Advanced Television

Ergen launches huge ‘ad Hopper’ campaign

February 12, 2013

By Chris Forrester

hopper-slingCharlie Ergen’s pay-TV operation Dish Network has launched a nationwide “multi-million dollar” US television, radio and print campaign designed to build awareness for its ‘Hopper’ ad-skipping device with a built in Sling-player.

Dish say that the new device, which received the ‘Best of Show’ award at January’s Consumer Electronics Show, is capable of recording up to 2,000 hours of material (in standard definition).

“The magic of Hopper with Sling is that it redefines how customers think about their pay-TV experience,” said Joe Clayton, DISH president and CEO. “No other provider can offer the experience that is now available to our customers anytime, anywhere.”

Dish says this is the first whole-home HD DVR to have Sling technology built in so users can literally take their entire DVR – live TV and recorded programmes – on the go with a mobile device. Users can also download content to mobile devices for viewing later without an Internet connection.

Meanwhile Ergen has argued Cord cutting is real telling the All Things Digital’s  Dive into Media conference kids in college never use cable, and that they won’t suddenly start paying once they leave school. Ergen also reiterated his position that a la carte programming would be better for consumers, as well as the industry itself. “We are still for a la carte, because the Internet is a la carte today,” he said. “A lot of customers can live with Netflix and an… antenna, and YouTube… and they’d be pretty happy,” he said.

Categories: Advertising, Articles, In Home, PVR