Six days after the Supreme Court said Aereo’s business model violates copyright law, the company’s CEO took his fight to the streets Tuesday, asking Americans to rise up and demand the right to beam broadcasters’ signals to their computers — while paying Aereo’s fee to do so.
Aereo founder and CEO Chet Kanojia (pictured) announced Saturday that the company would halt its operations for the time being to sort out the ramifications of the Supreme Court ruling. In the meantime, he is asking Aereo subscribers to ask Congress to do… something. It is unclear what that might be, since the court has already shot the company down.
Also read: Aereo Investor Barry Diller Says Company ‘Is Over’
Aereo uses millions of tiny antennas to send broadcasters signals’ to subscribers laptops, tablets and other devices. Aereo says it is only harnessing old technology on a massive scale. But broadcasters — and now the Supreme Court — say that it’s a violation of the broadcasters’ copyrights on their content.
Here is Kanojia’s letter.
A Letter to Our Consumers: Standing Together for Innovation, Progress and Technology – Let’s Raise Our Voices
On Saturday, many of you received the news that we decided to pause our operations temporarily, as a result of the United States Supreme Court’s reversal of a lower court decision in favor of Aereo.
Also read: Aereo’s Supreme Court Loss Leaves It in Salvage Mode (Analysis)
Your response in support of the Aereo team has been overwhelming and touching. Your tweets, emails and Facebook posts have made it clear how important it is for so many Americans to have access to a cloud-based antenna to watch live broadcast television. Many of you have asked, “What can we do?”
Today, I’m asking you to raise your hands and make your voices heard. Tell your lawmakers how disappointed you are that the nation’s highest court issued a decision that could deny you the right to use the antenna of your choice to access live over-the-air broadcast television. Tell them your stories of why having access to a cloud-based antenna is important to you and your families. Show them you care about this issue.
Visit the updated ProtectMyAntenna.org, find your representatives and send tweets, emails and Facebook messages asking them to take action to protect your right to use the antenna of your choice to access live free-to-air broadcasts, including the ability to use a cloud-based antenna.
Don’t let your voices be silenced. Let’s stand together for innovation, progress, and technology.
Thank you for your continued support. We are truly grateful.
Yours truly,
Chet Kanojia