Meek confirmed as Canvas chairman

Kip Meek has been confirmed as the chairman of Project Canvas, the proposed joint venture between the BBC, ITV, BT, Channel 4, Talk Talk and Arqiva to build an open internet-connected TV environment to complement the Freeview digital-terrestrial service.

In a joint statement, the partners said Meek would lead the board of the new venture and oversee the appointment of a CEO, who will have day-to-day operational responsibility for the new organisation. He will step down from his full-time role at Ingenious Media and his non-executive positions at the Broadband Stakeholder Group and Phorm. Prior to joining Ingenious, he held a variety of responsibilities at regulator Ofcom, including chairing the European Regulators Group, and was instrumental in the establishment of BT’s operationally independent infrastructure company Openreach.

“Internet technology creates unlimited choice and can also give people real control over what they watch, and when they watch it,” said Meek. “Project Canvas will integrate the broadcast and on-demand worlds to make this possible via the TV. It will also allow third-party business models to thrive through an open platform, bringing the benefits of next-generation TV to anyone who wants it. With the backing of these six substantial partners, we have the opportunity to transform television. I look forward to working with the board and the executive team to make this happen.”

Meek assumes the role with immediate effect and succeeds BBC director of future media and technology Erik Huggers who has acted as project chair for the last year.