Channel Five, now under the ownership of Northern & Shell, is to rejoin the Project Canvas joint venture. The move comes just six weeks after previous owners RTL pulled out of the hybrid television project.
Just as RTL had wanted to clear the decks ahead of the sale of the quasi-public service broadcaster, it had always been the intention of Northern & Shell to return to the project. It is seen as just a step in what appears to be the start of a more active role for Channel Five in the development of digital services.
“Project Canvas is set to shape the future of broadcasting and open up new and exciting possibilities for viewers,” said Northern & Shell chairman Richard Desmond. “This is important to the future of Channel Five and having an open internet-connected TV platform fits closely with our plans to bring brilliant new content and interactive services to viewers”.
A Canvas insider told Broadband TV News that Channel Five had effectively “just missed a few board meetings”.
