Grupo Televisa SA, the world’s largest Spanish-language broadcaster, filed a lawsuit against Univision Communications Inc. in Los Angeles Superior Court for the right to distribute its programming in the United States over the Internet.

The suit comes less than a month after Mexico City-based Televisa lost the bidding for Univision, the largest Spanish-language media company in the U.S. Univision’s board accepted a $12.3-billion offer by a group of private investors that includes billionaire media baron Haim Saban. The investors invited Televisa, which still holds an 11.4 percent stake in the company, to join them, but Televisa declined. Televisa has said that it intends to sell its stake in Univision and that it is seeking a ruling on whether its current agreement to provide programming to Univision prohibits the company from broadcasting the same programming over the Internet. Televisa provides much of Univision’s most profitable programming under a deal that continues through 2017.

Oxy Doubles Quarterly Dividend


Occidental Petroleum Corp. said it has increased its quarterly dividend 22 percent to 44 cents. The Los Angeles-based oil company also announced a two-for-one split of its common stock on Aug. 15 and a buyback for 20 million pre-split shares. The split will be distributed as a dividend of one stock for each share held and is payable Aug. 15 to shareholders of record on Aug. 1. The dividend is payable Oct. 15 to shareholders of record on Sept. 8, the company said.

Fox Atomic Picks Comics Publisher


Fox Atomic, the Santa Monica-based youth focused entertainment unit of Fox Filmed Entertainment, has formed a partnership with New York-based HarperCollins Publishers to publish and distribute branded graphic novels from Fox Atomic Comics. Four graphic novels are planned for release in 2007, with content tied to Fox Atomic theatrical releases as well as original content. HarperCollins, a News Corp. subsidiary, also said earlier this year that it was starting a plan to turn books into television series through an agreement with Fox TV Studios.

World Poker Tour Sued by Players


Seven of the best-known poker players in the U.S. sued WPT Enterprises Inc., operator of the World Poker Tour tournaments, accusing the company of persuading casinos to host only its televised events.

The suit was filed in a Los Angeles federal court and accuses the Los Angeles-based company of violating antitrust laws by conspiring with the casinos to eliminate competition for the players’ services and intellectual property. The lawsuit seeks to void contracts by plaintiffs Chris Ferguson, Joseph Hachem, Greg Raymer, Andrew Bloch, Annie Duke, Phil Gordon and Howard Lederer that gives the WPT rights to use their names and likenesses. WPT’s general counsel Adam Pliska called the suit an “unfounded attack without merit” and said that the company “plans to vigorously defend” its position.

Grill Concepts Opens Dallas Restaurant


Grill Concepts Inc. said it is opening up a flagship restaurant in Texas named “The Grill on the Alley” at the front entrance of the Dallas Galleria shopping complex. The Grill on the Alley in Dallas is the fifth of the company’s flagship restaurants to open. The first restaurant was opened in Beverly Hills in 1984 as has since spread to Virginia, Illinois, Texas, Oregon and Maryland. The Dallas Galleria recently completed a multi-million dollar redevelopment.

Advocacy Group Join Stem Cell Fray


Last week was a busy week in the stem cell world. President Bush pulled out his veto pen for the first time and nixed a federal stem cell funding bill while Gov. Schwarzenegger did exactly the opposite and approved a $150-million loan for the new California Institute for Regenerative Medicine research facility. Also, a Santa Monica-based consumer advocacy group has appealed to the U.S. Patent Office to revoke three patents held by a University of Wisconsin foundation that cover virtually all embryonic stem cell research.

IHOP Sets Expansion Plan


IHOP Corp. said that it has secured additional agreements with its franchisees to build as many as 26 new restaurants over the next 12 years. These agreements provide for the development of new IHOPs in the states of Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Vermont. Shares of the Glendale-based restaurant chain lost 3 percent in trading on Thursday and closed at $46.62.

Target Buys Local Mall Stores


Target Corp. has snatched up two L.A.-area stores owned by Cincinnati-based Federated Department Stores Inc. in a move to get into local malls. Minneapolis-based Target, whose stores have traditionally been stand-alone or major anchors at discount retailers, purchased a Macy’s location in the Westminster Mall and a Robinsons-May store in the Glendale Galleria. Details of the sales were not announced. Target also bought two other stores in Albuquerque, N.M. and Springfield, Pa. Federated said earlier this year that it plans on selling 80 stores total, all of which are in overlapping territories stemming from its purchase of May Co. last summer.

Commercial Vehicle Crackdown at LAX


An operation conducted last week at Los Angeles International Airport resulted in nine commercial ground transportation vehicles removed from service and 149 citations issued to drivers for mechanical and administrative violations. The four-hour operation, which utilized 60 representatives from the California Highway Patrol, Airport Police and other organizations, inspected various airport vehicles, from shuttle vans and buses to limousines. Last month, 477 taxis were inspected which resulted in 54 drivers receiving administrative citations for mechanical and equipment violations.

— ALLEN ROBERTS Jr., DEBORAH CROWE