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CNET confirms that Dish Hopper was chosen as 'Best of CES' before CBS vetoed the decision

CNET confirms that Dish Hopper was chosen as 'Best of CES' before CBS vetoed the decision

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Gallery Photo: Dish Hopper with Sling and Dish Anywhere app hands-on pictures
Gallery Photo: Dish Hopper with Sling and Dish Anywhere app hands-on pictures

CNET has confirmed what we reported this morning: the commercial-skipping Dish Hopper had been chosen for its "Best of CES" award before being overruled by parent company CBS. In a post, Editor-in-Chief of Reviews Lindsey Turrentine describes the site's battle over the Hopper, which is the subject of a lawsuit by CBS and other networks. The Hopper, she says, was chosen "because of innovative features that push shows recorded on DVR to iPads," but CBS vetoed both the original vote and a "transparent statement" about it.

Turrentine doesn't actually denounce the decision to strike the Hopper from awards and reviews, and she defends her decision to stay with the site, unlike reporter Greg Sandoval, who resigned over the decision. Nonetheless, she says that "the circumstances demanded more transparency and not hurried policy," apologizing for not disclosing that Dish won the original vote. Despite her assertion that she will attempt to prevent similar future incidents, though, there's little indication that she or anyone else at CNET will be able to overrule CBS going forward.