Court: Auto Ad Skipping Doesn't Violate Copyright

For some time, broadcasters have been suing Dish over their "Hopper" DVR and its ability to automatically skip commercials, broadcasters claiming that such a helpful feature violates their copyrights. The lawsuits have done nothing but make the broadcast industry look stupid and anti-consumer, CBS taking this notion to another level when they forced CBS-owned CNET to stop reviewing or giving awards to the technology. Unfortunately for those broadcasters, the Ninth Court of Appeals has ruled against broadcasters, declaring that skipping commercials does not violate copyright:

Click for full size
The key point in this case: skipping commercials is not copyright infringement. For years, Hollywood has tried to claim that skipping commercials is a form of copyright infringement. All the way back in 2002, a TV exec claimed that skipping commercials was a "theft" (even merely going to the bathroom during a commercial). A couple years later they even tried to get Congress to pass a law explicitly banning commercial skipping (sponsored by Orrin Hatch, of course). Without that, they've just been pretending that commercial skipping must be illegal. In court, the TV networks have argued that anything that hurts their business model must be illegal.

It should be noted that this loss by broadcasters doesn't end the fight -- the fight will still proceed toward a full trial.

It does however prevent broadcasters from getting an injunction that would prevent Dish from selling the Hopper DVR while the trial is ongoing. However, it's refreshing to see the court pay very clear respect toward the Betamax case (which declared time shifting was legal) and the Cablevision case (which declared network-stored DVRs aren't infringement because the end-user has the control).

Heck, I simply just stopped watching "commercial" TV completely. The number and length of commercials they expect you to sit through to watch the actual program that got your interest there in the first place is absolutely ridiculous. I just flat out refuse to be subjected to it. I guess they all forgot that the original selling point of cable TV services was that it was COMMERCIAL FREE, since you were paying for the service up front instead.

Of course, they forgot all about that little detail.

And evidently radio is the same way, as I tried to listen to a Rush Limbaugh show while Connie and I were driving up into town and after listening to a couple of 5 minute stretches of him talking interspersed with 10 minutes of commercials, I shut it off.

Seriously why do people put up with that crap? Since when did it become OK for advertisers to get right in your face, blocking the content you want, and refuse to get out of the way until they can deliver their pitch?

I havent played "their public propaganda" game in many years
"TV" and I just dont get along for reasons(primarily) mentioned above.
Not to mention the cost for the privilege to be fed such PC garbage

Other than news at supper time I rarely watch tv. I purchase a lot from Amazon for laptop screens, keyboards and other parts. Amazon prime is 80.00 a year with free 2 day shipping and you get Prime movies, tv shows and documentaries. Those are all ad free!