STUDY: AD-SKIPPING RECORDERS COULD PLAGUE NETWORKS

Unless the broadcast and cable networks prevail in court, DISH Network’s new Hopper DVR, which automatically skips commercials on recorded shows, could increase 22 percent within four years to 11.7 million units, according to a study by IHS Screen Digest. That kind of proliferation could cause the networks to reexamine their advertiser-supported business model and would represent a particular headache for broadcasters whose principal revenue comes from sales to advertisers. NBC, CBS and Fox have filed separate lawsuits against DISH, alleging copyright infringement. But several analysts have suggested that — given the court’s previous rulings on threatening media technology — they have little chance of winning.