Broadcasters suing pirate ‘IPTV’ provider

Three of the nation’s largest broadcasters are suing the owners of a service that is allegedly selling live TV service packages and on-demand content without a licence or authorization. Quebecor Inc.’s Groupe TVA Inc., BCE Inc., and Rogers Communications Inc. are suing GoldTV.biz and GoldTV.ca and their operators in Federal Court, alleging they have been offering for sale television channels and making them available to resellers. The lawsuit said the signals are then sold for $15 and $150 on monthly and yearly subscriptions, respectively. “The GoldTV.biz Service provides unauthorized access to hundreds (if not thousands) of live television channels and video-on-demand content,” said the joint argument filed in court July 18. The plaintiffs are asking for a ban on the services and for damages. The broadcasters allege GoldTV has been operating since at least 2017, offering its service through an internet browser, set-top boxes, phone applications, and the popular Kodi media player. As of March 2019, the lawsuit alleges, GoldTV.ca had been receiving 53,000 monthly visits, about 50 per cent of which originate in Canada. The broadcasters have not been able to identify the individuals behind the creation and operation of the services. Shows that were allegedly infringed include The Big Bang Theory, Keeping Up With the Kardashians, the Amazing Race Canada, Game of Thrones, as well as a slew of sports content and live TV stations belonging to the broadcasters. The lawsuit comes as a government-appointed panel studies changes to the country’s broadcasting and telecommunications laws. Among the recommendations made to the panel is a regime that would compel internet service providers to block websites that engage in piracy. When presented with that recommendation by the FairPlay Canada coalition, the CRTC said that was for the federal government to decide. CBC/Radio-Canada has also similarly requested from the panel a similar website-blocking regime for “manipulated content,” such as the dissemination of false news. The broadcasters said in last week’s suit that they “suffer significant losses and damages as a result of the Defendants’ illegal activities.” A Sandvine Corp. report from 2017 found that live TV piracy was only going to go up, increasing cord-cutting and impacting profits. Earlier this year, one of the defendants named in a lawsuit brought by those same broadcasters to get a ban on pre-loaded set-top boxes -- which come pre-built with access to unlicensed content -- settled for $5 million. It was known at the time as the first settlement of its kind in that case. In late 2018, Quebecor and Bell filed a criminal complaint that led to an RCMP investigation and seizure of hardware from a Videotron contractor who allegedly redistributed TV signals illegally. A year prior, the major broadcasters brought a case against a Montreal resident, who was behind a popular add-on for Kodi devices that allowed users to stream content for free. In 2016, the Federal Court imposed a temporary ban on those pre-loaded boxes. A challenge to the ban was subsequently dismissed. The broadcasters in this case are asking for the trial to be held in Montreal, where that previous case was heard. — With reporting by Ahmad Hathout at ahathout@thewirereport.ca and editing by Anja Karadeglija at akarad@thewirereport.ca

Broadcasters suing pirate ‘IPTV’ provider

Broadcast | July 22, 2019

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Broadcasters suing pirate ‘IPTV’ provider

Broadcast | July 22, 2019

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