Aereo Inc.’s service that will allow
subscribers in New York City to watch broadcast television
programs on personal computers and smartphones violates
copyright laws, television networks said.
Walt Disney Co. (DIS)’s ABC and other networks said in two
separate complaints filed today in federal court in Manhattan
that Aereo has no right to any of the programs that it offers
through its subscription-only Internet service scheduled to
start March 14.
“Although other distributors, including cable and
satellite operators and telephone companies, pay to retransmit
the same programming, Aereo’s business is based on circumventing
the carefully balanced distribution system mandated by
congress,” the networks said. “That is infringement.”
The networks seek a court order blocking Aereo’s service as
well as unspecified damages.
Aereo, based in Long Island City, New York, is backed in
part by Barry Diller’s IAC/InterActiveCorp. (IACI) The company
Article source: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-03-02/aereo-s-online-tv-service-infringes-copyright-networks-say.html
