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Fox Refuses Ads for Service to, Well, Kill Ads

Dish Network's Hopper can automatically skip commercials

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted May 17, 2012 12:26 PM CDT

(Newser) – How awesome would it be if your DVR automatically skipped commercials on shows recorded off the major networks? Probably not very awesome if you were one of those same networks, which is why they're outraged over the Dish Network's upcoming "Hopper," which, Dish announced last week, would be able to do just that with its "Auto Hop" feature. Fox released a statement today saying it would no longer accept ads for Hopper, and other networks have publicly expressed displeasure as well.

"How does Charlie Ergen expect me to produce CSI without ads?" CBS chief Les Moonves groused yesterday, according to the New York Times. Earlier this week, NBC boss Ted Harbert called it an insult to the industry. "Just because technology gives you the ability to do something, does that mean you should?" he asked. If those networks follow Fox's lead, it could be a problem for Dish, which was planning to triple its normal marketing spending to promote Hopper, the Wall Street Journal reports.

In this Feb. 23, 2011 file photo, three Dish Network satellite dishes, are displayed on an apartment house, in Palo Alto, Calif.
In this Feb. 23, 2011 file photo, three Dish Network satellite dishes, are displayed on an apartment house, in Palo Alto, Calif.   (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 45 comments
troy705
Jan 15, 2013 8:52 AM CST
Too many commercials are ruining tv. Tried watching a old Alf program with the grandkids on Hub network and only got half a show and half commercials.
Major7
May 17, 2012 6:55 PM CDT
This 'service' will accelerate a trend already in motion - product placement in the content.  It's popular in movies and TV already.  Look at the show "Burn Notice".  It's a rolling add for Cadillac, Hyundai and Miller 64. The star even describes the Hyundai in his narrative.  Look at the Transformers Movies.  A two hour long GM commercial. In the future, you won't be able to skip commercials.  It will all be one big commercial.
trailmix
May 17, 2012 6:20 PM CDT
Fox news is killing jobs, 50,000 jobs would be created by Hopper, but Fox News wants to stand in the way.
 

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