Project Canvas Sky and Virgin Media opposition

[naeskydish]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010...line-on-demand

I read this article about the new Seesaw on demand service being done jointly with Channel 4 Chanel 5 and BBC. There’s plenty of viewing on the Seesaw web site http://www.seesaw.com/

What I found interesting about the article though was “Project Canvas”

http://www.projectcanvas.info/

“Project Canvas is a proposed partnership between the BBC, ITV, C4, Five, BT and Talk Talk to build an open internet-connected TV platform, subject to BBC Trust approval.
The partners intend to form a venture to promote the platform to consumers and the content, service and developer community.

Like the UK's current free-to-air brands Freeview and Freesat - a consumer brand (not canvas) will be created, and licensed to device manufacturers, and internet service providers owners who meet the specifications.
‘Canvas compliant’ devices (eg set-top boxes), built to a common technical standard, would provide seamless access to a range of third-party services through a common, simple, user experience.

These proposals are currently being assessed by the BBC's governing body the BBC Trust. Still in its development stages, there are three main elements to the project: setting the technical standard, building the technical platform, and creating the user experience.”

Project Canvas approval by the BBC Trust, but this paragraph in the Guardian article caught my eye.

But the big development expected in the next 18 months is the realisation of Project Canvas, a partnership between the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Five, BT and Talk Talk to build "an open internet-connected TV platform" that would extend the options of video on-demand to Freeview and Freesat viewers. Canvas will effectively make on-demand viewing services such as SeeSaw available to anyone with a broadband connection and a next-generation Freeview or Freesat set top box. But it needs BBC Trust approval, is likely to face opposition from Sky and Virgin, and is not likely to launch before mid-2011.”

Hard to imagine Sky and Virgin Media joining forces in opposition but I suppose stranger things have happened. I wonder if Project Canvas has been mentioned in the Sky buy out talks of VM'S CHANELS ??

[BenMcr]

I can't see why Virgin would oppose it.

[naeskydish]

Neither do I , unless there is a change in the agreements by these channels providing VoD to Virgin. The channels and companies involved in Project Canvas will want to maximise their own profits

[naeskydish]

Virgin media to attack BBC Trust today over Project Canvas
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/n...ct-Canvas.html

[BenMcr]

Ah ok, I think understand where VM are coming from on that now - which I looks like is a different position to Sky