Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Networks Seek To Stop FilmOn

Four top U.S. television networks have asked a federal court to stop the Internet video service FilmOn.com from offering TV channels over the web and on Apple's iPad for free.

Reuters reports, FilmOn.com Plc which claims to be the first high definition Internet television network, launched in September 2010 and was founded by British billionaire entrepreneur Alki David.

The network's suit comes as start-ups have sought to bypass traditional media companies by offering programming to Internet users without paying fees to free-to-air channels.

"It's against the law to steal a broadcast signal and stream it to wireless devices and over the Internet, without the copyright owner's permission," the networks said in a joint statement.
The networks, eager to control the way their programs are distributed, in September sued ivi Inc, a service that offers TV channels over the web for free. Some TV networks have also blocked videos on their websites from Google Inc's (GOOG.O) Google TV.

FilmOn, a Berlin-listed company, initially charged users $9.95 per month, to access "over 30 premium free-to-air television channels." But it began offering the service for free after the networks sued FilmOn days after its Sept. 27 launch, according to a copy of the restraining order seen by Reuters.

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