The controversial online TV provider ivi, which sells worldwide access to broadcast signals, announced today (Dec. 13) that it has added Chicago channels to its lineup. A rep for ivi told Current that the new stations include pubcaster WTTW/Channel 11. ivi, which launched in September, captures and encrypts TV stations’ signals and distributes them through a web app to subscribers. It says stations are paid for the content through the U.S. Copyright Office. PBS, WNET.org, WGBH and 22 other plaintiffs disagree, and filed suit in U.S. District Court in New York on Sept. 28, saying in part: “The defendants are nothing more than publicity-seeking pirates” (Current, Oct. 4).
Do pubcasters really need to be leading the charge against this silly streaming video site?
ivi.tv is absolutely illegal. Deep down I’m sure their operators and users know it, even if they disagree on principle. But savvy internet users will always be able to find a way to watch television online, including on PBS’s own geo-filtered player. I mean, it’s still easy to find free mp3s in the post-Napster era… imagine that. So why can’t we just let the MPAA, RIAA, and commercial broadcasters continue their march into losing battles against torrent aggregators and dot.tv sites? There’s absolutely no need to line up our limited resources alongside them.