BBC Project Canvas given go ahead to provide internet TV

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER, 1:27 PM on 21st December 2009

The BBC is to push ahead with providing internet services through the TV, after being given the green light from its governing body.

The joint venture, called Project Canvas, will offer a range of free-to-view, HD, video-on-demand and internet services via a set-top box.

It will bring together the UK's major terrestrial broadcasters but has been criticised by pay-TV operator BSkyB.

Project Canvas will provide a number of internet services such as the BBC iPlayer through a special set-top box

Set top boxes using Canvas software are slated to hit the shops late next year. Costing around £200 they will allow access to the BBC iPlayer, Amazon and NHS Direct among others.

The project could make Canvas the dominant platform for internet TV as the partners include the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Five along with the Internet Service Providers BT and TalkTalk.

It has been rigorously opposed by BSkyB and Virgin who have their own broadband internet services.

BSkyB has expressed concern that using public money will distort the market for internet TV.

'Sky do not believe that Canvas should be allowed to proceed, or at least, not with the BBC, and the licence fee, playing an active role,' the firm said.

'Given its unique and privileged position in receipt of substantial and guaranteed public funding, the proposals remain inconsistent with the BBC's obligations to adopt the least intrusive and most proportionate means of fulfilling its core public service purpose.'

Despite this, the BBC Trust is expecting to make a provisional ruling next week in favour of the platform, according to the Financial Times.

The project has been awaiting approval since February.

Channel 4 and ISP TalkTalk signed up to the project just last week. Each has committed to invest more than £16million to get the video-on-demand service up and running.

How Project Canvas will work

Canvas is an open-source platform that follows the example of Freeview but uses a broadband connection instead.

Manufacturers will be free to take the Canvas software and use it to create their own set-top boxes that plug directly into the internet.

Third-party content providers, or web services will also be able to plug directly into it.

So Amazon can create a store front for Canvas suited to the television, but use the same back-end technology that powers their web services.

Canvas does not include hardware and will not pull content together. It is there to provide a consistent user interface.

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