Hollywood studios and US networks have warned the new ivi tv online service to stop streaming US broadcast channels to a worldwide audience on the internet. Ivi tv’s recent launch streams TV stations including affiliates of all the major networks ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox, from Seattle and New York.
People have to download the ivi tv player and pay a monthly subscription fee of $4.99 (€3.73) in order to see the TV stations on their PC. ivi tv “converts internet connected devices into a television as soon as the application which is available for Windows, Mac and Linux is downloaded.
“ivi is not another Pirate Bay or Napster trying to gain from others’ works. Rather, ivi wishes to work with content owners in helping them to realise new revenue streams and reach more viewers from around the globe. The ivi team has spent more than three years developing this technology and no other company has come close to matching it”. Todd Weaver, founder and CEO of ivi TV said.
The new video site claims it is using a loophole in US copyright law and its offering is entirely legal. However, the studios and the networks view things differently and immediately stepped into action. The case resembles a similar spat between Swiss based Zattoo and UK terrestrial broadcasters.
