Sky COO, Mike Darcey, has criticised Project Canvas, the IPTV joint venture between the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Five, BT, TalkTalk and Arqiva.
Project Canvas aims to deliver digital TV viewers on-demand content as well as live digital TV channels, using a broadband connected Freeview style digibox.
Viewers would receive live digital TV channels via the DTT network (via a digital terrestrial aerial) and on-demand content from the web, via a fast broadband connection. The on-demand content would include popular on-demand sites like BBC iPlayer and 4OD. It would also be available on Freesat.
Sky and Virgin Media have been heavily critical of Project Canvas, but the project received clearance from the OFT last week. Mr Darcey said “The BBC should be making telly and not developing platforms…The question is why, when the market is furiously innovating in the internet TV space, do we need the state to step in and develop their own platform as well?”
And a Virgin Media spokesperson said: “As they stand, the Canvas proposals risk severely restricting competition and innovation in the UK’s digital media landscape.”
The next step is for Project Canvas to be given the formal go-ahead by the BBC Trust. Now that it has been given OFT clearance, this is looking increasingly likely. However Project Canvas will enter a very active market place for on-demand TV in the UK.
Virgin Media and BT Vision already offer broadband delivered on-demand content, and Sky is soon to launch its own broadband enabled, on-demand TV service. Whilst in addition, smaller players like FetchTV and 3View also offer a hybrid of DTT digital TV channels and on-demand content via a broadband connection.
If you would like help to compare on-demand digital TV services, why not speak to our impartial digital TV experts on 0800 466 1047.