Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Aereo Launches Pre-emptive Suit Vs. CBS

Just days after CBS’ Les Moonves threatened to sue the TV startup every time it expands into a new market, Aereo slapped CBS with a lawsuit in a pre-emptive strike.

Yesterday, according to the NY Post, Barry Diller’s Aereo asked a Manhattan federal court to rule that its technology doesn’t violate CBS’s copyrights and to bar CBS from suing it in all of the 22 cities where Aereo plans to launch.

Aereo uses antenna farms to grab over-the-air broadcast signals. It then streams them via the Internet to tablets and other mobile devices for a monthly fee.

CBS and other broadcasters, which have sued Aereo for copyright infringement, have failed twice to get preliminary injunctions to stop the service while a federal suit wends its way through the courts.

Aereo insiders said that interest and subscriber numbers are rising, thanks to the publicity surround its legal battle. The company won’t say how many users it has, but estimates suggest it’s only a few thousand.

Aereo plans to launch in Boston on May 15 for those who have pre-registered for the service.

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