October 29, 2012

Inside The Beltway 10/29/12

Consumer watchdog Public Knowledge joined the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the Consumer Electronics Association in filing an amicus brief defending OTT startup Aereo in a lawsuit brought by several major broadcasters (click here for more information). Notes John Bergmayer, senior staff attorney at Public Knowledge, "Consumers do not need permission to watch free TV. Just as viewers are allowed to use rabbit ears to receive over the air broadcasts, they're allowed to make use of Aereo's remote antenna service…It is improper for [broadcasters] to try to shut down Aereo, a service which simply allows the public to make use of the service it subsidizes.”