Feds in NY pull plug on pirated sports broadcasts

[February 03, 2011]  NEW YORK (AP) -- Federal authorities on Wednesday moved to short-circuit 10 websites accused of stealing and streaming a large menu of live TV broadcasts, including NFL games and pay-per-view events produced by World Wrestling Entertainment.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were executing warrants based on a federal court order unsealed Wednesday in Manhattan. The warrants direct Internet domain gatekeepers to disrupt the sites while the agents try to identify operators and charge them with copyright infringement.

The crackdown was intended "to send a clear message to website operators who mistakenly believe it's worth the risk to take copyrighted programming and portray it as their own," ICE Director John T. Morton said in a statement.

Court papers cited several instances in recent weeks when the sites offered links to WWE "TLC" -- tables, ladders and chairs -- matches and Ultimate Fighting Championship events. Users also could click on live NFL, NBA and NHL games from across the nation.

The pirated streaming has allowed "unauthorized viewers to watch live events in the same quality and with the same ease as those who lawfully purchased the content through pay-per-view," the papers say.

Authorities estimate the sites have cost sports leagues and networks millions of dollars in lost revenue. Court papers say broadcasters have failed in efforts to fight back by monitoring the "rampant acts of theft" and demanding they stop -- an expense passed on to sports fans through higher ticket and pay-per-view prices.

Website operators take the material by hacking directly into legitimate Internet streams and cable broadcasts -- or sometimes just by pointing a video camera at a television and uploading the picture. The sites make money by selling ads or charging nominal membership fees.

On Wednesday, a notice on one of the websites, channelsurfing.net, told users that it was "seized today by homeland security." It also had a link for a news story about the case.

A reader commented: "Somebody please tell me where I can watch today's Laker game."

[Associated Press; By TOM HAYS]

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