OFT won't investigate Project Canvas

19th May 2010 16:14

The Office of Fair Trading says that it will not investigate the Project Canvas internet television joint venture. The OFT says that Project Canvas does not come within its jurisdiction because none of the joint venture partners are contributing existing businesses. The BBC is contributing its research and development while ITV, Channel 4, Five, BT, Talk Talk and Arqiva are contributing financially. The Competition Commission blocked a previous joint venture Project Kangaroo, which was between BBC, ITV and Channel 4, because it involved the contribution of content. Project Canvas has been put together to build an open internet-connected television platform with common technical standards.