Project Canvas adds Channel 4 broadband TV
A new IPTV venture Project Canvas, would allow people to catch on demand services at their pleasure on the BBC iPlayer as well as view internet content on their television sets. The new venture has now recruited two major ISPs and all public services broadcasters for the IPTV project.
The ISPs are the latest two additions to the scheme, which previously had four companies signed up, with each investing over ?16m in the project. The BBC anticipates that the entire cost to all partners will be about ?16m over the course of the next four years.
Until now, Channel 4 had been holding out against joining into the IPTV project stating economic reasons, but after taking a more thorough evaluation of the project Director of Strategy Gill Pritchard for the channel stated that now is the time to get on board.
Pritchard stated that IPTV will be the new direction of television and that if Channel 4 wants to increase its presence in the programming world it needs to be involved in Project Canvas.
Project Canvas responded to the new additions by stating they are still look for more partners and that any interested parties are welcome to submit proposals.
The group stated that ideally all prospective partners will receive equal shares in the creation of the new IPTV company.
Programme director for Program Canvas, Richard Halton stated that the internet will revolutionize the way that people view television and that by putting broadcast and broadband side by side Project Canvas will open up a new platform that will help secure the fate of public broadcasting.
