How to Settle the Viacom iPad Lawsuits Now

Back in April, Viacom and Time Warner Cable sued each other; then last month Viacom sued Cablevision. Interestingly, that came just a day after Viacom and TWC filed a standstill agreement so that they could negotiate without the pressure of ongoing court deadlines.

In both sets of suits, the issue is the same: under license and distribution agreements, can cable companies allow their customers to add another screen to their home viewing options: an iPad?

One way or another, the answer will ultimately be yes, because that's what paying customers want. With Viacom, Time Warner Cable and Cablevision mired in litigation over the issue, there is a possible path to resolving the disputes. It involves understanding just why these disputes arise in the first place, and what courts do when the cases don't settle.

Details: The Hollywood Reporter.

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