Aereo, Internet TV, Expanding into most major markets by 2013

(from TV Week) Following a favorable court ruling this week, the online television service Aereo is expected to expand to a number of major U.S. cities by 2013, Bloomberg reports, citing an interview with backer Barry Diller.

"We’re going to really start marketing,” said Diller, who was interviewed while attending the annual Allen & Co. Sun Valley, Idaho, conference. "Within a year and a half, certainly by ’13, we’ll be in most major” markets.

As previously reported, Aereo got approval this week from a federal judge to go ahead, with the judge denying a temporary injunction sought by television broadcasters to shut down the service. Aereo, seen by some as a threat to the broadcast business model, currently operates in New York.

“Aereo captures broadcast signals with small antennas and streams them to devices such as Apple Inc.’s iPad, without paying for the programming,” the report notes.

Diller commented on this week’s ruling, saying: “One of my friends at a large broadcaster said you succeeded in dropping my stock 2 percent. I did think we were on the right side of this, and I’m happy the judge agreed with us.”

“The ability for consumers to receive broadcast over-the-air signal is their right,” Diller said.

Executives from all the top broadcast networks are also attending the conference, the story points out. Broadcasters have said they will continue to fight Aereo.