Kaley Cuoco, known to many as Penny on “Big Bang Theory,” was reprimanded by her bosses at CBS for Tweeting an endorsement of DISH Network’s Hopper service.
CBS is currently in litigation with Dish over its Hopper feature, which allows viewers to skip commercials when watching programs that have already aired—a hit to CBS’s money-maker.
“It’s disappointing that CBS—once the exemplar of editorial independence and innovation—continues to use its heavy hand to hold back progress from consumers,” said Joe Clayton, DISH president and CEO, in a press release.
Cuoco’s Tweet was a paid endorsement, according to entertainment news outlet The Wrap.
“We’ve reached out to several different celebrities and those with influence for sponsored tweets and so I think she’s one of many folks,” John Hall, senior manager of corporate communications for DISH, told The Wrap.
Cuoco removed the Tweet after it had already reached her 1.2 million followers.
According to UPI.com, the Tweet read, “Amazing! Watching live TV anywhere on the #Hopper looks pretty awesome! Now where can I find a tiny beer? #ad”
One Twitter user commented, “Im interested in having a conversation about who owns celeb twitter space. More &more sounds like their network does.”
