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Broadcast and broadband tv service Canvas rebrands as YouView
16 Sep 2010 | 15.30 Europe/London
The Project Canvas platform will be called YouView when it is launched in the UK during the first half of next year.
The next generation of Freeview (the UK’s free to air digital television service) will combine free to view digital channels, subscription channels and a video on demand service received through both a house’s aerial and its broadband connection.
It has been set up by the BBC, BT, ITV, Channel 4, Arqiva, TalkTalk and Five and is an open platform any other broadcaster or ISP can join. On launch the set top boxes are expected to offer personal video recording, with a live pause facility, as well as make available, via broadband, a vast library of on-demand films and television shows as well as IPTV channels.
Richard Halton, CEO of YouView believes the new service will transform British television.
“YouView is a brilliant new subscription-free TV service which combines the best TV with on demand services and internet content,” he Halton.
“We are creating an exciting consumer brand which will stand for a better TV experience for UK homes. Connected TV creates all kinds of creative possibilities, for existing networks as well as local services and new developers of interactive applications. It all adds up to great news for TV audiences.”
Rivals Sky and Virgin Media have been the most vocal critics of the new platform which rose from the ashes of Project Kangaroo which was ruled illegal because it pooled content from various providers. Canvas, now called YouView, has not been closed downby the authorities because it does not combine content, each broadcaster is responsible for their own programming and the advertising it may attract.
Nevertheless, critics suggest the BBC should not be investing licence fee payers’ funds in to the new venture and Sky, for one, has not ruled out legal action.
The next generation of Freeview (the UK’s free to air digital television service) will combine free to view digital channels, subscription channels and a video on demand service received through both a house’s aerial and its broadband connection.
It has been set up by the BBC, BT, ITV, Channel 4, Arqiva, TalkTalk and Five and is an open platform any other broadcaster or ISP can join. On launch the set top boxes are expected to offer personal video recording, with a live pause facility, as well as make available, via broadband, a vast library of on-demand films and television shows as well as IPTV channels.
Richard Halton, CEO of YouView believes the new service will transform British television.
“YouView is a brilliant new subscription-free TV service which combines the best TV with on demand services and internet content,” he Halton.
“We are creating an exciting consumer brand which will stand for a better TV experience for UK homes. Connected TV creates all kinds of creative possibilities, for existing networks as well as local services and new developers of interactive applications. It all adds up to great news for TV audiences.”
Rivals Sky and Virgin Media have been the most vocal critics of the new platform which rose from the ashes of Project Kangaroo which was ruled illegal because it pooled content from various providers. Canvas, now called YouView, has not been closed downby the authorities because it does not combine content, each broadcaster is responsible for their own programming and the advertising it may attract.
Nevertheless, critics suggest the BBC should not be investing licence fee payers’ funds in to the new venture and Sky, for one, has not ruled out legal action.