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UTV sell TV business to ITV

Rebrand from Oct 17th - please use new thread. (August 2015)

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WH
Whataday Founding member
I'm STILL calling an ITV Ireland at some point, replacing TV3 and UTV Ireland.

On a similar note, I wonder if Ireland would ever get the BBC Worldwide channels like BBC Entertainment etc
RE
Rex
But 3e is a sister channel to TV3 and look at the absolute mess they made of that. If they can't even manage to do 3e properly, what hope do we have for UTV Ireland or whatever name it will have?

I had to look at the schedule for 3e, it screams ITV2 for the most part. Repeats for the most part until prime time, by which currently its mainly showing programming like the Xtra Factor and Celebrity Juice.

But it is effectively ITV2 - that's the point of it's existence. How UTV would fit into it remains to be seen - presumably between them TV3 and UTV have a bigger share than TV3 and 3e ever did, so they're not going to say goodbye to it without some consideration.

3e is more of an alternative channel to TV3 - aiming towards the younger audience of course. Essentially TV3's version of ITV2 as you've said.

At the bare minimum, current affairs programming could be scrapped from UTV Ireland, and aspects of PSB programming would be moved to TV3.
RD
rdd Founding member
I'm STILL calling an ITV Ireland at some point, replacing TV3 and UTV Ireland.

On a similar note, I wonder if Ireland would ever get the BBC Worldwide channels like BBC Entertainment etc


BBC World News is on cable (as is the BBC News Channel), but none of the others have ever been made available here. There's no demand for them, because we get BBC domestic services.
bkman1990 and Footballer gave kudos
MR
mr_vivian
I can see UTV Ireland becoming what 4Seven is to Channel 4 for TV3 and I think that's an option. Essentially a catchup channel.
PF
PFML84
It could be called '3play' as it sounds like "replay". Just as long as people don't mistake it for a gaming channel...
GO
gottago
Can anyone remember if UTV Ireland are obliged to provide a news service as part of their licence? Presumably that would stop the channel becoming some straight forward time shift.
SD
SuperDave
They signed a contract with the Irish equivalent of Ofcom back in February 2014 under section 71 of the Broadcasting Act 2009. They stated they would provide a news service for one hour per day, but I'm not sure if this is a formal obligation as such.
RD
rdd Founding member
The particular type of contract they have doesn't necessarily require public service commitments, and UTV Ireland largely made the news commitment not to placate the BAI but rather to secure designation by the Minister as a PSB, in order to get on Saorview.

However, having gotten away with it once, I am almost certain TV3 will (if the channel remains in operation) pull the same stunt they did with 3e - they handed back its contract and instead got it included on the main television programme service contract. I am not sure it was ever the intention of the drafters of the legislation that more than one service could be provided under that contract, but there you go.
SD
SuperDave
What about 3D - essentially a local service for Dublin?

Run the ITV schedule but switch Emmerdale and Corrie to 3 and turn the 7 o'clock Show into a local magazine programme. Where ITV runs local news, 3D could run a special Dublin news service, mixing national news from 3, supplemented by local reports.

Ireland retains most of the ITV service and Dubliner's receive a local news programme - a real point of difference.
BR
Brekkie
I get the impression you thought of the name first then the service to go with it.

TV3 would likely move their 8pm news if they get the soaps back to that goes half way to fulfilling any UTV Ireland PSB obligations.
RD
rdd Founding member
Worth noting that Virgin Media's Irish MD Tony Hanway gave an interview to today's Irish Times where he was very non committal as to whether UTV Ireland would survive. If it does continue, the name will be changed.

The author of the piece Laura Slattery suggested the names "Virgin 1,2,3" but he didn't seem too keen on that prospect, saying that the TV3 brand had a lot of cache.
WH
whoiam989
3u?

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