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Aereo: Damned if They Do, Damned if They Don't

A few years ago, the courts shut down a dirt-cheap broadband TV service named Ivi, arguing that over the top video services weren't technically cable companies, and couldn't just start paying retransmission fees to become them. Fast forward to the Supreme Court's recent ruling on Aereo, which seemingly argued the exact opposite -- that Internet services could be cable operators if they pay retransmission fees.

It's not surprisingly then that Aereo's latest legal argument is to effectively agree with the Supreme Court, and argue they can be a cable company if they just pay retransmission fees -- the Supreme Court ruling seemingly over-turning the original Ivi ruling. Except this week Aereo received a letter from the US Copyright Office declaring that Aereo isn't a cable company:
quote:
US copyright officials have told Aereo that they do not consider it a "cable company" under the terms of copyright law, according to a letter obtained by CNBC...."In the view of the Copyright Office, internet retransmissions of broadcast television fall outside the scope of the Section 111 license," the Copyright Office wrote in the letter dated July 16.
So Aereo is being told they can't do business as they've done it previously because they're not a cable company. When the Supreme Court effectively argues they are in fact a cable company Aereo begins to try and act like a cable company, only to be shot down by the US Copyright Office. Clear as mud?

Most recommended from 46 comments



davidc502
join:2002-03-06
Mount Juliet, TN

4 recommendations

davidc502

Member

It's clear they are being frozen out

It appears they are being frozen out to the point where they can't do business - period.