WarnerMedia Network Sales v. DISH Network L.L.C.
WarnerMedia Network Sales, Inc. (f/k/a Turner Network Sales, Inc.), Discovery Communications, LLC, Scripps Networks, LLC, The Travel Channel, L.L.C., Television Food Network, G.P., and Cooking Channel, LLC v. DISH Network L.L.C.
- Subramanian
- 1:25-cv-07463
- U.S. District Court · Southern District of New York
- 3
In WarnerMedia Network Sales v. DISH Network, Judge Subramanian granted the programmers’ request to seal confidential materials supporting their preliminary-injunction motion.
The order affects the six Programmer plaintiffs, DISH Network L.L.C., and public access to the specified documents and information.
What happened
WarnerMedia Network Sales, Inc. and five other programming companies asked the court to protect confidential information filed with their motion seeking a preliminary injunction against DISH Network L.L.C.
The requested protection covered affiliation agreements, sports-media rights fees, communications with a competing distributor, and parts of the supporting legal memorandum and declarations. The companies argued that disclosure could cause competitive harm and affect future negotiations; DISH’s counsel consented to sealing material covered by the protective order.
Judge Arun Subramanian granted the request on October 17, 2025. The court directed the clerk to terminate the motion at docket entry 19.
The detailed version
- WarnerMedia Network Sales v. DISH Network L.L.C. · No. 1:25-cv-07463
- Subramanian
- Oct. 17, 2025
Background
The plaintiffs, collectively called the “Programmers,” asked the court to allow them to redact certain information from documents filed publicly and to file unredacted versions under seal. The request concerned materials submitted with the Programmers’ motion for a preliminary injunction.
The materials included four affiliation agreements between the Programmers and DISH; information about rights fees paid for sports-media rights; communications between a Programmer and a third-party competitor of DISH; letters between counsel about the affiliation agreements; and portions of the supporting memorandum and two declarations.
Arguments in the Filing
The Programmers argued that the information was confidential and commercially sensitive. They relied on the presumption that judicial documents are publicly accessible, along with exceptions for business secrecy and likely competitive harm. They said public disclosure could reveal contract terms, sports-rights fees, negotiation information, and communications with other distributors, potentially harming competitive positions and future negotiations. The filing also stated that DISH’s counsel consented to sealing material covered by the protective order.
Ruling
Judge Arun Subramanian marked the request “GRANTED.” The requested arrangement allowed redacted versions of the memorandum and declarations to appear on the public docket, while the unredacted versions and specified exhibits were filed under seal. The order also directed the clerk to terminate the motion at docket entry 19. The opinion does not provide a separate explanation of the court’s reasoning beyond the grant of the request.
Read the full 3-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.