CNET Parent CBS Blocks Review and Award To Dish Over Legal Dispute 138
Coldeagle writes "It looks as if CNET's parent company, CBS, has laid down the law: 'Just one day after CNet named the Dish "Hopper," a new TV recording system that's drawing rave reviews in the tech press, to an awards shortlist, the site's parent company stepped in and nixed the accolade. Because of a legal battle between CBS and Dish over the Hopper's ad-skipping technology, CBS laid down a ban: CNet won't be allowed to even review Dish products, much less give them awards.' Got to love modern day freedom of the press!"
1st amendment is for the government (Score:4, Informative)
It's to protect your rights from the government
CBS is a private business and has no obligation to review a product of another business
Re:1st amendment is for the government (Score:5, Informative)
The history of freedom of the press goes back nearly 500 years. The term has always referred to a legal concept that restricts the ability of GOVERNMENTS to interfere with publications.
Freedom of the press is not and never has been a concept that applies to private concerns. If it did it would be a big issue because it would interfere with property rights.
Yes perhaps CBS is hurting their reputation by not carrying these advertisements. But this has NOTHING to do with freedom of the press.
Got to love modern day freedom of the press! (Score:4, Informative)
Yes. CBS gets to decide what they publish. You get to decide what you publish. The government has no say in the matter. That's freedom of the press.
Re:1st amendment is for the government (Score:4, Informative)
You are under no obligation to fund your detractors. This has been upheld many times:
* Malls, AKA private property, do not have to let protesters walk around inside protesting businesses.
* The First Amendment covers the right to say things...and not to say things.
* Parades are, in fact, expressive events w.r.t. the First Amendment, so religious Irish don't have to let gays march in their parade.
Even things like cigarette labeling fall under truth in advertising. When it gets too obnoxious or large, it gets slapped down again.
Re:The Hopper is hilarious (Score:4, Informative)
Dish's Auto-hop has to explicitly be enabled; ReplayTV did it automatically. That's the difference that Dish's legal team is assuming they can use to avoid the same fate of ReplayTV. That, and Dish can afford a long legal battle.