BBC Trust publishes additional information on Project Canvas

The BBC Trust is currently assessing Project Canvas, the BBC Executive’s proposals to form a joint venture partnership to deliver internet protocol television (IPTV). Following the Trust’s first period of public consultation, the Trust asked the BBC Executive to provide more information on the proposals in order to help stakeholders. The Trust is today publishing the Executive’s response and the Trust’s timetable for the remainder of the process.

Diane Coyle, BBC Trustee said: “We are pleased that the BBC Executive has responded positively to our request for more information. We are now giving stakeholders the chance to let us have their comments so that we can give them careful consideration. Over the coming months we will continue to engage with stakeholders to help us make a fully informed judgement.”

Additional information

In the Trust’s first period of public consultation, the Trust met over 60 stakeholders and received over 800 submissions to the consultation. It found widespread support for the delivery of IPTV to the home and a large number of stakeholders also recognised the BBC could potentially help both coordinate and accelerate this process. In order to help stakeholders the Trust is today publishing additional information from the BBC Executive on the following areas:

• The choice of technical standards to be adopted by Canvas;
• The proposed way in which the BBC would work with industry bodies;
• Control of the Electronic Programme Guide;
• Governance arrangements for the joint venture;
• The use of editorial controls.

As part of its response, we note that the BBC has set out plans to work closely with industry, including the Digital TV Group (DTG). We welcome this development and will monitor it as part of our assessment.

Timetable

Following the publication of this new information, stakeholders will have until 1st September to offer additional submissions or comments. The Trust will publish its market impact and public value work alongside its provisional conclusions on the proposals in the autumn. There will then be a further four week period of consultation on the provisional conclusions before the Trust publishes its final decision. The Trust hopes to conclude this process as quickly as possible. The timetable is set out below:

Date                                           Event
----                                           ----- 
23 July 2009                                   Publication of BBC Executive's 
                                               additional information

1 September 2009                               Final date for submission of  
                                               additional stakeholder comments

Autumn 2009                                    Publication of Trust's provisional
                                               conclusions followed by a four week
                                               period of public consultation 

As soon as possible following the end of the   Publication of a final decision by 
consultation on provisional conclusions.       the Trust

More:
• Supporting Documents
• Original Submission