AT&T Adds Locast App to DirecTV, Uverse

Juan

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Big difference...the internet
That would not be any different than what they do now by installing OTA antennas and supplying the OTA adapter. They're enabling subscribers to receive the locals outside of the retrans rules just as subscribers can do for themselves. I don't see what anyone could scream about. At least not with any legal footing...

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Juan

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Aereo...they lost at the supreme court...they did the samething but charged for mandatory DVR service
Do you have a legal precedent that says Internet streaming is different than direct broadcast under the retransmission rules? Locast is supplying legal translator streams via the Internet per 17 USC 111.

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Juan

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When stations and networks see it as a threat to retransmission fees the fun will begin
Locast is new, it will take them time to add all the markets. Anyway, the question of whether it is legal has nothing to do with how many markets it has available.

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slice1900

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When stations and networks see it as a threat to retransmission fees the fun will begin

I'm sure they already see it as a threat, but suing them now would only bring attention to Locast. The Streisand effect is a real danger in today's world of the internet and social media.

They may be hoping it will simply fail, while working behind the scenes lobbying for changes in the STELA reauth that would make Locast clearly illegal. Then they don't have to fight them in court.
 

NYDutch

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But they are taking donations...someone somewhere is making money

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According to Locast it costs $150,000 to $250,000 to bring a new DMA online, plus the ongoing costs for bandwidth, etc. If they were making money, they wouldn't still be drawing on their initial high interest loan. The only ones that might be making money per se in the form of a salary, are the folks keeping the service online. And it's completely legal for a non-profit to pay salaries and costs, and even to put money aside for future needs.
 

NYDutch

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When stations and networks see it as a threat to retransmission fees the fun will begin

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Locast translates the locals in 13 cities covering almost a third of the US market. They have an estimated 250,000+ subscribers as of the last figures I read. How big does the threat have to be? The broadcaster went after Aereo before they even launched their service.
 

Juan

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Learn the hardway
Locast translates the locals in 13 cities covering almost a third of the US market. They have an estimated 250,000+ subscribers as of the last figures I read. How big does the threat have to be? The broadcaster went after Aereo before they even launched their service.

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