BBC Trust Gives Go-Ahead to Canvas

LONDON: The BBC’s IPTV venture with Arqiva, BT, Channel 4, Five, ITV and Talk Talk has been approved by the pubcaster’s governing body, with some conditions.

BBC Trust has given the go-ahead to Canvas—which intends to develop and promote a common standard to allow viewers with a broadband connection to watch on-demand and other internet content through the television set—after a year-long consultation process. Conditions of the approval include that the service be free to air, though fees can be levied for additional pay services that third parties might choose to provide via the Canvas platform, such as VOD. In addition, access should not be bundled with other products or services, and listing on the EPG will be awarded in a "fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory manner." Plus, the BBC’s investment cannot exceed estimated costs by more than 20 percent over a five-year period.

BBC Trustee and Chair of the Trust’s Strategic Approvals Committee, Diane Coyle, said: "The Trust has concluded that Project Canvas will deliver significant public value for licence fee payers—people with a broadband connection will be able to access a wide range of on-demand content including BBC iPlayer, free of charge, through their TV sets. We have however applied a number of conditions to the BBC’s involvement in the venture in recognition of the potential impacts on the market if Canvas is successful."