Redlasso video sharing service threatened by big media

Redlasso, a service that syndicates live television and radio and which also allows users to create their own clips from footage to embed in their own sites, has received a cease-and-desist order from three major TV networks.

Fox, CBS, and NBC have jointly sent Redlasso a written demand giving it until May 29th to shape up or get sued for, among other things, unfair competition, false designation of origin, and trademark infringement. The networks charge that copyright law has been violated because the service syndicates video and audio material that neither belongs to it, nor that it has been given permission to use.

The legal missive says the business is "based on the unauthorized syndication of the Content Owners' news, entertainment, sports and other television and radio content," and that it has violated numerous state and federal laws.

It was only a matter of time, some bloggers have noted, before Redlasso faced this kind of adversity. The service has seen a steady increase in popularity in the last six months, with its user base growing from two to 24 million, without a single content deal with any of the networks it rebroadcasts.

Redlasso has not issued a formal reply yet, but the company reportedly did not expect this cease and desist order to leak to the media.