Channel 4 Signs Up For Project Canvas
Channel 4 and ISP Talk Talk have signed on to become official partners in the ambitious Project Canvas meaning all national broadcasters are now involved in developing the online TV platform. Project Canvas aims to give TV audiences open access to a wide range of internet-based services through Freeview and Freesat.
Gill Pritchard, director of strategy at Channel 4, says: “IPTV is set to become the next generation of TV and if Channel 4 is to continue to enhance its importance in a fully converged world it is key to be part of driving Project Canvas. We believe that Project Canvas is an important development that will bring considerable benefits to all viewers, increasing the accessibility of on-demand content for everyone, not just the technologically savvy.”
Channel 4, alongside BBC, ITV, Talk Talk, BT and Five, will form a new joint venture company to promote it to audiences and the content, service and developer community. Although Project Canvas has been open to discussions with any interested organisations since the proposals were first announced in February 2009, the six Canvas partners now wish to invite any companies interested in becoming part of the joint venture. Any venture that wants to support the open internet-connected TV platform, and can commit financial and marketing support to the project, is invited to contact the partners.
Project Canvas programme director Richard Halton said “The potential for innovation goes far beyond bringing video-on-demand to the TV set and there’s a huge opportunity for a wide range of new commercial models to thrive. We always wanted all the UK’s public service broadcasters and at least two ISPs to be involved in the venture at launch, so we’re delighted that Channel 4 and Talk Talk have joined the project.”
BBC’s involvement in project canvas is still subject to BBC Trust approval. In August 2008 BSkyB wrote to the BBC Trust expressing “serious concerns” over the consultation process for next-generation TV platform Project Canvas.
However, Sky has come out with sharp criticism of the process. Graham McWilliam, Sky’s group director of corporate affairs, said: “The combination of a wholly unrealistic timeframe for responses along with a failure to seek an independent and comprehensive market impact assessment from Ofcom demonstrates disregard for the principles of good regulation.”
In August Analyst Screen Digest claimed that an open IPTV platform like Project Canvas will reach 3.5 million homes by 2014.