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STATEMENT OF NAB PRESIDENT AND CEO EDWARD O. FRITTS
HAILING RULING BY FEDERAL COURT THAT ECHOSTAR ENGAGED IN
NATIONWIDE COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENTS

“Today’s ruling by the federal court in Florida is an important victory for free, local, over-the-air television - and the viewers across the country who depend on it.

“The court found that EchoStar is illegally transmitting distant ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC stations to hundreds of thousands of ineligible subscribers.

“The court found that EchoStar had failed to present ‘any credible evidence’ that any of its subscribers are eligible to receive distant stations. The court also found that EchoStar had used a variety of unlawful methods to sign up subscribers. The court found that EchoStar’s executives, including its CEO Charlie Ergen, broke EchoStar’s promise to the Court to turn off ineligible subscribers. The Court found that EchoStar’s violations were ‘clearly willful.’

“Happily, EchoStar’s distant signal subscribers will easily be able to receive ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC programming from their local stations. EchoStar itself now offers local TV stations in more than 60 markets, and has announced plans to do so in more than 100 markets. DirecTV offers local TV stations in still other markets. And in all markets, ineligible subscribers can either use a rooftop antenna or a cable subscription to view their local stations.

“With this ruling, EchoStar’s years of copyright violations will finally come to an end.”

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