Aereo Service Coming to Chicago in September
Streaming service Aereo has announced plans to begin operation in Chicago on September 13. This will be the fourth market for Aereo, which began in New York City, expanded to Atlanta this spring, and is beginning in Boston this month. Or perhaps there will be many more markets by the time it hits the windy city: In an interview this week, Aereo CEO and founder Chet Kanojia said the service would expand to up to 19 new cities by the end of August.
Considering how limited its service, Aereo has been an unlikely headline-grabber. Aereo streams local broadcast TV content, which subscribers can see on a desktop or iOS device. Subscribers can pause live video or record to a cloud DVR. Service costs $8 per month for a 20 hour DRV or $12 per month for a 60 hour DVR. Aereo says it will begin offering Android support this summer.
Since it's debut, Aereo has been fighting legal challenges from broadcasters including ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC Universal, and Telemundo. At issue are the retransmission fees that cable operators pay the networks. If services like Aereo are allowed, it could greatly upset the economics of broadcast television.
In a fiery rant this April, Dan Rayburn scolded the press for calling Aereo disruptive. "Really? Disruptive? Based on what metric? Just because a company gets sued by the broadcasters doesn’t make their service/business disruptive," Rayburn wrote.
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