NBC Not Happy About Dish Network Auto Hop

Last week, we mentioned a new and interesting feature that Dish Network added to some of its DVRs. The new feature is called Auto Hop and would go in on certain shows and automatically delete the commercials. The feature did have caveats such as only working on prime time programming for the four big broadcast networks.

When I first heard of this new feature, I knew that the backlash from television studios would be quick. NBC Broadcasting Chairman Ted Harbert has now come out and said that he is against Auto Hop. Harbert describes the feature as "an attack on our ecosystem." Harbert didn't specify if NBC or its parent company was going to be filing suit against Dish Network over the new feature.

I think lawsuits against Dish Network are inevitable. The Auto Hop feature goes in after a program is recorded and completely deletes the commercials splicing the program together for uninterrupted watching. Dish Network's interesting new feature doesn't work on all programming, for instance, prime time sporting events can't have commercials blocked.

"I think this is an attack on our eco-system," Harbert said on NBC's conference call announcing the network's 2012-13 prime-time schedule. "I'm not for it."

[via LA Times]