14 DAY TRIAL // Today, TV streaming startup Aereo is heading for the Supreme Court in its biggest battle yet, as it faces off against a number of major network broadcasters. The list includes NBC, Fox, Telemundo, CBS, ABC and PBS.
Last week, ahead of the important event that will take place today, Aereo created a brand new website where it explained its position and why it should win the case.
Through “ProtectMyAntenna,” Aereo is claiming that the only thing it does is to provide people with the right equipment to intercept transmissions – the antennas – and to record content.
“We look forward to presenting our case to the Supreme Court on April 22 and we have every hope and confidence that the Court will continue to validate and preserve a consumer’s right to use lawful technology innovations like Aereo,” the company writes on the new site, basically saying that there’s no difference between people having their own antennas to watch free TV and Aereo providing the means to do that.
On the other side of the barricade, TV broadcasters claim that Aereo should pay copyright for the content it helps redistribute.
In an interview for Mashable, Aereo CEO Chet Kanojia claims that the broadcasters had a single strategy in mind as they kept suing the company – to kill it by litigation.
That’s not exactly far from the truth considering just how many courts Aereo has passed through. The company has won a few lower-court decisions and has managed to earn the support of big groups including the Electronic Frontier Foundation, but it has also lost a few battles.
When broadcasters suggested taking the case to the Supreme Court, Aereo agreed, tired of having to appear before a judge so often.
Despite everything, Aereo seems positive about the outcome of the case. The company is planning to add Chromecast support in May, something that should make it easier for users to check out content directly on their big screen TVs.
On the other hand, if the court decided against Aereo, this could mean the end for the company and many others that would like to walk in its footsteps. The service was already banned in six states back in February as the Supreme Court trial date was approaching.
Either way, the decision that will be taken by the Supreme Court will mean the end of the disputes on the topic.