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Source URL: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/al-gore-sued-current-tv-426420

Al Gore Sued Over Current TV Sale to AlJazeera (Exclusive)

4:52 PM PST 3/6/2013 by Eriq Gardner

A $5 million lawsuit claims Gore was "adamant" about notselling his network to oil-rich Qataris but had a "change ofheart," then stiffed the man who came up with the idea forthe deal.

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Current TV's $500 million sale to Al Jazeera has prompted a lawsuit that claims co-founder AlGore originally was opposed to the deal but had a "change of heart" on selling his cable networkto oil-rich Qataris.

The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in San Francisco Superior Court by John Terenzio, who presentshimself as a highly regarded media consultant, executive and TV producer who conceived the

ore Sued Over Current TV Sale to Al Jazeera (Exclusive) http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/prin

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idea for the distribution of an American version of Al Jazeera.

Now, Terenzio claims that he has been cut out of the lucrative deal.

Read the full lawsuit here [6].

Terenzio, who says in the suit he created China Central Television and reprogrammed it forAmerican audiences, alleges that in late 2011, he presented a proposal for Al Jazeera titled "Path

to U.S. Distribution" by Richard Nanula, a principal in Colony Capital. The purpose of thepresentation was to explore potential financing and joint venture partners for the project.

Terenzio says that in June, he identified Current TV as a potential acquisition target for AlJazeera given its vast distribution network and well-publicized financial woes.

At Terenzio's direction, Nanula is said to have approached Richard Blum, a member of Current'sboard of directors (and the husband of U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein), who was interestedbecause "he and other Current investors were concerned about the prospect of losing their shirtsin the financially troubled Current."

VIDEO: Jon Stewart Grills Al Gore on Current Sale to Al Jazeera [4]

Terenzio says he met Blum in July and presented "a step-by-step approach for making the saleof the liberal media outlet to Al Jazeera palatable to U.S. lawmakers, pro-Israel factions, cableoperators and, most importantly, the American public."

The lawsuit claims that the structure proposed and the strategies developed were the same onesdeveloped by Terenzio for CCTV and that there was a "mutual understanding that Terenzio wouldbe compensated if Current TV utilized his idea to consummate a sale to Al Jazeera."

The presentation was left with Blum to show other Current investors, according to the lawsuit.

Blum is said to have opined that Gore might find a transaction with Al Jazeera "politicallyunappealing" but that he would present it to the former U.S. vice president.

What happened next likely will generate much conversation given that Gore has made the mediarounds defending the sale. According to the lawsuit, "Plaintiffs are informed and believe thatGore was adamant in his rejection of the proposal to sell his liberal, environmentally friendlynetwork to the oil-rich Quataris who owned Al Jazeera. Apparently, Gore had a change of heart."

VIDEO: Al Gore Defends Current Sale to Al Jazeera, Dismisses Fossil Fuel HyopcricyCharges[7]

Terenzio said that without his knowledge or approval, and "notwithstanding Gore's originalobjection," Current was sold to Al Jazeera [8] on Jan. 2.

Indeed, in a series of media appearances to promote his book latest book, The Future, Gore hasdefended Al Jazeeras editorial independence from its patron, the royal family of Qatar, whichhas derived vast wealth from Middle Eastern oil. During a Jan. 29 interview with Matt Lauer onNBC's Today, Gore conceded that he understood the criticism but added: I disagree with it. Ithink Al Jazeera has, obviously, long since established itself as a really distinguished andeffective newsgathering organization. And by the way, its climate coverage has been far moreextensive and high-quality.


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Lauer pointed to a passage in Gores book that criticizes television newscasts for takingadvertising money from oil companies. Well, I get the criticism, Gore responded. I just disagreewith it, because this network has established itself. Its objective, its won major awards incountries around the world, and its climate coverage, as I said a moment ago, has beenoutstanding and extensive."

The plaintiff in the lawsuit says he has confirmed that the Current sale was "motivated byTerenzio's presentation and that the transaction was patterned on the structure proposed to

Blum."

Terenzio is suing for breach of implied agreement, unjust enrichment and quantum meruit("whatone has earned"). He's seeking $5 million for each cause of action. The lawsuit was filed byEllyn Garofalo at Liner Grode Stein Yankelevitz in San Francisco.

THRhas reached out to Current TV for comment and will update with a response.

E-mail: [email protected]; Twitter: @eriqgardner

Links:[1] http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/print/426420#disqus_thread[2] http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/al-gore-sued-current-tv-426420&media=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/blog_post_349_width/2013/03

/al_gore_headshot_a_p.jpg&description=Al Gore Sued Over Current TV Sale to Al Jazeera (Exclusive)[3] http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/al-gore-dogged-by-questions-417299

[4] http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/jon-stewart-grills-al-gore-417114[5] http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/analyst-al-jazeera-america-may-408599

[6] http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/sites/default/files/custom/Documents/ESQ/CurrentMedia.pdf[7] http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/al-gore-defends-current-sale-416462[8] http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/al-gores-current-tv-sold-407573


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