Virgin Media: Five's return makes Canvas a greater concern

Virgin Media believes that the return of Five to the Project Canvas fold represents an even greater threat to the television status quo, and has renewed calls for an independent investigation into the IPTV collaboration.

Virgin Media has already made it clear that is opposed to the IPTV scheme that involves BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Arqiva, Talk Talk, BT and now Five again.

And it is the decision of Five, now it has new owners, to reverse its decision to leave the project that has prompted another reaction from Virgin Media.

Pressing needs

A Virgin Media spokesperson said: "With the return of Five, the Project Canvas joint venture partners represent an even greater concentration of all TV viewing.

"This reinforces the pressing need for a thorough and independent examination of this closed, anti-competitive platform.

"We're all already paying for this, whether we want it or not, so we urge Ofcom to bring some much needed transparency to the whole collaboration."

Controversy

Canvas has been controversial from the off, with Virgin Media hardly a lone voice of dissent for a project that hopes to bring some of the major UK broadcaster together for what has been described as Freeview over the internet.

Sky has also been a vocal critic of the scheme, along with major manufacturers like Sony, who believe that the BBC's desire to shape the user experience in Canvas is unfair to those who wish to sell equipment that differs from competitors' kit.