Official Ares Free Download

Aunty, aka the BBC, has been given a green light for Project Canvas, a video-on-demand venture.

However, significant conditions are attached, says the Guardian, pointing out Canvas has been “under scrutiny by the BBC Trust for the best part of a year and the trust has several times ordered the partners to provide additional information”.

It’s also been “fiercely criticised by British Sky Broadcasting, the pay-TV operator,” says the story.

Project Canvas would become a leading platform for online services on TV, with the Beeb, ITV, Channel 4 and Five, BT and Carphone Warehouse, as partners, says the Telegraph.

“The BBC Trust, the corporation’s governing body, has been reviewing whether the project is a suitable use of the licence fee,” it says.

Set-top boxes with Canvas software “are expected to be available late next year for about £200, allowing people to access websites such as the BBC’s iPlayer, NHS Direct and Amazon through their TVs,” says the Financial Times.

But satellite broadcaster Sky ” has been vociferous in its criticism of the project, claiming that the BBC is merely paying ‘lip service’ to the idea of other broadcasters participating in the platform,” says the Telegraph, adding:

“Sky has expressed concerns that the BBC will use public money to finance a dominate position in the nascent video-on-demand market, squeezing out competitors and other broadcasters in the process.”

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