iCrave shuts down website operations

Rebel webcaster iCravetv.com is gone, at least for now.

The owners of the website, which began streaming broadcasters’ signals without their approval last November, agreed to shut down iCrave last week as groups suing the site owner and principal Bill Craig agreed to drop the legal actions.

Two separate teams of Canadian broadcasters and producers, and American tv, film and sports reps announced they had each reached out-of-court deals.

The settlement goes beyond the preliminary u.s. injunction issued in early February, which barred iCravetv’s unauthorized transmission of broadcasters’ signals for 90 days.

In a prepared statement on the settlement with iCrave, cab president Michael McCabe said, ‘Any iCravetv wannabes are going to be dealt with swiftly and soundly. Whether or not we’re dealing with a $5 or a $5-billion operation is irrelevant. We will move immediately to assert our rights as copyright owners and creators.’

Meantime, Craig has been quoted as saying he plans to try to pay licence fees to copyright holders so he can begin transmitting broadcast signals again in Canada, once the legalities become clear.