Editing QVC (section)

====Legal hurdles and Comcast's exit====

In 1998, two former hosts filed a class-action lawsuit against QVC, claiming that they were discriminated against by the shopping channel based on their race. The lawsuit went on to state that QVC refused to allow non-white hosts any permanent daytime/primetime spots, which relegated them to the overnight hours, otherwise known as the "[[graveyard slot|graveyard shift]]." Because of this, the non-white hosts were paid considerably less than the white hosts.<ref>{{cite web |author=Sean Sexton |url=http://www.dmnews.com/lawsuit-alleges-pattern-of-racism-at-qvc/article/60890/ |title=Lawsuit Alleges Pattern of Racism at QVC – Direct Marketing News |publisher=Dmnews.com |access-date=3 February 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120724205949/http://www.dmnews.com/lawsuit-alleges-pattern-of-racism-at-qvc/article/60890/ |archive-date=July 24, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://articles.philly.com/2004-06-07/news/25369173_1_qvc-jack-comstock-q2 |title=QVC official denies any racism A suit contends Jack Comstock treated minorities badly. He told the jury about his criteria for hosts. - Philly.com |publisher=Articles.philly.com |date=7 June 2004 |access-date=3 February 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160430135645/http://articles.philly.com/2004-06-07/news/25369173_1_qvc-jack-comstock-q2 |archive-date=April 30, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On July 3, 2003, Comcast sold its majority share to [[Liberty Media]], which purchased the remaining 56.5% of QVC it didn't already own for $7.9 billion. Comcast, for which QVC was a financial asset, not a strategic one, continued to carry QVC for its 21 million cable subscribers.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ahrens |first1=Frank |title=Comcast Sells Its QVC Stake for $7.9 Billion |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/2003/07/04/comcast-sells-its-qvc-stake-for-79-billion/21abd8ca-da23-47a8-9b8d-7b885b8957e2/|access-date=25 April 2020|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=4 Jul 2003}}</ref>

On Wednesday, March 24, 2004, the [[Federal Trade Commission|FTC]] sued QVC over violating a June 2000 order barring the company from making misleading claims about dietary supplements.<ref>{{cite news |title=FTC Sues QVC Over Claims |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-mar-25-fi-qvc25-story.html |access-date=25 April 2020|newspaper=[[The Los Angeles Times]] |date=25 Mar 2004}}</ref> A March 2009 settlement with the FTC charged QVC with paying $6 million for consumer redress and a $1.5 million civil penalty and for QVC to discontinue the dietary supplements products.<ref>{{cite news |title=QVC to Pay $7.5 Million to Settle Charges that It Aired Deceptive Claims |url=https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2009/03/qvc-pay-75-million-settle-charges-it-aired-deceptive-claims |access-date=25 April 2020 |website=[[Federal Trade Commission]] |date=19 Mar 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191213155914/https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2009/03/qvc-pay-75-million-settle-charges-it-aired-deceptive-claims |archive-date=December 13, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=QVC Draws FTC Complaint for Diet Products |url=https://www.multichannel.com/news/qvc-draws-ftc-complaint-diet-products-270778|access-date=25 April 2020|publisher=Multichannel News|date=24 Mar 2004}}</ref>

In 2006, the U.S. District Court in Philadelphia settled a dispute between QVC and HSN over the use of the phrase "[[Christmas in July]]," QVC maintaining their use of it since 1987, and HSN claiming copyright on it in 2000.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cochrane |first1=Brian |title=Ho-ho-halt! |url=https://variety.com/2006/biz/news/ho-ho-halt-1200337200/ |access-date=25 April 2020 |publisher=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=25 Jun 2006 }}</ref>