Philadelphia Business Lawyers: Deal Reached between CBS and the Dish Network
Two major television programming providers, the CBS Corporation and the Dish Network Corporation, have reached a substantial deal for an undisclosed amount to provide CBS television programming to thousands of Dish Network subscribers. CBS had previously pulled its programming from the Dish Network in several major markets including New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Pittsburgh, Boston, Denver, Chicago and San Francisco.
This deal will end ongoing litigation between CBS and the Dish Network regarding the use of AutoHop (which allows viewers to skip commercials) and Primetime Anytime programming features. As a result of the deal, AutoHop will not be available for CBS programming during the “C7 window” which covers the period of time from the premiere of a show plus seven days. The Dish Network will have access to Showtime video on demand content, authentication rights for Showtime Anytime (giving digital access to Showtime content) and future distribution rights for Showtime Networks. Dish Network subscribers rely on CBS programming for coverage of high profile NCAA championship basketball and football games during this time of the year.
This is not the first instance of a network blackout faced by the Dish Network. This past November several Turner Broadcasting channels including TBS, CNN and the Cartoon Network, were unavailable to Dish Network subscribers. The Dish Network was able to successfully resolve its dispute with Turner Broadcasting to restore subscriber access to these channels as well.
Negotiating a business deal such as the one between CBS and the Dish Network can be a complicated process with legal implications for all involved parties. Attempting to negotiate a business deal without sound legal advice can have devastating consequences. With the assistance of an experienced business attorney, the rights and obligations of your company can be protected during the course of negotiating a business deal.
At the Law Offices of Sidkoff, Pincus & Green, our experienced Philadelphia business lawyers work with large and small businesses in closing business deals throughout the country to ensure that the legal rights of our clients are protected while placing them in the most advantageous negotiating position.
The Law Offices of Sidkoff, Pincus & Green are conveniently located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to serve clients throughout the Delaware Valley in business matters including intellectual property cases involving trademarks and copyrights. To schedule your free confidential consultation, call the Philadelphia business lawyers at the Law Offices of Sidkoff, Pincus & Green today at 215-574-0600 or contact us online.