British Sky Broadcasting has accused the BBC of "riding a coach and horses" through the nascent market for internet TV by investing licence-fee payers' money in Project Canvas, a planned successor to Freeview.

Canvas is a joint venture between the BBC, ITV, BT and Five that aims to bring internet TV services such as the iPlayer to the television set . It plans to launch the digital set-top boxes before Christmas 2010, priced at £100-£200.