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The UK’s largest broadcasters have teamed up to take advantage of the growing market for on-demand television content in an attempt to better face the challenge posed by its satellite, cable and now online competitors.

Dubbed ‘Project Kangaroo’ – the service has been designed to provide UK consumers with a single platform to access more than 10,000 hours of content. It will initially be launched online but is poised to appear on other distribution platforms such as Freeview and possibly BT Vision and Virgin Media’s platforms in the future.

Rebranded when it launches in 2008, it will offer a range of different ways to access content. The ‘catch-up’ content, where consumers can watch shows that have already been broadcast, will be free but supported by advertising, while consumers will probably have to pay to download material to rent or keep.

The broadcasters are each investing a sum somewhere in the tens of millions, into the project over the coming years despite already spending millions of pounds launching standalone players. The Independent reports that Rod Henwood, Channel 4’s new business director, said there would be some overlap between existing services and the new site but that the collaboration would produce efficiencies and allow the companies to learn from each other’s technological investment. “You can’t just dip your toe into any market and expect to prosper,” he said. “You have to embrace it.”