Tampa Radio: Judge Sets Nielsen-Bubba Clem Trial Date

Bubba Clem

Efforts to reach an out-of-court settlement in Nielsen’s $1 million ratings tampering lawsuit against Bubba The Love Sponge (Todd Clem) have hit a snag.

According to InsideRadio, a mediation conference between the two parties and their trial lawyers last week in Tampa have failed to produce even a partial resolution.

In light of that result, the conference will not be continued. Instead, a report signed by mediator F. Dennis Alvarez dated Friday, July 8, simply says, “The parties have reached an impasse.”

The judge has also granted Nielsen’s second request for a protective order to preserve the confidentiality of the “highly sensitive business documents” and info Clem has asked it to provide.

The two sides will square off in court on Jan. 3, 2017 for what will almost certainly be the radio industry’s most watched trial in years. Both parties have a July 27 deadline to disclose the expert witnesses they plan to call.