iCraveTV is streaming free, live network television

December 6, 1999 9:51 PM

iCraveTV is streaming free, live network television feeds using RealNetworks software, and the big guys are steamed. The broadcasters are citing copyright infringement, but the guy running iCraveTV, William Craig, says he's perfectly legal. I think it's pretty ballsy, but legal? Apparently, since he's 'casting from Toronto, Canadian cable laws allow the retransmission of broadcast signals sans the licensing fees, as long as the signal doesn't get altered.
posted by grant (3 comments total)

Wow. A couple years ago, when my employer got a RealServer we tested it out by streaming one of the local Fox stations. Then I emailed my friends to say "hey check out the simpsons at this address." The server soon crashed after that. This company's feeds are pretty good, but I can see why broadcasters don't like it, the guy is carrying banner ads below the feed.
posted by mathowie at 8:15 AM on December 7, 1999

Heh, today Mark Cuban at Yahoo says they are closely examining moving their servers to Canada because of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.
posted by tomalak at 2:58 PM on December 7, 1999

iCrave TV Site is Only Available to Canadian Residents !
They will ask you for your Canadian Phone Area Code.

posted by K666GARY at 10:30 AM on December 10, 1999