Fox strikes back as Glee-free Cablevision subscribers file suit

It takes two sides of conduct a war of words, so it must be duly reported that News Corp. (Nasdaq: NWSA) doesn't think much of Cablevision's (NYSE: CVC) suggestion to show the World Series for free via the Internet, going so far as to say it violates the Copyright Act.

"The obscure provision of the Copyright Act that Cablevision cites is for boosting over-the-air signals to rural areas for reception with an antenna," News Corp. said. "We remind Cablevision that inducing others to violate the Copyright Act is in itself a violation of the law."

Speaking to the law, a group of Cablevision subscribers, miffed as missing such thought-provoking fare (as opposed to fair) as Fox News, Glee, The Simpsons and the thrill-a-minute New York Giants, are suing for damages because the MSO isn't discounting their monthly bills to reflect the loss.

Of course, since there's no straight path in this dispute, the Los Angeles Times reports that the attorney handling the $450 million (that's right, $450 million for Fox News!) suit is Todd J. Krouner, who admitted "I had the privilege to work on the project that led to the birth of the Fox television network." Since then, though, he's "had nothing to do with News Corp. or Fox TV"--except, of course, to sue their adversary.

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