There’s a new over-the-top streaming service in town, but this one has an added twist: it is taking the over-the-air broadcast feeds of 13 New York City-area stations, and streaming them online for free.
The goal? To force a lawsuit from the broadcast networks, and hopefully find that their unique legal strategy passes muster.
The streaming service is called “Locast” (a combination of “local” and “broadcast” and it was created by a non-profit organization called the Sports Fans Coalition. While it is free, Locast is asking for donations from users, to the tune of $10 per year, or $1.99 per month.
The SFC has been around since 2009, and advocates on behalf of fans on matters related to high ticket prices, restrictive rules around ticket sales, and public funding of stadiums. It has also advocated for more access to sports on TV, and the Locast service is a continuation of that mission.
While Locast is a real, working streaming service, it really serves as a proof of concept. Only available for residents of the New York metro area, SFC’s David Goodfriend told Broadcasting & Cable that the plan is to take the broadcasters to court. The company’s legal strategy rests on the fact that it is a non-profit entity that does not charge for use, and that they believe such entities are permitted to stream local broadcast networks.
Of course, others have tried taking over-the-air broadcasts and streaming them (remember Aereo?), with courts ultimately shutting them down.
We’ll have to wait and see whether the non-profit strategy works in court, however.
