(8 June 2009 6:45 pm)

MUMBAI: The BBC Trust has announced the next stage in its assessment of Project Canvas. This is the Corporation's proposal to form a joint venture partnership to help enable the delivery of internet protocol television (IPTV).

BBC Trustee Diane Coyle said, "As part of our assessment process, we have just completed a comprehensive consultation of the industry. A common theme that emerged was that more information was needed from the BBC Executive about the Canvas proposal."

The Trust has now completed a seven-week consultation on the BBC’s proposal. As part of the consultation, the Trust received over 800 submissions from individuals and stakeholders, as well as meeting with over 60 stakeholders. The Trust has considered all of this information carefully. The consultation found widespread support for the delivery of IPTV into the home via broadband.

A large number of stakeholders also recognised that the BBC could potentially help both coordinate and accelerate this process. However the Trust has come to the view that in order to give stakeholders a more complete source of information on the proposal, it would ask the BBC Executive to provide further information on a number of issues that stakeholders have raised. When provided, this information will be published and the Trust will subsequently conduct its second period of consultation.

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