Barry Diller-backed streaming service Aereo will not oppose broadcasters’ petition for certiorari before the U.S. Supreme Court, filed more than two months ago. Broadcasters — including CBS, Disney, Fox, NBCUniversal, public broadcaster WNET and Univision — filed the petition after the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York found in favor of Aereo and denied broadcasters’ demands to shut the service off.
“While the law is clear and the Second Circuit Court of Appeals and two different federal courts have ruled in favor of Aereo, broadcasters appear determined to keep litigating the same issues against Aereo in every jurisdiction that we enter”, said Aereo CEO Chet Kanojia (pictured above) in a statement on Thursday. “We want this resolved on the merits rather than through a wasteful war of attrition.”
On April 1, 2013, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals refused to enjoin Aereo, confirming the decision of a District Court in July 2012. On October 11, broadcasters took their fight to the Supreme Court, filing a petition of certiorari.
Aereo’s brief can be read here.
Brief Take: After winning all of its legal battles against broadcasters, Aereo is going “all in” with the Supreme Court. Should the nation’s highest court rule decide against taking the case or rule in Aereo’s favor, broadcast networks—some of which have threatened going to cable-only services—will have a big decision on their hands.
Read More: Variety, Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter
Image courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter
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