CES Ditches Partner CNET, Awards Dish Hopper "Best of Show" Anyway

The saga of CNET parent company CBS preventing the website from giving a "Best of CES" award to Dish Network isn't quite over yet, as the trade show wound up giving the award anyway.

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) issued a press release on Thursday announcing that the International CES trade show was moving forward with a "Best of CES" award to Dish Network's controversial Hopper with Sling DVR after CNET's editorial team removed the product from consideration under pressure from parent company CBS.

The dust-up sent CNET editors back to the drawing board, where a revote selected the Razer Edge gaming tablet as "Best of Show" instead -- a product that is now being referred to as a "co-winner" alongside the Hopper.

The new Dish DVR box is currently embroiled in litigation with CBS over its ability to record and playback television programming without commercials, which the TV network cited in its decision to ban CNET journalists from coverage of it and any other such products facing legal action.

“The CNET editorial team identified the Hopper Sling as the most innovative product of the show, and we couldn’t agree more,” said Karen Chupka, senior vice president, events and conferences for CEA. “The Hopper with Sling and the Razer Edge both represent the best of the exciting, innovative technology introduced at the 2013 CES.  We are pleased to recognize both products as Best of Show.”

Perhaps more embarrassing for CBS is the trade show cutting ties with longtime partner CNET, who will no longer provide the "Best of Show" awards for International CES.

“We are shocked that the ‘Tiffany’ network which is known for its high journalistic standards would bar all its reporters from favorably describing classes of technology the network does not like,” said CEA President and CEO Gary Shapiro. “We believe that the DISH Hopper DVR is fully covered by the Supreme Court’s ruling in Sony Corp. of America v. Universal City Studios Inc. The simple fact is making television easier to watch is not against the law. It is simply pro-innovation and pro-consumer.”

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