It's odd in that it's now the only UK channel on which individual programmes are blocked in ROI. It used to be the case that Europa League football was blocked on ESPN and BT Sport but that has stopped since the new rights deal began this season. Before UTV Ireland started there were odd examples of programmes that would have their ITV4 transmissions stopped but were fine when aired on ITV. Matches that were due to be blocked when aired on ITV4 were seemingly fine to show if moved to ITV.
They are available on Virgin Media (though not in HD), but ITV4 has all sports programmes blocked. I don't understand how if they can do a deal with Virgin Media they can't do one with Sky though. The SD versions continue to be FTA and consequently can be tuned in on Other Channels anyway.
Interesting. Makes sense they block ITV4 sport programmes.
I was in Dublin when the French Open was on and ITV4 was blocked out all day, had to watch the world feed on Setanta Sports instead.
Bizarrely, UTV Life is making a return next Friday night at 10:40pm, presented by none other than Pamela Ballantine! Just saw a trailer for it before Corrie tonight but wasn't able to capture it. Apologies for the quality of the image below, it was taken from the new Twitter account @UTVLife.
Is it too early to say that this is going to fail miserably? We all know it, their previous attempts have failed so why are they wasting money trying yet again? Just hurry up and get rid of everything local currently there, call the ITV and be done with it.
Is it too early to say that this is going to fail miserably? We all know it, their previous attempts have failed so why are they wasting money trying yet again? Just hurry up and get rid of everything local currently there, call the ITV and be done with it.
Bit harsh considering the original version of UTV Life was on for 10 years between 1999-2009, seemed popular and was only axed because of budget cuts.
However saying that putting it on at 10.40pm on Friday nights seems stupid instead of their usual slot such as between Coronation Street on Monday or Friday at 8pm, Thursday Night or Sunday Evenings which is going head to head with either Graham Norton or the new Patrick Kielty panel show on BBC One NI.
Is it too early to say that this is going to fail miserably? We all know it, their previous attempts have failed so why are they wasting money trying yet again? Just hurry up and get rid of everything local currently there, call the ITV and be done with it.
It seems odd that they're relaunching it now - how long will it last when ITV takes control?
28 days later
:-(
A former member
It should be completed by a week on Monday 29th February.
UK commercial giant ITV has completed its acquisition of Northern Irish broadcaster UTV after securing government approval for the deal.
A £100m (US$154m) conditional agreement was reached last October following the poor performance of UTV Ireland since its launch in January 2015. The channel made an £11.5m loss in its first year.
The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland approved the sale in December, while the Consumer Protection Commission gave the green light earlier this year.
ITV is now poised to acquire 100% of UTV after receiving ministerial approval, with the deal expected to be completed on February 29
11 days later
TL
Toby Lerone
UTV Live Business Editor Jamie Delargy has today tweeted this:
After hiving off its TV division, UTV Media is to be renamed the Wireless Group
Therefore we are going back in time 11 years to The Wireless Group which was the original name for Talksport until the buyout by UTV Media, the Wireless Group will keep hold of local stations across the UK and Republic of Ireland as well as National Station Talksport with new stations Talksport 2, Talk Radio & Virgin Radio launching later in March 2016 and can also be assumed the ITV acquisition of UTV is effective from midnight tonight.
