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Five signs up to Canvas RTL-owned UK channel Five has signed up to be a joint venture partner in Project Canvas, the BBC's proposal to create an open IPTV standard. The formal expression of interest from Five means it joins fellow broadcaster ITV and telecoms operator BT in signalling the founding Canvas board membership should the venture get the green light. Channel 4, which has been eyeing Canvas closely, has not yet thrown its hat into the ring but its previous involvement with planned on-demand joint venture Project Kangaroo would suggest its automatic inclusion. C4 is still reeling, however, from Kangaroo's collapse under the scrutiny of the UK competition authorities, something Five – whose digital strategy has lagged behind its rivals – hasn't had to deal with. Five CEO Dawn Airey has previously voiced her enthusiasm for the project but today made this concrete, saying: "It's vital for broadcasters and other industry stakeholders to form partnerships such as Canvas if they're to open up new commercial opportunities and thrive in the digital world." The BBC executive, which first floated the Canvas idea last autumn, met with objections from the industry this spring when it submitted its initial blueprint for the plan. The BBC Trust, the corporation's independent governing body, agreed that the consultation papers as originally laid out lacked the detail it needed to make a decision on whether it should be given the go-ahead. Last week the BBC executive responded with a 76-page clarifying document, which included its hope that other broadcasters besides ITV would come on board, plus other internet service providers too. The BBC wants to establish a separate entity to run Canvas, with the business split 66.7% in favour of public service broadcasters, with the remaining 33.3% in the hands of ISPs. Jonathan Webdale 30 Jul 2009 © C21 Media 2009 
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