BBC gives green light to internet TV project
BBC gives green light to internet TV project
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Tuesday, 22, Dec 2009 05:38
By Lewis Bazley.
The BBC Trust has given its provisional approval for Project Canvas, a venture which would allow viewers to access on-demand television services such as iPlayer through their TV screens.
The partnership between the BBC, ITV, BT, Five, Channel 4 and TalkTalk would see consumers using set-top boxes costing around £200 each to access on-demand services like iPlayer and ITV Player on their home televisions.
Currently, Virgin Media subscribers are the only viewers able to watch iPlayer on television.
The BBC's governing body the BBC Trust has given its provisional backing to the project, subject to some conditions regarding the corporation's involvement and following a consultation period lasting until February.
"After careful consideration, the trust has provisionally concluded that Canvas is likely to benefit licence fee payers," said Diane Coyle, chair of the trust's strategic approvals committee.
"We believe Canvas could be an important part of the way in which the BBC delivers its services in the future."
The trust conceded the service could result in a fall in subscriptions to pay-TV services as well as impacting upon the DVD rental and retail markets.
BSkyB, meanwhile, has been critical of the BBC's involvement in Project Canvas, saying it "goes well beyond the BBC's public purposes to create public service content and to distribute it as widely as possible, without discrimination".
Project Canvas is expected to cost £115.6 million in its first four years, with the total cost to the BBC and other partners expected to be £16.4 million each.