Court Sides with DISH on Hopper DVR Ruling

ENGLEWOOD: The United States Court of Appeals has upheld a previous ruling that rejects the Fox Broadcasting Company’s efforts to ban DISH subscribers from using ad-skipping and automatic recording features on the Hopper Whole-Home HD DVR.

The issue is with the PrimeTime Anytime feature that allows consumers to record prime-time shows from each of the four broadcast networks: ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX. The issue also concerns the AutoHop feature, which allows consumers to playback PrimeTime Anytime feature without commercials.

"DISH is pleased that the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed the district court’s 2012 order denying Fox’s preliminary injunction motion," said R. Stanton Dodge, DISH’s executive VP and general counsel. "In so doing, the courts continue to reject Fox’s efforts to deny our customers’ access to PrimeTime Anytime and AutoHop—key features of the Hopper Whole-Home HD DVR.

"This decision is a 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."