Web maverick Bill Craig says he hopes to have his controversial website iCravetv.com up and running again by late summer – this time, with the cooperation of content providers.

Craig says he hopes to get that cooperation via new technology which will allow iCrave to buy rights for programming on a per-territory basis, and restrict viewing to browsers in the licensed territory. He has previously described the iWall software that will permit this segmented viewing, but adds that his team wants to create what he calls ‘Country Area Networks’ to segment viewership. He likens can to the network acronym lan or Local Area Network.

Toronto-based Craig attracted the wrath of producers, broadcasters and sports marketers in Canada and the u.s. last November after he launched iCrave, which streamed ‘live’ video of broadcasters’ signals for realtime consumption online. The American groups obtained a temporary injunction against the site in February and by month-end Craig agreed to shut down the site as his Canadian and u.s. adversaries dropped plans to sue.

Interviewed last week, Craig said he needs about six weeks to get iWall up and running, and the balance of the spring and summer to talk to specialty broadcasters about ‘organizing rights’ to programming and launching their content on the revived website. ‘Specialty channels are very promising. They don’t sign up exclusive rights [to programs],’ he says.