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Justice Dept Backing Broadcasters Against Aereo

posted by LaminatorX on Wednesday March 05 2014, @09:16AM   
from the justice-for-whom dept.

Fluffeh writes:

"Following up on our earlier story, the Justice Department has filed in the Supreme Court supporting Broadcasters in their case against Aereo the company that rents a small antenna for each customer, lets them record free to air TV, the streams it back to them anywhere.

The Justice Department argues that by doing so, they are allowing their customers to 'gain access to copyrighted content in the first instance, the same service that cable companies have traditionally provided.' but do so without paying broadcasters a license fee to do so. Aereo has argued that it isn't violating federal copyright laws and isn't threatening the future of the broadcast industry. Company executives have argued in public and in court filings that the service appeals to cord cutters and will help broadcasters keep those viewers."

• Re:Lots of info (Score: 4, Insightful) by Grishnakh on Wednesday March 05 2014, @03:41PM

  by Grishnakh (2831) on Wednesday March 05 2014, @03:41PM (#11365)

  I fail to see why the Justice Department has a pony in this race...

  It's simple: Obama and the Democrats are always on the side of the big media companies and the copyright cartel.

  Asking why is like asking why the Republicans are always backing the oil companies.

  Parent

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