The US Supreme Court will hear arguments on Tuesday about whether online TV service Aereo violates broadcasters’ copyrights in ABC v Aereo, a case that has united bitter online streaming rivals and high-tech companies against broadcasters and the White House.
Rival streaming service FilmOn X, which has recently been involved in similar litigation with broadcasters, filed an amicus brief in support of Aereo – despite the past differences its CEO Alki David has had with Aereo funder Barry Driller.
In that brief, the company – formerly known as Aereokiller – argued that Aereo and FilmOn X “further an important government interest by providing access to free over-the-air broadcasting” and that the Second Circuit was correct in concluding that Aereo merely enables private performance. But it said that, alternatively, the Supreme Court should force broadcasters to issue services such as FilmOn X and Aereo with compulsory licenses under Section 111 of the Copyright Act.
Below is a round-up of lower court decisions related to the case.
You can read our preview of oral arguments for ABC v Aereo here and our profile of the lawyers arguing the case here.
