New Threat to Aereo TV

The TV industry's best hope of shutting down TV startup Aereo Inc. anytime soon could rest, bizarrely enough, on a legal case involving something called Aereokiller LLC.

So where does Aereokiller fit in? It is a copycat service launched in Aereo's wake last year by an entrepreneur named Alkiviades David, using a Web address of Barrydriller.com. Aereokiller streams broadcast networks over the Web, and has said it uses technology similar to Aereo's. At the time of Aereokiller's launch, major broadcasters thought the copycat was little more than a farce—though one they quickly moved to quash. Mr. Diller was also dismissive, saying at the time that he'd "hoped that if they steal my name they'd do it for something more provocative." He quickly sued over the name, and Aereokiller dropped use of the Barrydriller.com Web address for its service. Now, Aereokiller has become a larger threat to Aereo, clouding both its legal standing and its hopes of expanding its service to 22 cities across the U.S., say lawyers not involved in the case. That is because broadcasters have had more luck shutting down Aereokiller than Aereo—even though they operate similarly—thanks to the different legal precedents set in the states where cases are being heard.