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ARTICLE · 14 APRIL 2016

Serial: A Story Stopped Short By The USPTO

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Serial is an award-winning podcast narrated by journalist Sarah Koenig. It is a long-form story examining a criminal legal case.

United StatesIntellectual Property
Michelle Usitalo
Michelle Usitalo
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Serial is an award-winning podcast narrated by journalist Sarah Koenig. It is a long-form story examining a criminal legal case. Season 1 focused on the 1999 murder of Hae Min Lee and the resulting conviction of her former boyfriend, Adnan Syed. Season 1 was downloaded over 100 million times, and is even credited with creating a renaissance in podcast interest. Season 2, which concluded last week, was focused on Bowe Bergdahl, a soldier accused of desertion. Serial's website describes the podcast as a program that "tells one story...over the course of a season" and brings a new chapter each week.

Not surprisingly, Serial's producers applied to register Serial trademarks. In all, five applications were filed. One was on the standard character mark "SERIAL." Two were on a stylized "S" – one black-and-white and one in color. Likewise, there were two that spelled the word in slightly stylized form – once again, one black-and-white and one in color. Other than the "S"

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