Cable Nets ProtestTime Warner iPad Streaming

Time Warner Cable now allows its customers to stream some of their TV content to iPads inside their homes. Comcast, Cablevision and DISH Network also allow streaming of some content to subscriber iPads. Apparently some of the rights holders do not believe Time Warner Cable has the right to do so, under its current contracts.

“Distribution via any sort of third-party app is not addressed in our carriage deals with Time Warner Cable or any other operator,” said one network. “There is going to be a messy dissection of what the rights are, but our position is that [this sort of distribution] is not authorized by our affiliate agreements.”

It isn't clear how serious the disagreement actually is. Time Warner Cable doubtlessly would not have proceeded if it thought there was an issue. Other distributors are doing similar things and haven't been blocked by the networks. This sounds like a precedent-setting effort to assert rights that could be useful in some later negotiating or legal context.

It's just one more bit of evidence of stress in the video entertainment ecosystem.

Cable Nets Riled Up by Time Warner App