Time Warner customers are fed up with an ongoing dispute between the cable provider and CBS News, which recently culminated in the provider blacking out the channel for subscribers.
In response, customers have filed a class-action lawsuit against Time Warner, arguing that as paying customers, the provider cannot legally black out channels they are paying for under entertainment law.
Time Warner and CBS are currently in an intense battle over programming fees after CBS requested an increase in carriage fees for its channels. The ongoing argument resulted in a two-week blackout of CBS-owned stations in Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, and several other service areas across the country.
The case calls into question the rights and obligations that cable providers – or other service networks – have to their customers who are subscribed to certain packages. This issue is not the first of its kind, and a number of related lawsuits have highlighted other touchy areas, such as whether cable providers can force customers to pay for unpopular channels they don’t want. On the business aspect, networks have also become embroiled as of late in anti-trust legal battles that could change the television industry and provide more clarification on networks’ responsibilities.
For instance, the Cablevision and Viacom dispute revolves around wholesale bundling, an increasingly unpopular industry practice, in which media conglomerates force cable companies to carry all their cable networks in one mandatory package. The issue is becoming more widely scrutinized as networks argue that it creates an anti-competitive environment and forces consumers to take on a greater share of costs for channels they don’t want. As all of these issues are inter-related, it will be interesting to see how upcoming rulings on cable providers’ rights and obligations affect the overall entertainment industry.
Do you have any further questions regarding the class-action lawsuit with Time Warner? Then please feel free to contact one of the Scarinci Hollenbeck attorneys to discuss this topic further.
What Business Owners Get Wrong Before Meeting a Litigation Attorney
What should you expect when meeting a litigation attorney about a business dispute? You should expect to describe the dispute in your own words, hand over the most important documents, flag any deadlines or immediate threats, and leave with a clearer picture of the problem, what information is still needed, and the likely next steps. […]
Arbitration vs. Litigation vs. Mediation: What New Jersey Businesses Should Know Before Signing a Contract
Arbitration resolves disputes privately before an arbitrator whose decision is usually final, while litigation resolves them in court with full rights of appeal. Whether a business ends up in arbitration or litigation is often decided when it signs the contract, long before any dispute arises. Key Takeaways When facing a contract dispute, carefully consider your […]
Can You Own Part of a New Jersey Business Without a Written Agreement?
Can you own part of a business in New Jersey without a written agreement? Yes, it is possible. Under New Jersey’s Uniform Partnership Act, a partnership can arise when two or more people carry on a business as co-owners for profit, whether or not they ever intended to form one. Ownership doesn’t necessarily depend on […]
Crisis-Proofing Your New Jersey Business: Building a Crisis Response Plan Before You Need One
For New Jersey businesses, crisis preparedness should be viewed as a legal and operational function, not simply an emergency-management exercise. A well-designed crisis response plan can help preserve evidence, protect confidential communications, meet reporting obligations, limit unnecessary exposure, and prevent an already difficult situation from becoming a larger legal problem. Key Takeaways A serious crisis […]
Monmouth County's Next Development Wave: What Developers and Investors Need to Know
Monmouth County is entering a significant new phase of development. For those looking to acquire property or undertake a new project, understanding the market opportunity is only the beginning. The more important question is whether a particular property can actually be developed as contemplated and what approvals, agreements, and other conditions will be required to […]
Are Your Conversations with AI Shielded from Discovery? Courts Are Split
Whether a client’s prompts to a generative AI tool and the documents it produces are protected from disclosure depends on the case type, who claims protection, and whether counsel was involved. In United States v. Heppner, a New York federal judge ruled that a criminal defendant’s communications with an AI platform were protected by neither […]
No Aspect of the advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court. Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.
Sign up to get the latest from our attorneys!
Explore What Matters Most to You.
Consider subscribing to our Firm Insights mailing list by clicking the button below so you can keep up to date with the firm`s latest articles covering various legal topics.
Stay informed and inspired with the latest updates, insights, and events from Scarinci Hollenbeck. Our resource library provides valuable content across a range of categories to keep you connected and ahead of the curve.
Let`s get in touch!
Sign up to get the latest from the Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC attorneys!
