Aereo chief: ‘We have decided not to oppose the broadcasters’ petition before the Supreme Court’
Big media may have thought its deep pockets and love of ceaseless litigation would break Aereo’s bank and spirit, but the cloud-based DVR company’s striking back at its broadcast rivals with a surprising twist. In a statement released just today, Aereo head Chet Kanojia said that his company would “not oppose the broadcasters’ petition for certiorari before the United States Supreme Court.” Kanojia echoed much of what Cablevision itself expressed in a white paper earlier today, saying that he believes the end goal of this court battle could ultimately strike down a 2008 ruling in favor of Cablevision’s cloud DVR tech which laid the groundwork for many of the cloud-based services we enjoy today.
Though Aereo and Cablevision sit on opposite sides of the fence when it comes to retransmission fees, both parties agree innovation is integral and the broadcasters’ suit, if successful, could reverse much of that technological progress. For Aereo’s part, the potential Supreme Court case could also provide a much needed light at the end of the tunnel — a final ruling in a recent string of lower court victories that would free up its resources and allow the company to pursue nationwide expansion unburdened. That’s if the Supreme Court even decides to hear the case, as that decision that won’t come until sometime in 2014.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, HD
Source: Aereo Blog
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