Fox, CBS, NBC Sue Dish Network Over Commercial Deleting Feature

I knew the second Dish Network unveiled in its commercial deleting Auto Hop feature that networks would be suing. This is the feature that would go in after recording prime-time TV shows shows on a Dish Network DVR and delete commercials so users didn't have to fast-forward. Network executives are already calling the feature an attack on the ecosystem foreshadowing the inevitable lawsuits.

Those lawsuits have now been filed by three of the major networks, including Fox, CBS, and NBCUniversal. The three major television networks all filed separate lawsuits against Dish Network over the Auto Hop service. In a bit of tit-for-tat, Dish has also filed suit against all four broadcast networks to get a declaration of the legality of its feature. Fox issued a statement that claims that the Dish Network Auto Hop feature has a "clear goal violating copyrights and destroying the fundamental underpinnings of the broadcast television ecosystem."

All three of the networks make the same basic claim that Auto Hop violates copyrights and modifies network television content in a way that is illegal. The only major studio not filing suit against Dish Network at this point is ABC. I have a feeling Dish Network will lose this suit considering courts have a tendency to side with Hollywood.

[via Hollywood Reporter]