Original URL: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/06/14/bbc_itv_c4_player/
The UK's terrestrial broadcasters are reportedly in talks to establish a single platform for on-demand TV to broadband devices. The BBC, ITV, and Channel 4 are said to be aiming to create a "one-stop shop", open to other channels too, which would allow legal broadband viewing from one programme.
According to The Guardian, the plan is dubbed "Project Kangaroo" and will "do for broadband what Freeview did for digital television". It is expected to operate like Joost, perhaps hinting at some P2P element.
The talks have included discussions with the Digital Television Group - the coalition that controls Freeview - about loading Project Kangaroo software into set-top boxes, to allow maximum penetration. That would put it in direct competition with BT's Freeview/on-demand offering, Vision, as well as with Sky and Virgin Media.
The Kangaroo trio all already have individual on-demand players: Channel 4 has 4OD, ITV's launch of its 30-day catch up service is imminent, while the BBC's controversial iPlayer has been in development for three years.
There's no word on a schedule for Project Kangaroo, and Channel 5 isn't involved at the moment, so it'll likely be a while before we can enjoy archived episodes of Touch the Truck.
The Guardian astutely notes that Project Kangaroo could put a fly in Ofcom's quango ointment. One of the mooted aims of the regulator's £100m "public service publisher" wheeze (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/03/23/ofcom_psp/) is an open platform for delivering TV over broadband. ®
Project Kangaroo gets more time to defend anti-trust claims (8 August 2008)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/08/08/kangaroo_extension/
Commercial iPlayer faces anti-trust shakedown (30 June 2008)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/06/30/project_kangaroo_competition_commission/
Competition watchdogs urged to act on 'commercial iPlayer' (9 June 2008)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/06/09/oft_project_kangaroo/
EU probes Channel 4's digital handout (2 April 2008)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04/02/eu_channel4_probe/
TV heavyweights build on-demand supersite (27 November 2007)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/11/27/bbc_itv_c4_kangaroo/
BBC iPlayer launches, but with limited viewer reach (27 July 2007)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/07/27/bbc_iplayer_launch/
BBC Trust to hear open sourcers' iPlayer gripes (12 July 2007)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/07/12/bbc_osc_meeting/
Sky torches Sony over HD TV campaign (5 July 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/07/05/uk_hdtv_debate/
Tiscali TV reaches for Sky channels (27 June 2007)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/06/27/tiscali_sky_virgin/
BBC iPlayer finally hits the streets (27 June 2007)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/06/27/iplayer_launch/
Open sourcers rattle EU sabre at BBC on demand player (22 June 2007)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/06/22/iplayer_osc_eu_ofcom/
Joost everywhere, embedded in hardware (15 June 2007)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/06/15/joost_in_hardware/
Beeb's iPlayer service gets greenlight (30 April 2007)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/04/30/iplayer_oked/
Beeb extends download trial to Macs (19 April 2007)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/04/19/bbc_archive_trial/
UK's lags bemoan Freeview channel blackout (10 April 2007)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/04/10/hard_tv_times/
Virgin TV launches Freeview box (3 April 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/04/03/virgin_freeview/
BBC promos go GooTube (2 March 2007)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/03/02/bbc_youtube/
BBC closes out deal for showing UK TV over P2P (8 June 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/06/08/bbc_pact_deal/