BBC to Back Internet TV Venture

Online video is growing every year and will inevitably replace TV watching like we know it in the not-so-distant future. We're not quite there yet, thanks in part to the established media companies, especially the distribution part, doing everything in their power to stop it or at least slowing it down. A new move in the UK is getting closer to bringing on-demand online video to the TV screen, as the BBC's Project Canvas is expected to get the go-ahead from the BBC Trust, the governing body which oversees its operations.

The project is a joint venture from the biggest names in British TV, BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Five and is also supported by the biggest two broadband providers in the country BT and Carphone Warehouse. It aims to allow access to various online video services, like the BBC's successful iPlayer, through a set-top box enabling users to get all the content on their TVs without needing a PC.

“By seamlessly converging broadband and broadcast content, project canvas can help secure the future of free-to-air broadcasting and create an open platform that gives online services a route to the TV set,” Richard Halton, Project Canvas programme director said. “The potential for innovation goes far beyond bringing video-on-demand to the TV set and there’s a huge opportunity for a wide range of new commercial models to thrive.”

This is obviously great for the customers, but some competitors are far from thrilled, with satellite broadcaster Sky expressing very vocal concerns about the project. The criticisms are that the BBC will use public funding to take over the video-on-demand market and that many broadcasters would be left out as they couldn't afford to joint.

The project has been under review by the BBC Trust for almost a year now, which has been trying to figure out if the plan would be good use of public money and the process has been slow, with the trustees requesting additional information on several occasions. They are now expected to approve the project and to make the announcement in the coming days. If everything goes to plan, devices should be coming in before Christmas next year.