BBC Trust Requests More Info from BBC Executive on Project Canvas OTT Joint Venture

BBC Trust, the body responsible for public oversight of the BBC, said Thursday that it needs more information from the BBC Executive in order to determine whether to give the green light to Project Canvas (note: the latter is a joint over-the-top venture between the BBC, UK commercial broadcaster ITV, and UK incumbent telco BT, which seeks to develop a common standard and interface for the delivery of online catch-up services such as the BBC iPlayer and the ITV player, as well as other Internet-based VOD services, to broadband-connected set-top boxes--specifically, set-top boxes designed for reception of the UK's free-to-air multichannel TV services, Freeview and Freesat). The Trust was originally scheduled to deliver its decision by July 24th, but that deadline is now in doubt. "As part of our assessment process we have just completed a comprehensive consultation of the industry," BBC trustee, Diane Coyle, said in a prepared statement. "A common theme that emerged was that more information was needed from the BBC Executive about the Canvas proposal. So in the interests of making a robust and independent decision we have asked the Executive to look at the issues that stakeholders have raised and report back to us. The Trust's processes are designed to give us enough flexibility to reach a final conclusion, whilst maintaining a rigorous assessment of the proposals."

As part of its seven-week consultation on Project Canvas, the BBC Trust says it received over 800 submissions from individuals and stakeholders, and met with over 60 stakeholders (note: the Trust has published the submissions--or at least those that were not made confidentially--at http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/assets/files/pdf/consult/canvas/canvas_st.txt; stakeholders whose submissions are listed in the document include a number of companies regularly covered by [itvt]). It says that it found "widespread support for the delivery of IPTV into the home via broadband" and that "a large number of stakeholders also recognized that the BBC could potentially help both coordinate and accelerate this process." However, it says that it has now decided that "in order to give stakeholders a more complete source of information on the proposal it would ask the BBC Executive to provide further information on a number of issues that stakeholders have raised." When it receives this information, it says, it will then begin a "second period of consultation."

According to the BBC Trust, the information it is now seeking from the BBC Executive, pertains to (among other issues): the choice of technical standards for Project Canvas; the way in which the BBC will work with industry bodies; control of the joint venture's EPG; the venture's governance arrangements; and the use of editorial controls.

The Project Canvas partners issued the following statement in response to the BBC Trust's announcement: "We welcome the Trust's statement and the opportunity to publish more information and we are keen to support a timely conclusion of the Trust's consultation process. The BBC Trust's announcement today states that their consultation 'found widespread support for the delivery of IPTV into the home' and the potential role of the BBC to 'coordinate and accelerate this process.' The partners believe that Canvas will maximize choice for consumers, sustain the long-term future of free-to-air broadcasting and promote broadband take-up. We also believe it will create significant opportunities for content providers and offer a real alternative in the TV market. Internet connectivity will have a transformational effect on TV. A viewing experience unconstrained by broadcast spectrum will give a far greater range of content providers access to the living room, creating unprecedented consumer choice and control over what content they view and when." (Note: for background on Project Canvas, see the articles published on itvt.com April 27th and May 13th.)