projectcanvas.info

The Project Canvas partners today published a closing date by which potential partners should express interest in joining the proposed venture. Interested parties have until the 23rd April to express interest. 

This follows the announcement made earlier this week that the communications infrastructure and media services company Arqiva has become the latest partner in the proposed venture to build an open internet-connected TV platform, joining existing partners the BBC, ITV, C4, Five, BT and Talk Talk.

The partners formally invited expressions of interest from the market on December 16^th 2009 - the point at which Talk Talk and Channel 4 announced their commitment to the project. Since this date, the partners have held discussions with a range of interested parties, and would consider one further partner for the pre-launch phase of Canvas.

The BBC’s involvement in the venture remains subject to BBC Trust approval.

Project Canvas director Richard Halton said: “The BBC Trust’s interim approval of the proposals in December added real momentum to the project, and the prospect of developing a subscription-free, open internet-connected TV platform has become that much more real.

“The potential is obvious, and the market interest has been strong. We are keen to finalise the number of interested parties in the venture to ensure we have the most effective project structure to take us through to launch, subject to final Trust conclusions.   If any potential partners wish to enter into discussions with the partnership, they now have a further month to do so.”

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Notes to Editors

• Expressions of interest should be sent to contact@projectcanvas.info.
• Today’s announcement relates only to venture partners, who would co-fund the proposed platform, and does not relate to prospective content or service provider relationships, for which a separate process and timetable will be published after BBC Trust approval.
• On 4th November the BBC Trust published further information from the partners setting out the requirements of any partner and an indicative funding schedule. Prospective partners would be required to meet these requirements and their equal share of funding. Details can be found out:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/our_work/television/canvas_governance.shtml.
• Should the BBC Trust approve Project Canvas, post-launch the partners will re-consider the viability of admitting additional partners against the published admission criteria.