Negotiations progressed much faster after CBS pulled its channels from Dish Networks on Friday night. After 12 hours of no CBS broadcasts, the two companies agreed on a new contract early Saturday — one that prevents viewers from using Dish’s commercial-skipping AutoHop for the first week a show airs.
The agreement means that Sunday’s Broncos game is safe.
“We are very pleased with this deal, which meets all of our economic and strategic objectives,” said Ray Hopkins, president of television networks distribution for CBS Corp. “We look forward to having Dish as a valued partner for many years to come.”
After the first week, viewers of CBS programming can use AutoHop.
AutoHop is a controversial feature that spurred CBS to sue Dish. The litigation even impacted an award that Dish won at the annual Consumer Electronics Show last year. After CBS-owned CNET awarded Dish a “Best of Show” for its Hopper DVR, CNET revoked the award after pressure from parent CBS. The Consumer Electronics Association, which oversees the annual trade event, dropped CNET from the awards program and gave the award back to Dish.
The agreement includes dismissal of all pending litigation between the two firms.
