Dish Network sued over ad zapper

Dish Network and the major television networks are turning up the volume in their fight over a feature that allows viewers to skip commercials at the touch of a button, CNET reports.

Fox filed a lawsuit last week in the US District Court, in Los Angeles, to stop Dish from transmitting the network's programmes in such a way that allows viewers to watch them without commercial interruptions. The lawsuit accuses Dish of copyright infringement and breach of contract.

According to Reuters, TV networks are upset that Dish, led by billionaire chairman Charles Ergen, would introduce the 'Auto Hop' feature that may well please viewers, but would undermine the networks' key source of revenue: advertising.

Dish introduced a high-definition DVR called the Hopper earlier this year and declined to say on Thursday how many of its subscribers are using the new device that contains the ad zapper.

The fight is over a subtle but key question: Whether TV distributors can cut out commercials on consumers' behalf, or if consumers hold that power alone with their fingers on the remote, USA Today writes.

Since 10 May, Dish has been advertising a digital video recorder service called 'Primetime Anytime' that gives consumers access to the last eight days' of prime-time programming from the four major broadcast networks - ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox - with the commercials stripped out.