Dish Network’s battle with the major TV broadcasters over the satellite firm’s new ad-skipping offering has moved into the courts.
On Thursday, Douglas County-based Dish sued the four major broadcast networks in federal court, asking for a “declaratory judgment” that a controversial ad-skipping feature on its new digital video recorder doesn’t infringe copyrights.
Also Thursday, one of the broadcasters, Fox, sued Dish, accusing it of violating copyright and license agreements by offering a service that allows consumers to view pre-recorded network programming without commercials.
Fox says in its suit that without commercials, the television business wouldn’t be viable. “Fox, like all major broadcast networks, is able to offer such copyrighted programming to the public for free over the airwaves because the production, exhibition, and licensing of programs is supported by commercial advertising,” the suit says. Wall Street Journal
