The agreement of the Canvas specification and industry engagement

In reply to the BBC Trust request to provide “more detailed information in relation to the set up and operations of Canvas”, this note seeks to clarify how the BBC would seek to agree the Canvas specification and engage with the wider industry. 3.1 The BBC Executive’s application for a Non-Service Approval (NSA) for Project Canvas outlined the BBC’s plans to lead in the creation of a Joint Venture to establish and promote a standards’ based open environment for IPTV. It set out information on the following areas: This was set in the context of the ambition that Canvas “would serve to protect the open, horizontal nature of the UK’s free-to-air platforms”, ie. one in which a level-playing field of competition between different device manufacturers drives innovation and consumer choice. It stated “our aim to enhance the positive economic impact of the BBC by ensuring strong working relationships with a wide range of partners and suppliers”, viewed as part of the BBC’s wider partnership proposals 1. 3.2 Some stakeholders acknowledged that delivering the benefits of Canvas would bring some hard choices in agreeing the specification. Other supportive stakeholders – such as Ericsson – hoped the BBC would clarify whether it was the intention of Canvas to make full use of existing standards rather than seek to develop new standards. Several stakeholders recommended specific standards Canvas should incorporate. Among many Pay TV operators there was a strong desire that the specification should enable its deployment on all platforms including pay platforms. Other stakeholders focused on the process for agreeing the specification. Google stated that it “supports the principal aim of establishing a ‘standards based open environment’”, continuing that Canvas “is a positive step in achieving a level playing field for content platforms, regardless of delivery method”. However, it sought clarity on how the ‘standard’ would be developed and how it will be governed subsequently. Manufacturer TVonics – although “fully supportive” of the Canvas aims – criticised its “secrecy”. While describing the “timely” proposal as one which “could improve the reach and quality of public service content” and had the potential “to help drive further broadband take-up”, Ofcom stated “Encouraging effective collaboration between Canvas and third parties already developing fully open standards… is likely to be beneficial for consumers”. This theme of agreeing “open standards” through wide industry See section 7 and Executive Summary (p.4). Section 3: The agreement of the Canvas specification and industry engagement The NSA Application o o o The BBC’s intention to work with partners to develop the specification The proposal that the Canvas specification build on existing standards The principle that it be made available to all manufacturers. Stakeholder responses 1 1 of 12 collaboration was reinforced by industry bodies themselves. Intellect, who declared support for the aim of coordinating IPTV solutions in a horizontal market, said that while “open standards” were “more difficult and time-consuming to develop” they were desirable; Canvas risked creating a UK “technology island” and the BBC should seek to partner with existing projects to develop IPTV. The DTG found “clear support” for the Canvas objectives but was concerned at industry engagement to date. It proposed setting up four new groups within its organisational structure to create a D-Book 7 specification (to supersede the more limited IP-enabled D-Book 6 specification) in “support” of the project and deliver rapid deployment of IPTV devices 2. BBC management has continued to meet stakeholders, as appropriate, since their submission of responses to the BBC Trust. This has included relevant industry bodies such as DTG and Intellect who we believe have been reassured by gaining a clearer understanding of the BBC’s proposed approach to standards and industry engagement. 3.3 The following sections set out our proposed approach in more detail, however in summary the BBC and its partners: • • • • Summary of our response • Recognise the value and importance of industry standards and commit to continue to work with the relevant bodies to ensure a widely adopted approach to the Canvas specification Note the lack to date of a UK body reflecting the requirements of all stakeholders (manufacturers, content providers, networks) in the development of such a standard Welcome the proposal by DTG in its submission to the Trust to widen its membership and change its organisational structure to help enable a broadband connected specification Set out a detailed proposal for working with industry, including working with the DTG to understand how its proposals may facilitate the development of the Canvas specification, subject to agreeing a workplan that enables devices to be made available to consumers in 2010 Propose that any technical specification should be separable from the proposed Canvas ‘user experience’ to enable manufacturers and other platform providers to develop related products with their own brand and user experience; while this proposal affords flexibility to the industry, the BBC and its partners are confident the full Canvas offer would, for many, remain the more attractive option due to the marketing support, anticipated content line up, ISP support and other associated benefits. Approach to industry engagement to date 3.4 To date, no single industry body has the range of members to reflect the full scope of Canvas’s ambitions and the different parts of the value chain it touches on. This was reflected by the comments of one major industry body in its response to the BBC Trust consultation 3: 2 For more details of the D-Book 6 and the additional benefits Canvas would provide above and beyond this existing specification, see sub-section 6 below and Section 5. 3 Broadband Stakeholder Group 2 of 12 “The Canvas proposal links the content industry and infrastructure providers in a way that could be beneficial to both sides. However, the two industries have historically worked in different environments and in different ways. They need to be brought together effectively so that they understand each other’s perspectives if the Canvas proposal is to work in practice.” However, since the application the BBC has engaged widely with the industry, in particular with DTG and Intellect in the UK as well as individual manufacturers and other parts of the value chain. The BBC has also been in discussion with European broadcasters and platform operators about the objectives of Canvas and is a member of the EBU, DVB and OIPF. We have contributed in the past to work by such groups and continue to offer commentaries as part of ongoing work by BBC R&D. For example, the BBC contributes to the EBU’s Web Media Technologies group and chairs its recently-created New Media Group. The NSA Application also outlined that the BBC would work with a number of specific partners, stating: This engagement has resulted in strong interest in the objectives of Canvas among broadcasters and existing platform providers across Europe who are in particular interested in the idea of a broadcaster led, open approach based on a horizontal market. The BBC is perceived as a pioneer in this kind of approach given its R&D history. During the summer of 2008 (ie. prior to the approval process) and via industry forums we have had wide ranging conversations with global players, including CE manufacturers. “While the ambition is to be as open as possible, pragmatic decisions will need to be made in order to deliver the product for launch. Explicitly, the BBC may need to work with a smaller number of manufacturers in the run up to launch, building on the principles and precedents set by Freesat.” In line with this approach, a small number of “innovation” partners from across the value chain have been selected including three partners from the consumer device manufacturing sector. The selection process was based on objective criteria (consistent with the BBC’s legal and Fair Trading obligations) and the relationship is with BBC R&D. It is anticipated that innovation partners will not own project IPR as a result of work undertaken with the BBC. BBC R&D staff have since worked with these partners and other stakeholders on the functional requirements that would determine the Canvas specification and explored solutions to these. The BBC’s wider engagement with the industry has helped inform the overall requirements gathering process. Proposals for wider engagement, to begin as soon as possible, are outlined in section 3.8. 3.5 The Benefits of Standards For decades – from the fundamental standards on which UK analogue radio and TV was based to PAL, Teletext, NICAM stereo sound and the web, BBC Research and Development (R&D) has created standards and technologies that have been made open and widely shared with the rest of the industry. This contribution has been widely acknowledged: the BBC is a member of key standardisation organisations relevant to the digital content delivery landscape, 3 of 12 The benefits of standards and the tools they enable (eg. development kits) are clear: o o quality assurance; enhanced interoperability (between, eg. different manufacturers, different devices, different components within individual devices); and lower barriers to entry for those seeking to use the standards (eg. manufacturers, service providers, content creators). including DVB, MPEG, IETF, OIPF, ETSI, ITU and as a profiler of standards, the UK’s DTG. Furthermore the BBC has a track record of adopting standards in the specification of digital broadcast and online distribution systems: it led the specification activities for Freeview, Freesat and DTT-HD, all of which are built around standards. o The above benefits combined can enable the consumer electronics industry to plan product roadmaps more effectively, ensuring the most efficient delivery of the latest functionality to consumers. 3.6 The terminology used to describe ‘standards’ and ‘specifications’ is contested and not always used consistently. The precise intention of the BBC to create a ‘standards based open environment’ is therefore explored below. Creating a standards’ based open environment The Canvas proposal is also ‘standards based’ – ie. where possible, based on technical solutions agreed by a standards’ setting body that can be cross related against the Canvas functional requirements. There are several ways in which standards themselves can be ‘open’: o Agreed by a standards body in an agreed process open to the whole industry o Made openly available to the industry, whether or not it is licensed o ‘Open source’, where the underlying code which constitutes the standard is made available to, and amendable by, the industry; this enables the continual improvement of the standard. The intention of an ‘open environment’ is to deploy technologies which reduce barriers to entry for content services and providers and so enable a wide range of choice for consumers and a sustainable level of innovation within a thriving application developer community. This approach is developed further in Section 2, which sets out the proposed approach to EPG and content and service providers. 1. A clear set of functional requirements that if suitably implemented will deliver the objectives of the Canvas proposal 2. Where possible, to identify how they can be delivered via open standards. 3. Where suitable open standards are not available, to refer to existing common or ‘de facto’ standards or technology, including open source software, based on objective criteria. 4. Where necessary to develop areas of specification where there is no available common approach and seek to satisfy these in agreement with the relevant standard body. The Canvas ambition is to as far as possible make use of ‘open’ or common standards, or approaches that enable widespread adoption, using the following framework: 4 of 12 This approach is explored further in Annex 2. BBC management and its venture partners appreciate some of the concerns about a lack of full engagement with the industry during the approvals process. We are also mindful of the need to allow stakeholders to judge the proposals as they see fit during any consultation period. We therefore welcome this opportunity to outline in more detail our approach to how we might work with the industry further. As well as the benefits to audiences and all parts of the value chain, we believe Canvas represents a particular opportunity to the consumer electronic industry. However, we recognise the need for effective engagement with the industry in order to fully realise these potential benefits. The venture partners are committed to an approach to industry engagement which reflects the following principles: 3.7 Principles of engagement with industry 1. The ambition to protect and grow the horizontal market, especially for DTT 2. The creation of a level playing field for manufacturers interested and capable of delivering Canvas devices to market in 2010/ 11 3. A clear and transparent process of engagement with the consumer electronics industry, including, if possible, alignment with the proposed DTG Executive workplan in 2009/10. 4. A commitment to work with industry towards a specification built on global standards (where already available) and towards a globally scalable specification whenever possible. 5. To be bound by the BBC Trust’s Competitive Impact Framework 4. Future engagement with industry 3.8 Our approach to industry engagement reflects the interests of (at least three) different industries likely to be involved in any successful deployment of a broadband connected TV proposition; the consumer electronics industry, the networks (ISPs and others) and the content, service and application development communities. The Canvas proposals include elements specifically required to meet the needs of some of these sectors, which may not directly meet the needs of others (for example, local storage reduces network costs for ISPs but increases costs for device manufacturers or – if passed on – to their customers). We are clear that the resulting specification needs to reflect the interests of all parties. This creates challenges at a time in the evolution of the industry where no one body can represent the interests of all parties. 4 However, we do recognise the particular role that the DTG play in the UK consumer electronics market as a representative industry body, as a profiler of specifications and as the leading player in compliance testing. We therefore welcome their ambition (expressed in response to the Canvas application) to alter their organisational structure, widen their membership to include the UK ISPs , Internet technology and application development industry, and to develop an evolution of their existing ‘D Book’ to capture many of the requirements of a Canvas device. The venture partners also recognise the role of ‘sovereign bodies’ in the standards industry, including but not limited to the EBU, http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/framework/fair_trading.html 5 of 12 DVB and the OIPF and their potential to help ensure the approach in the UK builds on global best practice and is capable of achieving global scale. i) Working with the wider industry to offer an openly available technical specification separable from the Canvas UI We believe the venture and the wider UK creative industries have a common interest in delivering connected devices to market in scale via the horizontal market. However, the proposed venture partners recognise the concerns some stakeholders had that the venture would seek to impose a common and inflexible UI across the industry. Section 2 explores in full the benefits of a common UI and the flexibility afforded within and around that UI. In this Section, the venture partners would like to explain how the venture seeks to work with the industry to give manufacturers and platforms the additional options of deploying either a specification consistent with Canvas but divorced from the Canvas UI and Trademark Licence (TML) or, subject to Canvas business rules and TML, the full Canvas specification including the UI and all the associated benefits (marketing support, anticipated content line up, ISP support etc). This would therefore ultimately involve sharing BBC R&D work irrespective of whether or not they were committed to supporting the full Canvas specification and brand. On either set of devices, the common core specification would facilitate the provision of BBC services, subject to satisfactory compliance and meeting the terms of the BBC’s syndication policy. 5 ii) Preferred Approach: working with the DTG The preferred approach of the venture partners would be to work closely with the DTG Executive and DTG members, including the expanded membership of the ISP industry and Internet technology and application development community, to assess the feasibility of working together towards the DTG’s proposed publication of a ‘DTG D Book 7’ by March 2010. This timeline would enable compliant broadcast/ broadband hybrid devices to enter the market later that year. D Book 7 could, in effect, represent a sub-set of the fuller Canvas specification. Additional functionality such as the technology to enable the Canvas UI – developed and held by the Canvas venture and subject to Canvas TML and business terms – could form a ‘Canvas chapter’ in subsequent versions of the D Book. This approach would involve sharing now with the DTG Executive initial work by BBC R&D on Canvas functional requirements, the technical solutions which might meet these requirements, the criteria by which relevant technical solutions would be chosen and an indicative timeline for such decisions. We would also share with them completed development work on an ongoing basis should approval be granted. This would include a mix of R&D work (such as White Papers) and further technical requirements. Venture partners do however recognise a number of Canvas objectives may dictate functional requirements that go beyond the remit of the D Book. These include: • iii) Other considerations Significantly reducing the cost of developing new content (eg. audio, video as well as games and other interactive services) by enabling content providers to 5 http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/assets/files/pdf/consult/ondemand_syndication/policy.pdf 6 of 12 • • • • • • Delivering the specifications that meet the additional functional requirements needed for a full, rich Canvas offer in a March 2010 D Book 7 may therefore pose challenges to the DTG Executive. The venture partners would like to explore with DTG how such conflicts might be addressed – for example via a ‘Canvas chapter’, offered by the Canvas venture partners and potentially subject to the DTG compliance regime (though other options for ensuring compliance exist). Should they be unable to meet these challenges, venture partners would seek to meet directly with all parts of the Canvas value chain (including DTG members) through a clear and transparent Canvas engagement programme, as resources allow. Alongside plans to work with the DTG and UK CE industry, the proposed venture would seek to continue its engagement with European and global bodies. The documentation we proposed to share with the DTG would help ensure the ongoing dialogue with the EBU and OIPF can quickly progress to deliver optimal alignment. iv) Ambition to widen Canvas partnerships use widely deployed broadcast and Internet technologies in an integrated manner Enabling a wide range of business models for content providers Enabling continual content and technology innovation on the platform, delivering value to the audience Offering audiences richer presentation environments and a seamless television experience integrating broadcast and broadband content Giving all audiences the chance to access a rich TV experience through devices meeting the most advanced range of requirements for access Supporting the delivery of live AV content via IP (such as for the BBC’s multistream events) Offering broadband traffic mitigation mechanisms to improve the IPTV business case for ISPs and help minimise the risk to audiences of exceeding their bandwidth restrictions. The venture partners are committed to delivering Canvas devices to market by Sept/Oct 2010 allowing availability during the peak retail window in the run up to Christmas. This would not least ensure that consumers interested in upgrading to Freeview HD have the option of a connected device as quickly as possible. Venture partners will continue to work with the wide range of other partners across the value chain to achieve this. Subject to not jeopardising this timely deployment of Canvas devices to market, the venture is exploring ways of widening its current device partner set, on a ‘delivery’ rather than R&D basis, to ensure as many Canvas devices can be deployed as soon as possible. On this basis, we will continue to engage with the industry in order to ensure our device partner set achieves the most effective progress to launch. Any such extension would be subject to BBC Fair Trading guidelines and limited by the resource capability of the Canvas technical teams. The BBC is also seeking to widen membership of the proposed JV to ensure that the venture can continue to represent as wide a range of relevant industry views as possible (see section 1 for details of eligibility criteria etc). 7 of 12 Annex 1 – Response to BBC Trust’s request for further information Information Request The following table directly addresses the questions regarding Industry Engagement, Technical Issues and Device Specification as raised in the ‘Information Request Following Canvas Stakeholder Consultation’. The responses reflect information given in the main body of the paper. Response Industry Engagement 4.1 Stakeholders have expressed concern that the BBC has not properly engaged key industry bodies (in particular the DTG). This contrasts with how it has worked with these bodies on other projects in the past. The Executive has explained to the Trust that it is now actively considering how it could better engage with the DTG. a) Please explain why the BBC decided not to work with the DTG to develop the required specifications? • The BBC has been an active participant in industry • • • • • b) What are the advantage and disadvantages of working through the group? broadcasters, manufacturers and retailers among others; it offers global reach • As a member in its own right, as well as a shareholder in other lead members, Freeview and Freesat, the BBC is well acquainted with the leadership the DTG can offer the Digital TV industry and the expertise it draws upon. • The BBC and its Canvas partners have a good working relationship with the DTG Executive Team. If an effective Canvas partnership is forged, the DTG can help further engage manufacturers in Canvas, maximising its • The DTG has over 120 members, including leading global attempts to establish a common set of standards for IPTV through a variety of bodies including DTG. See Subsection 3.4. In the view of the BBC Executive, the BBC was ideally placed to lead future attempts at bringing the worlds of IP and TV together in a standards’ based open environment (see for example p.51 of the preliminary MIA annex to the NSA Application). The intention was always that this leadership would be provided in the context of a JV and would benefit from existing industry practice in relation to standardisation. As this catalytic role, however, was one which fell under the regulatory remit of the Non-Service Approval articles in the BBC Charter, the BBC Executive was obliged to seek permission to establish a JV for the purpose of creating a standards based open environment. This approach for regulatory approval, necessarily focused on the BBC’s involvement in such a JV, has been interpreted by some to be an indication that the BBC seeks to ‘go it alone’. This is not the case and the BBC hopes to correct this misunderstanding. Both prior to, and since, submitting its NSA Application, the BBC has actively engaged with a very wide range of stakeholders across the industry to discuss the future of IPTV and, where appropriate, to clarify the NSA Application where it had been misunderstood. Among those, the DTG has always been an important stakeholder. The BBC (and other members of the JV) has continued its engagement with the DTG. 8 of 12 • • • • • c) Is this position agreed by all the JV partners? d) If the Executive were to work through the DTG, might anything delay the development of the Canvas specification? • Working with the DTG – as proposed in Sub-Section 3.8 should not cause delay. The DTG itself recognises that a fast changing industry requires its representative industry bodies to also move quickly. In its last annual report, the DTG set itself the aim of “responding promptly to platform and manufacturer requirements”. The DTG Executive also stated its belief that it could contribute to the “timely delivery” of Canvas. Following the model of a separate D-Book 7 in March 2010 and a subsequent ‘Canvas chapter’, alongside ongoing BBC R&D work with partners does, we believe, mitigate risk of delay. • Yes. adoption and optimising its fit with manufacturers’ product roadmaps. Its involvement could therefore help guarantee the reach benefits of Canvas and the proposal’s positive market impact. Such a partnership is not without its challenges. As identified by the BBC Trust Unit’s questions, timing is one. The DTG’s normal industry liaison processes would not easily fit with the BBC Executive’s stated intention to bring the benefits of Canvas to licence fee payers in 2010. This is explored in more detail below. Another challenge derives from the novelty of Project Canvas’s ambition: to bring together the worlds of television and broadband for audiences and for businesses. This requires membership from the ISPs and Internet industry as discussed throughout Section 3 (see in particular 3.4). The DTG has started down the road of bringing the Internet to the television through its work standardising ethernet ports and MHEG technology on free-to-air platforms. It has also recognised that it does not yet have the structures or membership base in place to fully represent the interests or expertise of the broadband industry; and we welcome its proposals to address this. e) Does the DTG have a process or set of procedures to ensure that such problems or potential delays can be resolved? f) How could these processes or procedures be improved to ensure that the planned timetable is met? g) What would be the • As described in Sub-Section 3.8, the preferred approach of the venture partners would be to work closely with the DTG Executive and DTG members to assess the feasibility of working together towards the DTG’s proposed publication of a ‘DTG D Book 7’ by March 2010. This timeline would enable compliant broadcast/ broadband hybrid devices to enter the market later that year. DTG process and procedures to deal with challenges arising from such an approach would be included in the assessment described above. Should the DTG and its Executive, for whatever reason, be unable to 9 of 12 potential impact of working through the DTG on the timetable or other aspects of the Canvas venture and its activities? h) If the BBC does not work though DTG will you have the capability to undertake the required testing procedures to ensure that the Canvas proposition can be marketed successfully? 5.1 Many stakeholders have expressed concern that they cannot comment on the degree to which the approach undertaken by the BBC will be ‘open’. regime. It is anticipated this would be operated by a third party(ies). • This would not necessarily have to be undertaken through the DTG. • However, the BBC would like to reiterate its preference to work with the DTG as outlined above. Technical Issues • The BBC acknowledges the need for a compliance meet these challenges, venture partners would seek to meet directly all parts of the Canvas value chain (including DTG members) through a clear and transparent Canvas engagement programme, as resources allow. • Please see Sub-Section 3.6 and annex 2. 5.2 5.3 Who would be • The Canvas roadmap would be maintained by the responsible for the venture but it is proposed that the venture work with ongoing the DTG on the specification on the terms described in development of the Sub-Section 3.8. technical specification or Please provide an up-to-date technical specification for Canvas. If this is not fully developed please set out those elements which are complete and those which are incomplete alongside the framework for their development. Please provide timelines for the completion of any outstanding work. • Work is ongoing on the anticipated functional requirements for Canvas, on determining the technical solutions which meet those requirements and the criteria by which the optimal solutions should be chosen. In some areas, recommendations are clear. In others, recommendations are still to be determined. Our overall intention is to make the specification available to all manufacturers. On the terms described in section 3.8, we propose to share our initial work with the DTG and completed development work on an ongoing basis. The BBC would expect to report back, on behalf of its partners, to the BBC Trust on this exploratory work as the Non-Service Approval process continues. However, we would of course be happy to discuss this proposed approach further with the BBC Trust at any stage, as appropriate. 10 of 12 5.4 Device Specification Given some uncertainty over • It has always been the intention that Canvas will not be a the exact single product but a minimum specification around specification of set which the CE industry can innovate. They would top boxes or other develop the hardware and software, set recommended devices, we need to retail prices and as they see fit, bundle devices. As better understand: highlighted in the NSA Application, Canvas would likely not solely be delivered via STBs. The kind of innovations the CE industry could deliver would likely include iDTVs, mobile devices and games consoles, but possibly many other devices. The open, horizontal approach of Canvas should allow the market forces to maximise innovation. It is likely that the first Canvas devices will be STBs. The inter-relationship between these devices and other devices that will be on the market (eg. Freeview + and Freeview HD) are explored in Section 5 and the parameters around the evolution of Canvas are explored in Section 1. a) The range of device options being considered • In finalising the likely launch line-up and the evolution of to bring Canvas to market the Canvas range, the BBC will always seek to ensure, on [and the likelihood that the one hand, that the Canvas promise is understood and these will be superseded that Licence Fee Payers are not obliged to buy new boxes by other devices in the too frequently, while on the other hand, that the near future]. competitive and innovative benefits of a horizontal b) The current and, where possible, future business plans (for the next five years) of the JV partners in terms of proposed deployment of boxes or other devices. This should include proposed functionality, price points and subsidy level. 5.5 Please explain the basis of payment for any fees or licences relating to the technical specification and what role Canvas will have in coordinating these payments. will this be controlled by the joint venture? • There are a number of precedents for licensing arrangements. The Canvas JV would intend to determine which of the many models it believes most congruent with the promotion of a standards’ based open environment’. Constituent parts of that specification may be subject to licences. As stated above, the BBC’s preference is to use commonly used ‘open standards’ wherever appropriate. Should Canvas generate any intellectual property by BBC R&D or the Canvas JV this would be licensed as per standard BBC practice. • This is company confidential information. The BBC market can be enjoyed. understands that at least one of the proposed JV partners has indicated its willingness to share with the Trust its view of how Project Canvas, if approved, would impact on the commercial models that operate in its industry. 11 of 12 This annex explains in more detail why the Canvas specification could not rely purely on existing ‘open standards’ or de facto common standards. There are four principal reasons. Annex 2: Canvas and ‘Open Standards’ 2. There may be no existing standard available for a particular element of system functionality. In some cases this can be because the participants in relevant standardisation activities simply could not reach a consensus due to any combination of differing business requirements, differing preferred solution or blocking behaviour. In other cases it is because the functionality in question is at the edge of industry innovation and the slower paced standardisation activities have yet to catch up. This latter scenario is particularly pertinent to the Canvas space when considering AV distribution over the Internet: for example, the use of adaptive bitrate techniques. To deliver a user experience that is competitive with other market leading consumer offerings it is anticipated that it will be necessary to look beyond existing standards. In other cases, there will be no existing standard for an ‘integration solution’ which makes possible the coexistence of two juxtaposed elements of functionality, eg. the broadcast functionality and the rich IP functionality that Canvas envisages. 1). There are multiple, competing standard solutions to deliver some audience functionalities. This is particularly true in the connected television space, with DVB, OIPF, ETSI, ITU, MPEG, DVB, W3C, IETF, ATIS, DLNA and DTG (among others) all active but each reflecting the differing perspectives of its participating members. A good illustration is the technology to support “red button” interactivity. In the UK alone, three different solutions have been adopted by the relevant platforms (on satellite, terrestrial and cable). The technology selection made for each platform may seem reasonable from the perspective of the platform itself. However, it is the content providers who have had to bear the cost, and time to market, implications of different solutions. 3. Even where there is a standard for a particular element of system functionality it may not be deployable as published, i.e. off the shelf. Generated via a collective process, standards have to reflect differences of opinion amongst contributing participants and may need to remain silent in places where consensus could not be reached. Hence, they often require additional “profiling” to refine the specification to a point where sufficient interoperability can be achieved. For example, even the recently published version 1.0 of the Open IPTV Forum specification is having to be profiled as part of a German based deployment activity. Some of the key existing standards relevant to the broadcastbroadband ecosystem will require profiling to achieve the necessary interoperability, future flexibility and ensure minimum levels of user experience. 4. Much of the success of PC based online interactive and web video services is due to the continuing innovation by content and service providers made possible by a highly flexible developer platform. There is no reason to doubt that this trend in service evolution is set to continue. If the connected television space is to offer a sufficiently compelling alternative to the use of the PC into the living room (via media-centres, laptops and home networking plays) it must recognise this trend. It must avoid trying to anticipate the content providers and instead offer the most flexible developer platform possible. This means specifying technology standards that enable a flexible approach to the delivery and rendering of such services. Simply reproducing the approach taken for the standards that underpin digital broadcast, essentially a classical separation of content and metadata from client application, is unlikely to suffice in the long term. 12 of 12