Television

Arif Durrani, mediaweek.co.uk, 24 July 2009, 4:20pm

Project Canvas given regulatory timetable for 2010 launch

LONDON - Project Canvas, the proposed open web-TV joint venture between the BBC, ITV and BT, has set out a regulatory timetable for its planned launch in 2010, which includes a wider industry consultation and views on additional information published today.

Carolyn Fairbairn, director of group development and strategy at ITV

The new schedule begins with the publication of BBC Executive's additional information yesterday followed by setting the final date for submission of additional stakeholder comments as 1 September.

The publication of the Trust's provisional conclusions is penned for Autumn 2009 and will be followed by a four week period of public consultation.

According to the new timetable, the publication of a final decision on Canvas will be made "as soon as possible" following the end of the consultation on provisional conclusions.

It marks another regulatory milestone for the service that promises to offer catch-up programming, PVR and high definition, all on the same TV set for free.

The so-called "engagement plan" will involve working on platform specifications with the industry, including the Digital TV Group (DTG), the UK industry association for digital television, building on the work of European and other global standards bodies.

Other information provided by management and published as part of the BBC Trust's approvals' process includes details of the proposed approach to a common electronic programme guide (EPG), different monetisation options for the platform and the nature and role of the proposed joint venture.

Over the coming weeks, the Trust will be assessing and analysing the further information and developing its emerging conclusions.

The Trust has today (24 July) set out a clear timetable and welcomed comments from all interested parties on any aspect of management's response. It intends to consult on emerging conclusions in the autumn.

If approved, Canvas would augment the freely available channels of Freeview and Freesat on digital terrestrial or digital satellite television.

The new platform would combine access to all current free-to-air channels alongside video-on-demand, high definition services and consumer interactivity, with potential for a wide range of providers to bring content and services to the television screen for the first time.

It would also be able to offer subscription to pay-TV services.

Richard Halton, IPTV programme director at the BBC, called Project Canvas a "critical part" of the BBC's contribution to building digital Britain.

Carolyn Fairbairn, director of group development and strategy at ITV, pointed to the success of Freeview and Freesat as proof there is "huge viewer demand for subscription-free TV services" and called Canvas the "ultimate convergence of PC and TV".