Judge Overturns Set-Top Judgment Against Cox

A judge has reversed a lower court ruling against Cox in a set-top box case in Oklahoma and the $6.31 million judgment that went with it.

An Oklahoma federal jury decided last month that Cox had violated antitrust laws when it tied premium cable service to set-top rentals, awarding $6.31 million in damages to the subs that sued.

But Cox appealed, as it had signaled it would, and the decision has been reversed.

"The Court finds that Plaintiff failed to offer evidence from which a jury could determine that any other manufacturer wished to sell set-top boxes at retail or that Cox had acted in a manner to prevent any other manufacturer from selling set-top boxes at retail," said U.S. District Court Judge Robin Cauthron. "Because of this, there is no evidence that Defendant foreclosed any competition."

Cox had asked the court for the post-verdict judgment that the jury had erred and Judge Cauthron agreed, finding in favor of Cox.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.