Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC, LLCScarinci Hollenbeck, LLC, LLC

Firm Insights

Networks Defeat Aereo 6-3 In The Supreme Court

Author: Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC

Date: July 2, 2014

Key Contacts

Back

The Supreme Court recently made a powerful ruling that has implications for the way that we watch TV, and more importantly, the development of disruptive technologies.

On June 25th, the Court ruled 6-3 in favor of the networks against a TV startup called Aereo, saying that the company will need to pay the networks for the re-broadcasting of their content.

Aereo’s business model worked on the same principle that governs an antenna in your own home. Once you buy the antenna, the signals that it picks up from networks like ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and PBS are free. Networks don’t charge for over-the-air broadcasts because most of their money comes from advertising anyway – the more people that watch their channels, the more money they make.

However, many people don’t like installing antennae in their homes because the signal is unreliable and most premium channels don’t broadcast for free. Aereo solved the first problem by lining a warehouse with tens of thousands of tiny antennae next to a machine that amps up the signal’s power. Users were allowed to rent one of these antennae for $8 per month, the signals from which were pumped back to them over the Internet, making Aereo one of the cheapest options in television.

Court Ruling

This is all set to change now that the Supreme Court has ruled against Aereo. To their credit, the justices were careful to tread lightly in the face of the potentially massive and unpredictable ramifications such a ruling might have. Liberal justice Stephen Breyer, who led the majority that voted against Aereo, told the startup’s lawyer that he did not understand what a decision either for or against the company would do to other kinds of technologies.

In the end, the majority opined that Aereo was overwhelmingly similar to the cable companies that were specifically targeted by amendments that Congress made to the Copyright Act in 1976. Breyer acknowledged that Aereo has a key difference in that its system remains inert until a subscriber indicates that he or she wants to watch a program, but found that the difference was ultimately not critical.

“This difference means nothing to the subscriber,” he wrote. “It means nothing to the broad­caster. We do not see how this single difference, invisible to subscriber and broadcaster alike, could transform a system that is for all practical purposes – a traditional cable system into a copy shop that provides its patrons with a library card.'”

While Aereo was never a massive company – at least in part due to its limited range of content – the finding would have carried important ramifications either way. Finding for Aereo would have meant that the piece of copyright law that ensured that cable companies had to keep subsidizing networks would have been weakened, or potentially caused them to stop transmitting for free over the air. Find for the broadcasters, however, and there is the potential for damage to citizens’ rights to obtain free content.

In the end, the Supreme Court took an extremely narrow opinion and ruled that Aereo’s business model was illegal only in that it is extremely similar to old CATV systems. While the startup’s users are likely to be disappointed, this is probably the safest ruling the Court could have made for the long-term development of new technologies.

If you are interested to learn how this entire case began, check out Is Aereo Fight Headed to the U.S. Supreme Court?  at www.businesslawnews.com.

If you have any questions about this post or would like to discuss your sports and entertainment matters , please contact one of your Sports and Entertainment attorneys.

No Aspect of the advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court. Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.

Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC, LLC

Related Posts

See all
Understanding Chattel Paper: A Key Component in Secured Transactions post image

Understanding Chattel Paper: A Key Component in Secured Transactions

Using chattel paper to obtain a security interest in personal property is a powerful tool. It can ensure lenders have a legal claim on collateral ranging from inventory to intellectual property. To reduce risk and protect your legal rights, businesses and lenders should understand the legal framework. This framework governs the creation, sale, and enforcement […]

Author: Dan Brecher

Link to post with title - "Understanding Chattel Paper: A Key Component in Secured Transactions"
Crypto Compliance: A Comprehensive Guide post image

Crypto Compliance: A Comprehensive Guide

For years, digital assets operated in a legal gray area, a frontier where innovation outpaced the reach of regulators and law enforcement. In this early “Wild West” phase of finance, crypto startups thrived under minimal oversight. That era, however, is coming to an end. The importance of crypto compliance has become paramount as cryptocurrency has […]

Author: Bryce S. Robins

Link to post with title - "Crypto Compliance: A Comprehensive Guide"
Supreme Court and Title VII: Implications for Reverse Discrimination post image

Supreme Court and Title VII: Implications for Reverse Discrimination

Earlier this month, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision in Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services vitiating the so-called “background circumstances” test required by half of federal circuit courts.1 The background circumstances test required majority group plaintiffs pleading discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act to meet a heightened pleading standard […]

Author: Matthew F. Mimnaugh

Link to post with title - "Supreme Court and Title VII: Implications for Reverse Discrimination"
SPACs Are Back, What You Need to Know post image

SPACs Are Back, What You Need to Know

Special purpose acquisition companies (better known as SPACs) appear to be making a comeback. SPAC offerings for 2025 have already nearly surpassed last year’s totals, with additional transactions in the pipeline. SPACs last experienced a boom between 2020–2021, with approximately 600 U.S. companies raising a record $163 billion in 2021. Notable companies that went public […]

Author: Dan Brecher

Link to post with title - "SPACs Are Back, What You Need to Know"
Short Form Merger: Streamlining the Process for Businesses post image

Short Form Merger: Streamlining the Process for Businesses

Merging two companies is a complex legal and business transaction. A short form merger, in which an acquiring company merges with a subsidiary corporation, offers a more streamlined process that involves important corporate governance considerations. A short form merger, in which an acquiring company merges with a subsidiary corporation, offers a more streamlined process. However, […]

Author: Dan Brecher

Link to post with title - "Short Form Merger: Streamlining the Process for Businesses"
Tariff Response Options for Small Businesses Facing Financial Distress post image

Tariff Response Options for Small Businesses Facing Financial Distress

The Trump Administration’s new tariffs are having an oversized impact on small businesses, which already tend to operate on razor thin margins. Many businesses have been forced to raise prices, find new suppliers, lay off staff, and delay growth plans. For businesses facing even more dire financial circumstances, there are additional tariff response options, including […]

Author: Brian D. Spector

Link to post with title - "Tariff Response Options for Small Businesses Facing Financial Distress"

No Aspect of the advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court. Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.

Sign up to get the latest from our attorneys!

Explore What Matters Most to You.

Consider subscribing to our Firm Insights mailing list by clicking the button below so you can keep up to date with the firm`s latest articles covering various legal topics.

Stay informed and inspired with the latest updates, insights, and events from Scarinci Hollenbeck. Our resource library provides valuable content across a range of categories to keep you connected and ahead of the curve.

Let`s get in touch!

* The use of the Internet or this form for communication with the firm or any individual member of the firm does not establish an attorney-client relationship. Confidential or time-sensitive information should not be sent through this form.

Sign up to get the latest from the Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC attorneys!