The Stage

BBC Trust gives provisional go-ahead to internet TV plans

Published Tuesday 22 December 2009 at 16:20 by Alistair Smith

The BBC Trust has today given its provisional approval to the Corporation’s involvement in Project Canvas, which would develop technology for a new free on-demand internet TV service.

Project Canvas is a joint venture between the BBC and five other partners to develop and promote a common standard that would allow viewers with a broadband connection to watch on-demand TV, such as the BBC iPlayer or the ITV Player, and other internet content, as well as standard television content. This would be via a set–top box connected to the internet. Viewers would have to have a broadband connection but would not pay any additional subscription for the content.

Diane Coyle, chair of the trust’s Strategic Approvals Committee, said:

“One of the BBC’s aims is to bring the benefits of emerging communications technologies to the public. After careful consideration, the Trust has provisionally concluded that Canvas is likely to benefit licence fee payers. We believe Canvas could be an important part of the way in which the BBC delivers its services in the future.

“Our provisional conclusions include some conditions on the BBC’s involvement. These conditions are designed to help secure the public value we identified and to help minimise, where possible, any potential harmful effects on the market. We will now be consulting industry and the public on our provisional conclusions. The last stage of the process will be to consider the responses to that consultation before reaching our final decision.”

There will now be a period of consultation on the provisional conclusions closing on February 2, 2010, after which the Trust will reach its final decision.