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UTV Ireland
CountryRepublic of Ireland
HeadquartersUTV Ireland Limited, Macken House, Mayor Street Upper, Dublin 1
Programming
Language(s)English
Ownership
OwnerUTV Media Ireland

UTV Ireland is a forthcoming television channel to broadcast in the Republic of Ireland. The channel will be operated by UTV Media's subsidiary UTV Ireland Ltd and the channel launched at 19:30 local time on 1 January 2015 (2015-01-01).[1]

History

On 6 November 2013 (2013-11-06) UTV Media announced its subsidiary UTV Ireland Ltd would launch a new television channel targeting audiences within the Republic of Ireland and submitted to obtain a license for a 'Content Provision Contract' to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. Announcement on the BAI's decision will be revealed in due course. The channel's headquarters is based in Dublin with local offices to be opened in Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford. UTV Media's existing headquarters in Belfast, Northern Ireland will also be utilized.

The channel aims to employ 100 people, with 30 of these jobs being based around the country.[2]

UTV announced it now holds Republic of Ireland broadcasting rights to key programming from ITV Studios Global Entertainment this includes shows as Emmerdale, Coronation Street, and The Jeremy Kyle Show among other shows. TV3 currently holds the broadcasting rights for these programmes to air in the Republic of Ireland. As of early 2015, TV3 will no-longer air these programmes.[3]

The announcement of the channel was welcomed by the Minister for Communications, Pat Rabbitte TD[4] and TV3's CEO David McRedmond welcomed the channels launch saying it is good news for the independent sector and all money that was spent on ITV programming by TV3 can be reinvested elsewhere.[5] In January 2014 The Sunday Time reported that TV3 had launched a lobbying campaign against the establishment of UTV Ireland.[6]

On 27 February 2014 (2014-02-27) the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland signed a contract with UTV.[7]

On 29 April 2014 (2014-04-29) Mary Curtis became UTV Ireland's first head. She is the first female head of a TV service in Ireland. She was following by other appointments to the new channnel many coming from TV3 staff.

Launch preparations are continuing with building space upgrading for studios, broadcasting lines and positioning as well as planning permissions being advanced.[8]

On 1 December 2014 UTV Ireland was granted Public Service Status by Minister for Communications, Alex White, TD, allowing it to appear on Saorview.[9]

Brand

UTV Ireland uses the UTV brand. The blue and yellow have been replaced by green and yellow. The letter "U" has been superscripted while the letters "TV" sit on top of the word "Ireland".

Programming

Irish-produced programming

So far UTV have announced a handful of Irish programmes for the channel's launch in 2015. They have also announced that Pat Kenny will join the channel in 2015, however they have not suggested what type of programme he will present on the channel.

News and Current Affairs

The main evening news will air at 18:30 will be titled Ireland Live and their late night news will be titled Ireland Live at Ten, it is expected that both with be hosted by Alison Comyn and Chris Donoghue. The Friday night edition of Ireland Live will focus on Sport.[10] [11]

Other news and current affairs posts include Marcus Lehnen as Head of News, Mick McCaffrey as News Editor, Mary Regan as Political Editor, Paul Colgan as Economics Editor, news reporters Claire Brock, Sarah O’Connor and Sinead O’Donnell.

Entertainment

Pat Kenny, former host of The Late Late Show is expected to present a pre-record chat show, however the style of the programme is not yet known. Coco Television were announced as the producers of the show in December 2014.[12]

Lifestyle

It is anticipated that UTV Ireland will try to imitate what has worked for them in Northern Ireland. A Lesser Spotted Ulster has been re-branded for the republic as Lesser Spotted Journeys Joe Mahon on his own unique journey to give us a fresh view of those special places we know and love in Ireland.

UTV's popular agricultural programme Rare Breed will also have a series produced for UTV Ireland. 22 Irish farming families currently being filmed across the country telling us about life as it really is over a year in their lives.

Paul and Nick will be UTV Ireland's first travel show as a Scotsman and an Irishman, best friends and chefs cooking up a storm on the high seas,state side.

Drama

UTV are to enter into negotiations with the BAI for funding from the Sound and Vision fund for a feature-length drama called Pilgrimage. The drama is multi-lingual with English and the independent producer is SP Films. It is an historical drama.[13]

Documentary

UTV are to enter into negotiations with the BAI for funding from the Sound and Vision fund for a two part documentary called The Wireless. The independent producer is Circle Films. It is an historical documentary about the development of Radio.[14]

Imported programming

The main reason for entering the Republic's market has been down to ITV's decision to sell Coronation Street and Emmerdale to UTV over rivals TV3. UTV had enjoyed a large following in the Republic up until the 2000s but its audience share dwindled due to changing tastes and the arrival of Sky Digital, which does not carry UTV. UTV had profited greatly from the Republic's audience due to spillover and cable connections in the 1980s and 1990s.

Largely UTV Ireland will replicate UTV. There will be some exceptions as some rights to certain programmes are not available to UTV in the Republic and other programme rights are not available in Northern Ireland. For example the BBC's The Graham Norton Show, actually made by a division of ITV Studios, will air on UTV Ireland, while ITV's The X-Factor, made by a division of FremantleMedia, remains with TV3.

Other imports include daytime ITV programmes such as Jeremy Kyle, Lorraine, This Morning and Loose Women. Jeremy Kyle has previously aired on TV3, while Loose Women also aired on TV3 for a period during 2008.

Some ITV programming will air also on TV3 as they will continue to have rights to some shows until 2016. These shows include The Jonathan Ross Show, Mr Selfridge and Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway.

UTV will also use ITV Studios back library of programmes on UTV Ireland. Vera, Prime Suspect, Cracker, and All3Media's Midsomer Murders and Foyle's War will also air on the channel.

Other ITV shows include The Chase, Undeniable, Love Your Garden, The Cube and Doc Martin.

UTV have yet to announce any films or TV programmes from any other country.

UTV in Republic of Ireland

UTV is available to most of viewers in the Republic of Ireland, however since the arrival of satellite service Sky, UTV's audience share has diminished. The channel was at one stage the Republic's second most watched after RTÉ One. UTV's audience share is now at just 3%.[15]

UTV management have said that the first platform they will speak to is Saorview. UTV has a large presence in the Irish Radio market. It owns 7 radio stations LMFM, FM104, Q102, C103, LIVE95FM, Cork's 96FM and Belfast's U105.

Availability

It was confirmed the channel will be made available on Saorview channel 6 from 19:25 on 1 January 2015. The channel will also be available on Sky Ireland channel 116, UPC Ireland channel 110 and eVision channel 108.[16]

References

  1. ^ "Welcome". UTV Ireland. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  2. ^ Burke-Kennedy, Eoin; Carbery, Genevieve (6 November 2013). "UTV to launch new Dublin-based TV channel by 2015". The Irish Times. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  3. ^ "Blow to TV3 as UTV plans to launch TV station here". Independent.ie. 6 November 2013. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  4. ^ "Pat Rabbitte welcomes UTV move by The Irish Times". SoundCloud. 6 November 2013. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  5. ^ Kelly, Louise (6 November 2013). "Newstalk - UTV hopes to use radio network to contribute to Irish TV channel". Newstalk. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  6. ^ McCaughren, Samantha (12 January 2014). "TV3 will oppose UTV Irish licence". The Sunday Time. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
  7. ^ http://www.bai.ie/?p=4493
  8. ^ http://www.u.tv/blogs/Michael-Wilson/New-home/26425bb6-17d3-49eb-a39e-bc9335c92bec
  9. ^ "Minister designates new UTV Ireland channel for carriage on SAORVIEW". DCENR. Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. 1 December 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  10. ^ http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/television/tv-news/glamorous-alison-is-the-new-face-of-utv-ireland-30513883.html
  11. ^ http://www.utvireland.ie/Press/2014/10/21/chris-donoghue-joins-utv-ireland-as-anchor-4022
  12. ^ http://www.utvireland.ie/Press/2014/12/09/coco-television-to-produce-pat-kenny-series-20701
  13. ^ http://www.bai.ie/?p=60562
  14. ^ http://www.bai.ie/?p=60562
  15. ^ "Share and reach". TAM Ireland. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  16. ^ http://www.utv.ie/info/faqs
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