New FCC Proposal May Restore Life to Aereo - The UpStream

New FCC Proposal May Restore Life to Aereo

posted Sunday Nov 2, 2014 by Nicholas DiMeo

New FCC Proposal May Restore Life to Aereo

Aereo's time on the shelf might not last for long, especially if the same hands that shut the company down are working on new regulation to bring it all back to life. A new proposal by the FCC would allow companies like Aereo to stream broadcasts to users without needing huge packages of channels.

Led by FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, this proposal would let Aereo operate like a cable company, which was what Aereo CEO Chet Kanojia wanted to do since being shut down by the Supreme Court. Kanojia also called this proposal an "important step" in the progression of the broadcasting industry. "By clarifying these rules, the FCC is taking a real and meaningful step forward for competition in the video market," he said.

The change to the definition of a content provider would finally include online video services, which is the main form of media left out in what is considered a multichannel video programming distributor. Of course, all of this would have to be voted on, but at least there is there is progress being made and thoughts being put on paper. It seems like officials who were once formerly baffled by the Internet and technology are finally coming around to understand that people use the Internet for lots of different things. And maybe, just maybe, they use it for watching video when they're away from their homes.

On the matter of people being tied to cable packages because of outdated policies, Wheeler said,

Consumers have long complained about how their cable service forces them to buy channels they never watch. The move of video onto the Internet can do something about that frustration.

There is still a lot of debate and discussion to be had before we even see this proposal change make its way to a vote. However, advocates like the Consumer Electronics Association and the National Association of Broadcasters are both onboard with the FCC adopting a new form of media consumption.

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