Project Canvas is the current working name given to a proposed endeavour concerned with internet-connected television - also know as internet protocol television (IPTV) - for the United Kingdom market. It is intended to combine broadcast content (including that currently available via Freeview and FreeSat, and digital radio) with broadband content, delivering both through the television (as distinct from the computer). The endeavour is currently only at the proposed stage: it needs to receive approval from the BBC Trust before the BBC is allowed to invest public money in the formation of the organisation itself.
The endeavour's core principle is around developing a set of standards - including both technical and content standards - that, once confirmed, will be open to the industry as a whole. These standards will be used to create the necessary hardware (such as set top boxes) and programming content to allow for content typically accessed via the computer on the internet to be delivered to the television, combined with existing digital terrestrial television.
An analogy used often is that Project Canvas is aiming to be the equivalent of Freeview (in the UK) for IPTV and internet video. Like Freeview, Canvas is proposed to have a joint venture structure, the standards will be implemented by way of certification of the set top box devices[2 - S.2.3.3], and the BBC Executive has also stated that the Project Canvas venture itself will not manufacture, sell or support the hardware, and will not create, aggregate or retail any content, or act in any way like an ISP. [2 - S.2.2.1]
Structure
The project is being led by the BBC (it is one of the proposals the BBC is looking at undertaking as part of an increased need for public service broadcasting-oriented partnerships in the UK media market), and is proposed to be a joint venture organisation between itself and commercially-funded stakeholders. Two such stakeholders that committed from the outset are TV public service broadcaster ITV plc and telecom & ISP BT Group plc (British Telecom). TV broadcaster Five announced on 30 July 2009 that it is also joining the project[4]. TV public service broadcaster Channel 4 and ISP Talk Talk, after joining the venture in December 2009, bring the totakl nummber of venture partners to six.[5]
Content
Canvas is intended to be a hybrid of both broadcast content (such as the existing DTT/Freeview and DSat/FreeSat content) and broadband content. It is planned for all of the core existing Freeview channels to be available, as well as digital radio. Regarding broadband content, the focus of the Canvas project is on internet video, but the standards are also going to address other internet content such as information on websites or widgets.
From the perspective of the BBC, as the initial driving stakeholder, the majority of content available through Project Canvas will be free for users/viewers to access (beyond the need for subscription, or access, to a broadband internet connection). The BBC sees this model of one upfront payment for the set top box hardware and no ongoing cost to access content (another similarity that Canvas shares with Freeview, along with FreeSat) as central to its involvement, under its public service charter. Paid-for content - both one-off transactional and subscription - are also intended to be made available under the Canvas standards.
Timing
The endeavour is still in comparatively early stages: after knowledge of the project became public towards the end of 2008, it is currently being considered for approval to proceed by the BBC Trust. The original intended date for the Trust's final decision was on or before 24 July 2009[1]. The Trust have since acknowledged -based on industry feedback - that the original proposal was lacking in-depth information, and asked for more information from BBC management.
The BBC executive's latest stated aim is for the first of the Canvas-certified equipment to go on sale before Christmas 2010 (their original aim was the first quarter 2010). One of the key drivers for the original goal is related to the start of high-definition (HD) digital terrestrial television Freeview broadcasts: if consumers buy a new set top box to allow them to receive the HD Freeview content before Canvas boxes are in market it is thought they will be less receptive to buying another new set top box (a Canvas-enabled one) so soon after. Furthermore, as the Canvas standard is intending to cover HD, the broadband-content related benefits of Canvas plus the added benefits of Freeview content in HD make a more compelling reason for consumers to upgrade to a Canvas box from their existing Freeview hardware.
Criticisms & issues
The full results of the first phase of the public consultation related to the Trust making a decision were released on 4 June. Some of the criticisms levelled at Project Canvas before submissions were publicly release were from competitor content providers, as well as media regulatory body Ofcom. They include their concerns for the potential anti-competitiveness or negative market impact of the endeavour, as well as the lack of substantive detail included in the proposal on which the BBC Trust is to make its decision.
