The US satellite broadcaster Dish Network has scored a legal victory for AutoHop, its device that allows viewers to skip commercials.
This follows a decision by the New York federal judge Laura Taylor Swain to deny ABC’s request for a preliminary injunction to stop Dish Network from offering AutoHop to its customers.
Commenting on the decision, R. Stanton Dodge, Dish executive VP and general counsel, said: “This decision is yet another victory for American consumers, and we are proud to have stood by their side in this important fight over the fundamental rights of consumer choice and control.
“This is the third federal court decision that has sided with Dish on consumers’ right to enjoy television as they want, when they want, including the right to skip commercials, if they so choose.”
However, the judge at the same time also dealt a blow against Dish Network by ruling that CBS could continue a fraudulent concealment claim against the platform.
This alleges that Dish Network did not inform CBS about AutoHop when the two companies entered into a contract in 2011.
Dish had around 14.014 million subscribers as of the end of Q2 this year.
