Charter files suit against DirecTV over campaign

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About the same time Charter Communications filed for bankruptcy protection in late March, DirecTV launched an aggressive campaign aimed at undermining customer confidence in the MSO. On Monday, Charter fired back with a lawsuit, accusing DirecTV of engaging in a campaign of deceptive and false advertising. The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, seeks monetary damages and an injunction against the national campaign.


The suit alleges DirecTV has been using direct mail, print, radio and billboards to spread false info about Charter, controlled by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen.
 
According to a Reuters story, the campaign said there was no way Charter could continue to provide more HD channels or exclusive programming, according to Charter. Charter said in other ads, DirecTV claimed Charter customers must be “saved” from its bankruptcy.

“DirecTV’s ads are literally false, grossly misleading, cause consumer confusion, and are likely to deceive Charter’s current and prospective customers,” Charter said in the suit.

A DirecTV spokesman told Reuters “we stand by the accuracy of our advertising.”