The BBC Trust has given its provisional approval to the BBC Executive’s proposals for Project Canvas, the JV between the BBC and five partners that aims to enable DTT homes with broadband connections to access IPTV content on their TV sets

Canvas promises to enrich greatly the DTT platform; however, it is likely to encounter fierce opposition during the coming consultation from equipment manufacturers and the pay-TV platform operators, Sky and Virgin Media, especially in relation to its attempts to prescribe the user experience (UX)

We think that the BBC Trust will give its final approval, subject to the conditions specified in its provisional statement, but further delays seem likely and we do not expect Canvas devices to appear in the shops before 2011

In The Netherlands, KPN faces strong competitive pressure on voice and broadband from cable operators historically addressing subscription TV services due to their superior fibre/coax networks – KPN needs to upgrade its ADSL network to increase IPTV coverage and bandwidth to compete effectively on the triple play

KPN is pursuing a multi-technology approach to its network upgrade, deploying VDSL over the existing copper access network as a ‘transitional’ solution, accompanied by deployment of FTTC and FTTH. Currently, 13% of Dutch homes are passed by fibre, with KPN setting a ‘medium term’ coverage target of 30-60% of households

KPN says that FTTC and FTTH trial results show material increases in ARPU and market share, supporting the case for deployment. KPN is assuming entirely the costs of FTTC, but the investment in more expensive FTTH is being made by joint venture KPN-Reggefiber, whose need for finance in mid-2010 will require it to convince debt markets of its business plan for FTTH

This report sets out our thinking on the audience growth potential in the UK during the next decade of video on demand (VOD) programming that viewers can call up via interactive return pathways. VOD may be delivered by cable TV transmission networks directly to the TV set or by wireline broadband IP (Internet Protocol) networks directly to the PC and to the TV in homes equipped with the necessary receiving equipment

The question being asked by many is whether VOD will provide a paradigm shift that sees the decline of linear broadcast channel audiences in favour of non-linear on demand viewing in a TV Anytime future, where people can choose what they want to watch at whatever time they want

After reviewing the evidence from a growing body of research into viewing habits and audience measurement and examining the commercial constraints, we conclude that the traditional linear broadcast model will continue to hold centre stage for many years to come

France Télécom’s Orange TV premium strategy presents an interesting example of diversification into low cost ‘light’ pay-TV offers by an incumbent telecoms operator. Orange Sport and Orange Cinéma Séries are offered exclusively to Orange's 2.55 million TV subscribers, and five quarters after launch, adoption is 20%. This report draws several lessons on this type of venture for other incumbent operators

This report examines Ofcom's proposal that independently funded news consortia (IFNCs) assume the provision of regional TV news, occupying the regional news time slots vacated by the Channel 3 licensees

IFNCs are to be composed of commercial news organisations (television producers, newspaper groups, radio stations or websites), and will operate as private commercial/publicly funded hybrid models of regional news gathering and provision, alongside the BBC and commercial news organisations

DCMS has invited tenders for three IFNC pilots covering Channel 3 regions in Northern England and the Borders, Scotland and Wales, to be awarded in May 2010 with operations to commence by summer 2010.

Overall revenue growth in the top five markets dipped yet again in the September quarter, to -3.5% from -2.0% in the previous quarter

However, the good news is that this particular dip was entirely due to the regulatory-induced effect of accelerated termination rate cuts, caused by the reintroduction of cuts in the UK and France. Underlying growth was -0.7%, which was flat on the previous quarter

This is the first time that underlying growth has not dropped since March 2008 –when underlying growth was at a much healthier 5.3%, a full 6 percentage points better

Fixed line revenue growth continued to decline excluding the impact of Tiscali UK, but at a manageable rate, and profitability continued to improve strongly. TalkTalk Group is performing well in the run-up to demerger, and management is sounding very confident. But there are some clouds on the horizon, not least the relaunch of Tesco Telecom

Sky+ HD is now manifestly the centre point of a three-pronged operational strategy that focuses on driving customer growth, selling more products into the customer base and seeking efficiencies in fixed costs

Sky 3D, due for residential launch in H2 2010, fits in well with the core Sky+ HD proposition and the satellite operator looks well placed to combat growing retail competition from other platforms, assuming Ofcom implements its wholesale pay-TV proposals for Sky premium subscription films and sports some time in spring 2010

Annual market growth is dropping in line with our predictions over the past two years, despite some significant quarterly blips.We continue to project growth in 2009 to be significant, but much lower than in the past, with net additions of 1 million

We expect annual net additions in 2010 to drop by another 20% to 800,000 as the market becomes ever more saturated

We project 19.8 million broadband households by 2014 and have slightly increased our projections from 2010 to take into account the likely impact of higher growth in the number of households as recently predicted by the Office for National Statistics (ONS)

BT’s Q2 results, and improved guidance for the year to March 2010 provided further encouraging evidence of the new management team’s ability to take cost out of the business

However, the group is in a phase of revenue decline, primarily due to recession, but also strong competition

We continue to view limited deployment of next generation access as a worthwhile defensive move, but remain sceptical regarding the potential for uplift to shareholder value

Three years into its pay-TV investigation, we expect Ofcom to impose a wholesale must-offer obligation with regulated prices on the Sky premium films and sports channels in its final statement scheduled for Q1 2010

The WMO could take effect by the middle of 2010. It appears unlikely that Sky will be granted a stay of implementation whilst its appeals against the lawfulness and substance of the WMO remedy are being heard

Assuming the WMO proceeds, its impact on the pay-TV market is likely to be small in the first three to five years, but could become significant in the long-term; the core issue throughout being the rate-card prices set by the regulator, Ofcom