 | |
| Developer | Sports Fans Coalition |
|---|---|
| Type | Streaming television |
| Launch date | January 2018 |
| Discontinued | September 21, 2021 |
| Website | Archived official website at the Wayback Machine (archived November 13, 2021) |
Locast was an American non-profit streaming television service that allowed users to view live streams of over-the-air television stations. The service was founded by attorney David Goodfriend under the banner of the Sports Fans Coalition.
Launched in New York City in January 2018, Locast expanded to media markets throughout the United States as well as Puerto Rico before suspending service on September 2, 2021 after an adverse decision by the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York centering on copyright issues.
Locast was similar to Aereo, which operated on a commercial basis with users paying to lease individual antennas placed in nearby warehouses.[1] Aereo was shut down following a copyright infringement lawsuit by the major networks over the retransmission of their programming without consent and compensation. Locast was intended as a test case for the proposition that a service of this nature would be legal if operated on a non-profit basis.
Locast cited an exception in United States copyright law that allows retransmission of television signals by non-commercial entities at no charge, aside from that required to maintain the service's operations. Viewers were restricted from viewing stations outside of their market through geofencing on their viewing platform, though if traveling to another Locast market, they could view that market's stations instead.
In July 2019, the parent companies of the four major U.S. broadcast networks sued Locast, alleging that the service violated copyright law. The plaintiffs also alleged that Locast undermined its non-profit status by accepting financial support and promotion from cable and satellite companies. The networks maintained that Locast gave the carriers an unfair negotiating advantage during carriage disputes that prevented them from retransmitting local programming. Locast filed a countersuit, arguing that its service complied with the aforementioned exceptions and accusing the networks of colluding to limit the availability of their programming via free-to-air means in order to protect the pay television industry.
On August 31, 2021, a federal judge denied Locast's request for a summary judgment. Locast suspended operations and was subsequently ordered to do so permanently.
Locast sourced its signals from antennas in each market it served. The service required a minimum donation of US$5 per month to view programming without interruption.
- ^ Lagorio-Chafkin, Christine (2013-11-22). "Finally, a Company That's Really, Truly Both Innovative and Disruptive". Inc.com. Retrieved 2020-01-21.