The Consumer Electronics Association has made no secret of
its support for Dish in its battle with some broadcast networks over The Hopper
and its automatic ad-skipping feature.
Late Wednesday, in response to discussions of the technology
at a Future of Video hearing in the House Communications Subcommittee, CEA
senior VP, government affairs, Michael Petricone called the AutoHop a
"pro-consumer advancement that allows us all to fast-forward through
commercials and makes time-shifting viewing even easier...We ask Congress to
recognize AutoHop and other video recording technologies for what they are:
legal and pro-consumer innovations that increase the marketplace for
television."
Then Thursday, CEA announced that The Hopper had won the
Best of Show award at a CEA event in New York Thursday, including for AutoHop's
provision of "consumer choice and control of TV viewing."
Broadcasters have argued, in lawsuits
and at the Hill hearing, that the technology is a threat to their business
model and violates copyrights and their contracts.
