No plans to revive Kangaroo, says Microsoft

Microsoft has denied it plans to resurrect Project Kangaroo as part of its MSN video-on-demand plans.

Media reports today indicated the company was in talks with Kangaroo shareholders to bolster its video services and take a leadership position in the nascent TV-on-demand market.

A statement from Ashley Highfield (pictured), MD and VP of Microsoft Consumer & Online UK, said: “While Microsoft sees huge potential for online video we have not proposed to ‘resurrect Project Kangaroo’.

“We will, as you’d expect, continue to collaborate with all of our commercial partners, many of which are broadcasters and content owners,” he added.

MSN Video already has partnership deals with a number of content companies including BBC Worldwide, National Geographic, ITN and VideoJug.

Project Kangaroo, the joint venture TV-on-demand service proposed by BBC Worldwide, ITV and Channel 4, was blocked this month by the Competition Commission, which found the service would result in a substantial lessening of competition in the UK VOD market.

This story first appeared on newmediaage.co.uk