Move comes just a month after Five pulled out of VOD offering over costs.
Channel 5 has rejoined Project Canvas, only a month after leaving the on-demand group saying it wouldn’t meet the costs required to get involved.
However, Five has made an about turn following its sales to media bigwig and owner of Express Newspapers, Richard Desmond. Despite slashing costs at the TV station, Desmond reckons Project Canvas is where it’s at.
"Project Canvas is set to shape the future of broadcasting," he said. "This is important to the future of Channel Five and having an open internet-connected TV platform fits closely with our plans."
Project Canvas aims to bring on-demand shows from the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and now Five, to web-based TVs and the internet. The plans for the service rose out the ashes of the Ofcom-battered Project Kangaroo. Canvas is being primed for an April 2011 launch, although it faces a legal challenge from Virgin Media
