Aereo Sued By Top U.S. TV Networks

(Reuters) - Aereo Inc, which is scheduled to roll out its new online TV service, said late on Thursday a group of broadcasters have filed two separate federal lawsuits against the company, citing likely violation of copyright laws.

Aereo said in a blog post the broadcasters have maintained that the company will infringe their copyrights by enabling consumers to access broadcast television via a remote antenna and digital video recorder.

Media reports on Thursday have cited broadcasters such as Fox, ABC, CBS and NBC as party to the lawsuits against Aereo, which is backed by billionaire Barry Diller's IAC/InterActiveCorp. Diller is also part of Aereo's board.

On Feb 14, Aereo had announced a $20.5 million in Series A financing led by IAC.

Aereo, which is scheduled to launch its service on March 14 in New York City, will enable its subscribers to watch broadcast television online through digital streaming.

"Aereo does not believe that the broadcasters' position has any merit and it very much looks forward to a full and fair airing of the issues, the company said on its blog.

It would go ahead with the launch of the service as scheduled and looks for a prompt resolution of the lawsuits, Aereo added.

The law firms representing the broadcasters were not immediately available for comment outside regular U.S. business hours. (Reporting by Eileen Anupa Soreng and Sakthi Prasad; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)

Comments

[Rudy Belova]

09:51 PM on 03/03/2012

For a group of people that complain non stop about losing ad dollars, they REALLY go out of their way to lose viewership, whenever possible..

[Jonathan Eltgroth]

03:30 PM on 03/03/2012

This is the networks fault, in a part. They're so resistant to adapting to the internet and the changing tastes of consumers that they act with draconian force to protect their business. They're going to lose this war unless they figure out how to adapt.

[cordcutterguide]

01:55 PM on 03/03/2012

I rather doubt Aereo will survive. But i hope they at least get a fighting chance.

http://cordcutterguide.com/what-is-aereo-cord-cutters-dream-or-flash-in-the-pan/

[freedomringtrue]

11:35 PM on 03/02/2012

I find the Aereo position to be nothing short of ludicrous. They can't seriously believe that by having a "micro" antenna that is allocated to a consumer that it can retransmit those signals to a given consumer over the internet. There is absolutely no difference between Aereo and the traditional MSO. It is in the business of retransmitting off air television signals for a profit - and no amount of technical gimmickry changes this fact. They are providing the infrastructure, network access and the client - how is this any different than an MSO - it isn't.

Frankly, both the US Attorney's Office and the New York Attorney General should investigate whether criminal copyright infringement is appropriate here, and send a clear message to the CEO and Board of Directors of Aereo.

[DesertShores]

12:46 AM on 03/03/2012

You know nothing! You have so many factual errors it's worth the time to list them.

[Jeep4fun2170]

05:49 PM on 03/03/2012

Cable & Satellite companies rebroadcast TV signals to subscribers for a profit.. I don't see how this is any different beyond the fact that it's using a different medium for transmission. Aereo will likely have to pay a fee to the networks that are part of its broadcast schedule, just like your cable & satellite providers.. They then pass this cost on to their customers along with what ever profit margin they see fit. Just like the cable companies...

It is puzzling that the networks would be so up in arms over this vs. the cable & satellite companies...

[flagringo]

03:22 PM on 03/02/2012

TV going the way of the buggy whip? Good luck Mr. Diller, this will be a big win for the consumer if you are successful!

[Sencbull]

01:12 PM on 03/02/2012

How about this? We could read things called books and listen to the radio. You do have something called an imagination unless it is in a coma from lack of use. I dare anyone out there to spend less than a combined total of less than 90 minutes a day of leisure time on a cellphone for any reason; in front of a television; or glaring at computer screen. Kids included.

[Ray Kurilla]

04:14 PM on 03/02/2012

No thanks. I can have plenty of imagination without reading books or listening to the radio

[E V]

10:41 AM on 03/03/2012

We could also drive horse drawn carriages or walk everywhere...

[Sencbull]

03:28 PM on 03/03/2012

Sorry but I don't really cherish an unnecessarily dumbed down, mannerless, selfish, dependent, and socially inept America. The problem is an addiction to self gratification above self improvement.

[Postinghuff]

07:44 AM on 03/05/2012

you are absolutely right, if we did both of those things we would not be dependent on oil and my guess is there wouldn't be so many fat people in this country.

[stavba]

11:55 AM on 03/02/2012

I have a digital antenna and get a range of 150 miles and 30 stations. Why would I pay for cable? Why should the networks care as long as they get to air the commercials too. Couple this with netflix and the coming wave off things online and you get my point...bye bye dish.

[Hatima Transport]

11:50 AM on 03/02/2012

Networks are threatened. I want online News. Launch away. You have my support

[Pollytiques]

11:47 AM on 03/02/2012

I want one... When will it come to NC?

[Parade Keegan]

11:32 AM on 03/02/2012

These Chanel's are free with an antenna. ???

[violettefemme]

11:51 AM on 03/02/2012

Don't know about the rest of the country, but here in CA we don't have antenna TV anymore, you have to have some kind of digital box...they were given away free a few years ago, now one would have to buy it for about 60-75.

[BigOrangeBoehner]

12:04 PM on 03/02/2012

Just so you know (femme):
1) It is a US standard, not just California
2) The digital box was just to allow you to use your 20 year old set with the newer signals, just about every newer flatpanel will be able to receive the new signals.

[Parade Keegan]

01:38 PM on 03/02/2012

Wow. That's too bad.

[Vincent Van Der Hyde]

11:25 AM on 03/02/2012

This must be what the 'conservatives' mean by
a 'free market'.

[ThePericles]

11:15 AM on 03/02/2012

Once upon a time, if you owned a television and that had these strange metal wands on top of it... you could watch television with paying a subscription fee. It was just "there."

[RButler]

11:21 AM on 03/02/2012

Back in the 1950s, photos of tract homes all with those strange metal wands on the roofs were a 'sign of progress and a great American culture' or something.  Later, they were considered an eyesore.  They went the way of smoking in restaurants.  Then, the status symbols became huge satellite disks in the never ending desire for more bad television.

[RobietheCat]

06:45 PM on 03/02/2012

Very funny observation, but true.

[way2old]

11:29 AM on 03/02/2012

Revenue problem ofcourse was back then Corporate Broadcasting network only had one revenue stream......advertisers

Now they have two.......advertisers and subscribers

And guess what.......viewers end up paying for both ......in the end!

[Krista Anne]

10:56 AM on 03/02/2012

Never heard of Aereo until this article. I checked out their website - it looks great. Can't wait to cancel Hulu+!

[tooschool]

11:22 AM on 03/02/2012

Lol! I was just thinking the same thing.

[lastmanstanding99]

10:33 AM on 03/02/2012

Soon everything will be online, they are trying to stop the tide with a sand wall. Give it up, dopes?

[henrypapillon]

10:30 AM on 03/02/2012

What they got against healthy capitalism?

[ArkayMI]

11:57 AM on 03/02/2012

Just like other corporations and GOP that supports them - "Socialism for me. Capitalism for you"

[henrypapillon]

02:35 PM on 03/02/2012

The rules are for you, not me?

[RobietheCat]

06:46 PM on 03/02/2012

As long as they don't block the original network ads, what is the problem?