Viacom Sues Cablevision Over Optimum iPad App

Viacom on Thursday filed a lawsuit against Cablevision. The lawsuit involves the cable providers Optimum iPad app which delivers cable TV shows to the tablet. Cablevision argues that the service operates in the same way a tradition TV works, while Viacom wants more money before their programs are delivered to “new screens.”

According to Viacom:

“We have taken this action to protect our valuable content. Over the last few months, we have had limited and unproductive discussions with Cablevision about licensing iPad rights. We remain open to productive discussions, but we cannot wait indefinitely while our networks are being distributed without permission.”

While Cablevision shot back:

“Cablevision’s very popular Optimum App for iPad, which has been available to our customers for nearly three months, falls within our existing cable television licensing agreements with programmers – including Viacom. It is cable television service on the iPad, which functions as a television, and is delivered securely to our customers in the home on Cablevision’s own proprietary network.”

I have to give this battle to Cablevision, if customers are paying for cable service and then receiving that service on their iPad it should be no different than if they chose to watch their favorite shows on a regular sized TV. Cablevision has never had the best relationship with network and cable providers, remember the time they were in a dispute with Fox TV and they were caught telling users how to illegally access Fox TV feeds online.