Aereo Blocked in Several States

SALT LAKE CITY: A federal judge in Utah has blocked the controversial TV streaming outfit Aereo from operating in several states, ahead of a U.S. Supreme court hearing in April.

The U.S. District Judge Dale Kimball in Salt Lake City issued a preliminary injunction, ruling that Aereo's retransmission of video signals is indistinguishable from a cable company. The decision involved what the court calls the "balance of harm," as each company is claiming that the other's actions could irreparably damage its business in a significant way.

The injunction will prohibit Aereo from transmitting in Utah, New Mexico, Colorado, Oklahoma, Wyoming and Montana.

The U.S. Supreme Court will be hearing arguments in the Aereo case on April 22.