US broadcaster Viacom filed a lawsuit against Cablevision Systems to stop it from streaming live TV channels to Apple iPad devices, the Wall Street Journal reports. In the suit filed in federal court in New York, Viacom is seeking damages and an injunction to stop Cablevision from streaming the company's TV channels via its iPad app. The recently introduced app allows Cablevision subscribers to watch all of the channels and services available on their TV, as long as the app is used while at home. Viacom claims its carriage agreement with Cablevision does not cover devices other than the TV and said the cable operator did not seek its approval before launching the app. Cablevision contends that it needs no additional rights, as the iPad is essentially functioning as a TV, within its proprietary network at the customers' home. Viacom earlier filed a similar lawsuit against Time Warner Cable. The two have since agreed to a standstill in legal action while they try to work out an agreement. The broadcaster is concerned the cable apps could eat into its revenues from online deals with portals such as Hulu and Netflix, while ad revenues may also be affected as Nielsen doesn't track iPad usage.
