Field Fisher Waterhouse advises on sale of Project Kangaroo to Arqiva
27 July 2009
Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP has advised high-profile
video-on-demand venture Project Kangaroo on its sale to Arqiva.
Parent companies BBC Worldwide, ITV and Channel 4 formed Project
Kangaroo to provide a shared online and multi-platform on-demand
service, although they were ultimately prevented by the Competition
Commission from launching the service in February this year.
The assets purchased by Arqiva, which owns and operates the UK's
terrestrial TV infrastructure, comprise the hardware and software
technology, and intellectual property assets developed for the
Project Kangaroo service. They provide the platform for a
highly-scalable internet TV content aggregation and delivery
service.
According to Arqiva, it plans to use the Project Kangaroo
platform assets to launch a new video-on-demand service to UK
consumers in the coming months. The platform will aim to host
top-end quality content from leading broadcasters and independent
content providers.
Field Fisher Waterhouse TMT partner David
Naylor led on the project, assisted by corporate partner Nigel
Taylor, technology solicitor Dee Miller
and corporate solicitors Charu Babel and Carlton
Durrant. David Naylor and Dee Miller were seconded for periods
to the business, in the role of in-house counsel. The team has
worked for Project Kangaroo since early 2007 and, along with other
specialists from across the firm, advised on an array of matters
ranging from content acquisition and licensing, rights clearances,
digital rights management, technology
procurement and outsourcing,
software and systems development and licensing, IP
and brand protection and exploitation,
competition, real
estate, corporate governance, commercial contracts, tax, employment,
and the sale itself.
This deal reflects the firm’s strength in the digital media
sector, with clients that include the BBC, Digital UK, Google and
MySpace.
David Naylor, Field Fisher Waterhouse, said: “Project Kangaroo
has been one of the most talked-about digital media ventures in the
UK and Europe and it has been a pleasure working with the
management team and all the BBC Worldwide, ITV and Channel 4
personnel involved in the venture. Having worked on the project
from its inception, we are delighted to have been able to play a
role in helping to ensure that such a ground-breaking and hugely
impressive online service will still be launched in the UK.”
Rod Henwood, CEO of Project Kangaroo said: "Throughout a
changing, complex and challenging project with regulatory scrutiny,
multiple stakeholders and a complex supply chain, Field Fisher
Waterhouse provided an excellent service at all levels of the firm.
They provided an even balance of technical legal knowledge,
commercial advice and pro-active coverage of extra ground work. It
was a very satisfying association."
Arqiva was advised by Clifford Chance.
For further press information please
contact:
Louise Eckersley, PR Manager,
Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP on +44 (0)20 7861 4120.