Aereo case heads to Supreme Court

The US Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case, brought by a group of American Broadcasting Companies, against online TV streaming service Aereo. 

The news comes after Aereo last year won a lower court victory, rejecting claims by firms including Disney and CBS that the service should be shut down. The second circuit court of appeals in New York upheld a previous decision, denying an injunction against the firm for distributing broadcast television over the web.

Responding to the Supreme Court’s decision to review the case, Aereo CEO and Founder Chet Kanojia said:  “We have every confidence that the court will validate and preserve a consumer’s right to access local over-the-air television with an individual antenna, make a personal recording with a DVR, and watch that recording on a device of their choice.”

He added: “This case is critically important not only to Aereo, but to the entire cloud computing and cloud storage industry.”

Aereo lets users watch and record broadcast television over the web for US$8 (€5.86) per-month. It is currently available in 10 US markets and said it aims to grow to 15 by the end of the quarter. Earlier this month the service raised US$34 million in new funding as it sets its sights on “rapid nationwide expansion”.