After fighting hard in federal court to keep "AutoHop" legal, Dish Network (NASDAQ: DISH) has effectively used the commercial-skipping DVR feature as a key bargaining chip in retrans talks with the networks that sued it.
CBS Corp. is the latest example, with Adweek reporting that AutoHop is no longer useable for CBS shows like The Big Bang Theory. CBS, meanwhile, has dropped its complaint over Dish's commercial-skipping technologies.
"The agreement will result in dismissal of all pending litigation between the two companies, including disputes over PrimeTime Anytime and AutoHop," CBS said in a statement. "As part of the accord, Dish's AutoHop commercial-skipping functionality will not be available for CBS Television Network-owned stations and affiliates during the C7 window."
Dish made a similar agreement in late-February amid its wide-ranging deal with The Walt Disney Company, agreeing to turn off AutoHop for ABC programming.
Following the long, arduous negotiations with CBS, Dish failed to secure over-the-top rights for its new streaming service.
According to Wells Fargo analyst Marci Ryvicker, CBS was seeking a bump in retrans fees from roughly $1.50 to $2.00 per subscriber, up from a previous level of 54 cents per sub. It is still unclear as to how much CBS ended up with.
For more:
- read this Adweek story
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