TWC, Viacom Call a Timeout in Legal Battle over iPad Streaming

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Television companies may not have decided upon the ideal way to stream content to the increasingly popular app audience just yet, but they may at least be taking a step closer to coming to some kind of consensus on the subject. Or, at least, not suing each other about it.

Viacom and Time Warner Cable have agreed to put their current lawsuit on hold to try and find a more amicable way of sorting out their differences.

The two were in legal battle over TWC’s iPad app, which offered Viacom’s various channels (MTV, Comedy Central, etc.) streaming to TWC customers through the iPad, with Viacom suing TWC for “unilaterally chang[ing] the terms of its contractual relationship” with the company, while TWC filed suit that streaming was allowed under the existing agreement.

The two parties haven’t actually abandoned either lawsuit, but instead entered into what’s called a “standstill agreement” that pretty much puts the lawsuits to one side while the companies continue to negotiate without court-imposed deadlines or, for that matter, as many attorney fees.

It’s a move that suggests that both parties are moving closer to good faith negotiations – but not necessarily a sign that they’re any closer to actually trusting each other just yet. After all, either party can terminate the standstill with five days notice. Peace in our time? Well, maybe… Just not quite yet.

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