Kangaroo Online TV Service To Debut in December

Project Kangaroo, the broadband TV service collaboration between Channel 4, ITV, and BBC, is all set for its alpha test launch in December, despite the fact that a judgement from Competition Commission over the service is still pending. 

Vodco, the company watching over the project, asserted that the alpha testing of Project Kangaroo will be in December, with closed beta testing of the service is scheduled in January next year, and if the commission gives its nod to the project, it will be launched as early as March 2009. 

The service is a joint venture of BBC, Channel 4 and ITV to make their shows available on demand over the web, and is currently being assessed by the Competition Commission for its impact over the online video-on-demand market.  

The Competition Commission is looking into the possibility that the service could charge heavy prices for its archives to wholesale buyers, thereby substantially raising costs for its viewers, and it is expected to publish the final review of the service on 8 February 2009. 

Interestingly the project currently has no CEO, as its previous chief exec Ashley Highfield left Project Kangaroo to join Microsoft.  

Ben McOwen, ITV’s Director and a Board Member of Project Kangaroo said in a statement, “As shareholders, we [all] have chosen to continue investing and developing the site so that if we get approval we can launch as soon as possible”