Aereo Gets Early Win in Lawsuit Against Broadcasters
Cord-cutting startup Aereo got an early win Wednesday in its on-going lawsuits with major broadcasters including ABC, NBC and CBS. A federal judge in the Second District of New York denied broadcasters’ request for a preliminary injunction against the New York-based startup. Aereo argued that such an injunction would essentially put it out of business. In his decision, Judge Alison Nathan writes of the litigious broadcasters that, “although [the plaintiffs] have demonstrated that they face irreparable harm, they have not demonstrated that the balance of hardships decidedly tips in their favor. “As such”, Nathan says, “the Court denies Plaintiffs motion for a preliminary injunction.” In a statement, Aereo CEO and Founder Chet Kanojia said: “Today’s decision shows that when you are on the right side of the law, you can stand up, fight the Goliath and win. This isn’t just a win for Aereo, it’s also a significant win for consumers who are demanding more choice and flexibility in the way they watch television. We said from the start that we believed that a full and fair airing of the issues would reveal that Aereo’s groundbreaking technology falls squarely within the law. We are grateful to the court for its thoughtful and measured approach to this matter. Today’s decision should serve as a signal to the public that control and choice are moving back into the hands of the consumer – that’s a powerful statement.” Aereo is a startup that offers users access to over-the-air television from their computers, phones, tablets and connected TV devices. The beauty of Aereo is that it works outside of the house. Users just have to login to the service and they can access live television, as well as any programs they have recorded from a cloud-based DVR. To get around some of the potential legal challenges involved with sharing broadcast signals, Aereo has employed a unique technical solution: each user has access to an individual micro-antenna that acts just like the type of antenna you might put in your own home or apartment. By limiting the antennas to one per user, Aereo has a legal argument against the local and major broadcast networks that want to shut the service down. Still, the broadcasters are suing Aereo. And despite the preliminary injunction, this battle isn’t going to end any time soon. We’re still in the very early stages of this case. What makes the Aereo case important is that it has the potential to get hard answers for a number of important legal issues facing the future of broadcasting. Whether Aereo wins or loses, it’s a case worth following. As a fan (and subscriber) of Aereo’s service (I am also a cable subscriber), I’m relieved that for now I can continue to access live TV from my iPad. Let us know your thoughts on the Aereo lawsuit in the comments. Aereo Ruling Preliminary Injunction Denied Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/07/11/aereo-injunction-denied/