television production company based in Wellington, is owned by Robert and Jill Hagen and Mr Hagen is the director, according to Companies Office records.

The New Zealand On Air website lists it as the producer of the Mobil Song Quest.

Mr Hagen did not return calls last night.

The head of the C4 station, Rick Friesen, said last night the production company failed in its bid in Wellington for a court injunction banning the broadcast of the South Park episode featuring a bleeding Virgin Mary statue.

"When C4 Television first went on the air and wanted to use the name we recognised C4 Productions had the name already. We reached agreement with them that the company use the name. We paid them a fee.

"Part of the contract was ... that we can't bring the name into disrepute."

The injunction bid suggested that showing the episode would breach that deal, Mr Friesen said.