Federal Court Bans Illegal Distribution of Chinese Television Programming on “TVpad” Devices; Sling TV Offers Affordable, Legal Alternative

  • Court ruling halts TVpad distribution
  • Fans of Chinese television encouraged to seek non-pirated sources of
    content
  • Sling TV offers special Chinese programming deal for former TVpad users

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–In the wake of federal court action and subsequent enforcement efforts
to shut down the distribution of pirated content via the “TVpad”
streaming device, Sling TV has announced a promotion to help connect
U.S.-based fans of Chinese television with a legal, reliable source of
popular programming.

Earlier this year, DISH Network L.L.C. (of which Sling TV is a
subsidiary), China Central Television (CCTV), China International
Communications Co., Ltd. (CICC), and TVB Holdings (USA), Inc. (TVB USA) filed
a lawsuit
against the manufacturers and distributors of the TVpad
device for allegedly setting up a pirate broadcasting network designed
to illegally stream CCTV and TVB channels using peer-to-peer technology.

As a result, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of
California issued a preliminary injunction to halt the illegal
distribution of CCTV and TVB content on TVpad. The preliminary
injunction prohibits dealers from distributing, advertising, marketing
or promoting TVpad devices that deliver CCTV’s or TVB’s copyrighted
content. The injunction also prohibits Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
from providing web, server, or file hosting services used to illegally
distribute Chinese programming. ISPs have begun complying, terminating
internet connections and thereby disrupting the TVpad device.

To help former TVpad users find an affordable, reliable and legal way to
watch the Chinese shows they enjoy, Sling TV recently announced a new
promotion for popular Chinese programming. Under the promotion,
customers can get Sling’s “Great Wall” and “Jade” packages for one year,
plus a Roku 2, for just $99. Sling TV brings consumers content from 30
popular Chinese channels, including TVBHD, TVB1, TVB2, TVBe, TVB Drama
and top CCTV channels. The promotion is available at sling.com/tvpad1
(Chinese language) or sling.com/tvpad2 (English language).

“The court took an important step to protect consumers from paying for a
product that delivers content obtained illegally, and we are pleased by
the response we’ve seen from ISPs who have complied with our enforcement
efforts,” said Chris Kuelling, senior vice president of International
Programming for Sling TV. “Together with our programming partners, we
will not stand for piracy, whether via TVpad or another device, and we
want consumers to know they have a reliable, affordable and legal option
through Sling TV to obtain the shows they want to see.”

“The injunction against TVpad is a major success in our efforts against
pirates who distribute our television programs without authorization and
for their own monetary gain,” said Samuel Tsang, vice president,
Operations for TVB USA. “The public should not be misled. Operators of
pirate boxes do not have copyright licenses from TVB to distribute TVB
programs in the United States. Users may be paying hundreds of dollars
for a pirate box and hundreds more to upgrade the hardware to continue
using the device. We obtained an injunction against TVpad and we intend
to take strong action against other pirate boxes as well. We will be
relentless in our efforts to shut down devices that illegally distribute
TVB programming.”

“Consumers expect to watch the content they purchased, but when that
content comes from an illegal source, they end up ripped off, frustrated
and missing the shows they enjoy,” said Chunguang Lu, President of CICC.
“The court’s action will help prevent consumers from being exploited,
while also protecting the copyrighted works of CCTV and other
programmers.”

CCTV is the largest television broadcaster in mainland China, and TVB
USA’s parent company, Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB), is the
largest television broadcaster in Hong Kong. DISH holds certain rights
to transmit CCTV and TVB television programming in the United States.

A copy of the preliminary injunction can be found here.

About Sling TV

Sling TV L.L.C., a subsidiary of DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ:
DISH), provides over-the-top television services including domestic and
international live and Video-On-Demand programming. It is available on
televisions, tablets, computers and smartphones. The Sling TV
programming portfolio includes content from Disney/ESPN, HBO, AMC, A&E,
Turner, Scripps, EPIX, Univision and Maker Studios. Sling Latino offers
a suite of standalone and add-on Spanish-language programming packages
tailored to English-dominant, bilingual and Spanish-dominant U.S.
Hispanics. Sling International currently provides more than 200 channels
in 18 languages across multiple devices to U.S. households. Sling TV is
a next-generation service that meets the entertainment needs of today’s
contemporary viewers. Visit www.Sling.com.

Follow @Sling on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Sling #TakeBackTV

About DISH

DISH Network Corp. (NASDAQ: DISH), through its subsidiaries, provides
approximately 13.932 million pay-TV subscribers, as of June 30, 2015,
with the highest-quality programming and technology with the most
choices at the best value. Subscribers enjoy a high definition line-up
with more than 200 national HD channels, the most international
channels, and award-winning HD and DVR technology. DISH Network
Corporation is a Fortune 250 company. Visit www.dish.com.

Subscribe to DISH email alerts: http://about.dish.com/alerts

Follow @DISHNews on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/DISHNews

About China Central Television

China Central Television (CCTV) is the National Network of the People’s
Republic of China and it is one of China’s most important news broadcast
companies. Today, CCTV has become one of China’s most influential media
outlets. Currently CCTV is distributing seven international channels in
the U.S., which include Chinese, English and Spanish, covering almost
every aspect of the Chinese social life. It is an important window for
the world to find out more about China. CCTV is making efforts to become
a global media network with increased international influence. Visit www.cctv.com.

About TVB USA

TVB USA’s parent company is Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB), the
largest and most popular producer of Cantonese-language television
programming in the world. TVB USA also offers various TVB channels in
Mandarin, Vietnamese and English to meet the different needs of
Chinese-speaking viewers in the U.S. All the best programming from TVB
that originally aired in Hong Kong and Taiwan is broadcast by TVB USA in
the United States on more than 10 different channels. Visit www.tvbusa.com.

Contacts

Sling TV L.L.C.
Karen Modlin, 303-723-1850

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