Another Court Ruling, Another Win for Hopper

14 Jul, 2014 By: Erik Gruenwedel

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Fox TV comes up short again trying to thwart Dish Network’s controversial Hopper DVR, which allows users to skip primetime commercials

Just another ho-hum day in court for Dish Network’s Hopper DVR as the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed a lower court’s September 2013 rejection of the Fox Broadcasting Co.’s efforts to bar Dish subscribers from using two place-shifting features.

The ruling is the fifth consecutive in favor of the satellite operator’s Hopper DVR, which allows users to skip commercials on recorded primetime content, in addition to other features.

Specifically, the features — Dish Anywhere and Hopper Transfers — give subscribers the capability to remotely view a TV signal from a connected device (mobile phone, tablet or PC), or move or duplicate certain recordings made by the customer to an iPad without an Internet connection.

Fox since 2011 has argued that the Hopper violates multichannel video program distribution retransmission agreements, in addition to intellectual copyrights.

“Dish is pleased that the court has sided again with consumer choice and control by rejecting Fox’s efforts to deny our customers access to the Hopper features. Last year, the Ninth Circuit also rejected Fox’s attempt to block customers from using the AutoHop and PrimeTime Anytime features. We will continue to vigorously defend consumers’ right to choice and control over their viewing experience,” said R. Stanton Dodge, EVP and general counsel, for Dish.

 

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