By Nitasha Tiku 4/01 2:25pm

Over The Aereo

IAC CEO Barry Diller. (David Shankbone)

Win One for the Diller: Appeals Court Rules In Favor of IAC-Backed Aereo Over TV Networks

Aereo, the New York City-based service that lets cordcutters live-stream network TV online, has been making broadcasters feel litigious ever since IAC led a $20.5 million Series A in the startup last February. The group of 17 broadcasters suing Aereo argue that the individual antennas Aereo assigns each user are an illegal loophole to avoid paying networks costly retransmission rights–and that Aereo is guilty of copyright violation of their content.

This January, Aereo raised $38 million more, which should help cover its considerable legal fees. But the TV incumbents haven’t found much support in the courts. Read More

By Kelly Faircloth and Nitasha Tiku 1/08 1:23pm

Over The Aereo

Killer Diller. (Photo: flickr.com/techcrunch, by Dave Getzschman)

Here Comes Aereo! Service Expanding to 22 New Cities [UPDATED]

Hey, look: It’s some actual news out of CES, which has absolutely nothing to do with Evernote-integrated refrigerators! New York-based, Barry Diller-backed TV-streaming service Aereo has been teasing an expansion for some time now, and in a speech today from CEO Chet Kanojia, the company made its move.

The service will roll out to 22 new cities, including Boston, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C, starting in the late spring. Aereo will continue its “Try for Free” program in each of the cities, so would-be cord-cutters can get a taste, but it’ll be invitation-only at first.  Read More

By Jessica Roy 8/02/12 10:45am

I Want My Free TV

Mr. Kanojia (Photo: informitv.com)

Aereo Launches ‘Try for Free’ Feature for the Commitment Phobic Among Us

New York Tech Meetup heroes Aereo released a new deal today geared towards those who want to try the broadcast TV streaming service without actually having to commit. Paging NYC dudes under 30! (Ba dum tsch.)

The new feature, called “Try for Free,” allows users to access Aereo for one hour daily without ever having to sign up or input their credit card info. So if you start watching a program on Aereo at 3 p.m., you’ll have access to the service until 4 p.m. You won’t be able to DVR anything, though. Read More

By Nitasha Tiku 7/12/12 8:40am

Over The Aereo

Mr. Diller

Barry Diller’s Aereo May Prevail Against Broadcasters on a Legal Technicality

Yesterday, U.S. District Judge Alison Nathan denied broadcasters’ request for a preliminary injunction on Aereo, a service backed by Barry Diller that lets users live-stream basic channels like NBC, CBS, ABC, and PBS, all of which are suing the startup.

The plaintiffs had requested an injunction to prohibit consumers from watching programming on Aereo until the broadcast had completed airing–knocking the wind out of the whole watch-it-live proposition. But the judge’s decision yesterday also offers a hint as to how other claims in the lawsuit may be decided.  Read More

By Adrianne Jeffries 6/01/12 2:50pm

Over The Aereo

Mr. Kanojia.

Aereo Chief Was ‘Angry’ When He Spoke to Fox a Month Ago, Says Fox Exec

A ruling is expected this afternoon in a lawsuit against Aereo, a potentially disruptive service that allows customers to stream broadcast television content without anyone, customers or Aereo, paying fees to broadcasters. The company is backed by more than $20 million from investors, including Barry Diller of IAC, who may be getting a little nervous: Today a Fox executive basically accused Aereo CEO Chet Kanojia of lying in court. Read More

By Nitasha Tiku 5/23/12 11:00am

Cordcutting

Picture 64

Over the Aereo: Killer Diller Just Might Help Viewers Cut the Cord At Last

The sun was still setting when The Observer rounded the corner under The High Line for IAC’s Internet Week closing party, co-hosted by Aereo, a provocative new startup that will allow users to view broadcast content on their computers, smartphones and tablets. Off the drab West Side Highway, the Frank Gehry-designed building shimmered like a landing dock for a space ship–as if the top could twist off and whir its way into the atmosphere. Will Arnett and Wilmer Valderrama walked the red carpet. Dolled-up in pale pink, Allison Williams (the Miranda to Lena Dunham’s Carrie) took Barry Diller’s elbow as she navigated the crowd.

As the origin myth has it, Mr. Diller’s transformation from a Hollywood mogul to Internet soothsayer for this new digital era started with an Apple PowerBook. “No question that his relationship with his little screen, which is irritating to everybody in the room, has altered his life,” his closest confidante and now wife Diane von Furstenberg told The New Yorker some years back.

It was the early ’90s—right around the time Rupert Murdoch refused to make Mr. Diller a principal at Fox, the fabled fourth network Mr. Diller pioneered when competitors insisted that three would do just fine. Read More

By Nitasha Tiku 3/02/12 9:30am

Cordcutting

areo

Aereo, the Barry Diller-Backed Service to Stream Live TV, Responds to Lawsuit From NY TV Stations

Two sets of New York-based broadcast TV stations filed complaints yesterday against Aereo, a new startup that streams live TV from major networks like CBS, NBC, FOX, ABC, CW, and PBS, as well as other local channels to any mobile device. The lawsuits, which ask for injunctive relief and damages, argue that Aereo rebroadcasts their TV programming without licensing or consent. (The fact that Aereo, which launches March 14th, charges only $12/month probably doesn’t sit well with them either.)

As AllThingsD’s Peter Kafka explained, Aereo knew these copyright challenges were coming, which is partly why the company recently raised a sizable $20.5 million series A round led by IAC, with participation from existing investors like FirstMark Capital and First Round Capital. Aereo’s position is that its service is legal because the company issues every user their own (thumbnail-sized) antenna, stored in a local warehouse. By structuring it that way, they claim that it’s consumers accessing the content, not Aereo. Read More

By Nitasha Tiku 2/14/12 1:19pm

Cordcutting

How I Live-Streamed Your Mother

Aereo Picks Up $20.5 M. for a Thumbnail-Sized HD Antenna to Stream Local TV in NYC

A magical thing happened at IAC’s headquarters this morning. A startup called Aereo displayed the most compelling argument for cord-cutting we’ve heard in awhile. It came in the form of a thumbnail-sized HD antenna. Sign up with Aereo and users get the right to license their own antenna, which are stored in a local warehouse. Then, log on via any web-enabled device (smartphones, iPads, even AppleTV) and ta-da, members can access major networks like CBS, NBC, FOX, ABC, CW, and PBS, as well as other local channels. Better yet, you also have the ability store up to 40 hours of programming on their remote DVR.

“No cords or cable required,” the company’s press release says pointedly. The service is limited to New York City right now, but only costs $12 a month. Throw in a Netflix account, Hulu, and you’re probably good to go. Happy Valentine’s Day, Dying Cable Industry!

Aereo (formerly called Bamboom Labs) also anounced a $20.5 million series A round led by IAC. Read More