TG4 in N.I.

Charles Slane · 22-02-2005 7:06pm #1

TG4 is currently viewable with a N.I. subscription card.

DMC · 22-02-2005 7:19pm

Ohh. Since when?

Charles Slane · 22-02-2005 7:27pm

Paddy C in Armagh reported it viewable on DS.

The fact that it's subscription-only would seem to imply that it's nearly ready to make an EPG appearance.

eirman · 22-02-2005 7:39pm

As I have a NI Sub, I can confirm the accuracy of Charles Slanes 18:06 message

Mike 1972 · 22-02-2005 10:24pm

Its not on FTV cards though

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: the B :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: ds

Is it available on the UK mainland ?

cor · 23-02-2005 12:01am

Just read on another Satelite TV forum that it's not available in England or Scotland, just N.I.

Mossy Monk · 23-02-2005 12:13am

it was never going to be available in britain though
just northern ireland and the republic of ireland

Ulsterman 1690 · 26-02-2005 12:10pm

Why not ?

There are thousands of native Gaelic speakers in Scotland
In Northern Ireland there are (baring a handful who may have moved here from West Donegal or Scotland) aproximately zero !

And besides S4C (Wales) are available FTA throughout the British Isles (and beyond) are they not

Round Cable · 26-02-2005 12:15pm

Ulsterman 1690 wrote:

Why not ?

There are thousands of native Gaelic speakers in Scotland
In Northern Ireland there are (baring a handful who may have moved here from West Donegal or Scotland) aproximately zero !

And besides S4C (Wales) are available FTA throughout the British Isles (and beyond) are they not

Of course it will not be transmitted to Scotland, foreign programme rights would interfer, ie Nip/Tuck and The OC.

BTW I thought there was 100,000 Irish speakers in the North, I thought I heard that somewhere.

Ulsterman 1690 · 26-02-2005 12:23pm

I thought there was 100,000 Gaelic speakers in the North, I thought I heard that somewhere

I said native speakers as opposed to those who claim to be because they can just about string a sentence or two together.

Northern Irelands second language is actually Cantonese (followed by Portuguese) but as RTP and CCTV are both available FTA on hotbird I guess that’s okay

I wonder when they're getting terrestrial relays from Divis though
:rolleyes:

SRB · 26-02-2005 6:59pm

Don't know about "relays" only one analogue relay from Divis has been announced. As for Scotland, don't they already have a Gaelic TV Channel ? As for the rights issue, they could always blanket the films and imports with an Northern Ireland opt in Ulster Scots........

Ulsterman 1690 · 26-02-2005 8:22pm

As for Scotland, don't they already have a Gaelic TV Channel ?

I believe they do (albeit with limited availibility on freeview only)
Maybe it should be available in NI too for all the fluent Gaelic speakers that supposedly live here

DMC · 26-02-2005 8:26pm

Lets keep this civil, chaps.

Tele G is on DTT in Scotland, for an hour a day, between 6 and 7pm.

SRB · 26-02-2005 8:55pm

Just out of interest and being perfectly civil DMC, does TG4 carry any of the programmes from Tele G or vice versa, it would make sense to trade programmes surely ? (I don't speak any Gaelic so if there are major differences in "Scots Gaelic" and "Irish Gaelic", please excuse my ignorence) I also wonder with TG4 broadcasting in NI, will that mean BBC NI won't carry Irish Language programming, a bit like when S4C came on-air in Wales, will they supply content to TG4 ?

DMC · 26-02-2005 9:17pm

Not that much of a difference between Scots and Irish, SRB. Having listened to BBC Radio nan Gaidheal and read some Scots Gaelic, there are a lot of spelling differences, but really it sounds like a strange dialect of the Donegal gaeltacht. A lot of the words are interchangeable, but the grammer differs a bit, but you wouldnt be a complete fish out of water if you knew Irish Gaelic very well.

I think I remember TG4's Ros na Rún being on Tele G when going through Digiguide, but on the whole, no. And we don't know what BBC NI will do.

Ulsterman 1690 · 27-02-2005 4:42pm

I also wonder with TG4 broadcasting in NI, will that mean BBC NI won't carry Irish Language programming, a bit like when S4C came on-air in Wales, will they supply content to TG4 ?

Possibly although BBC NI will probably still produce radio programming in Gaelic for Radio Ulster Incidently Manx Radio still have a bilingual top of the hour station ID jingle even though the last native speaker on the island died back in the seventies

culabula · 27-02-2005 7:50pm

Ulsterman 1690 wrote:

Possibly although BBC NI will probably still produce radio programming in Gaelic for Radio Ulster Incidently Manx Radio still have a bilingual top of the hour station ID jingle even though the last native speaker on the island died back in the seventies

I'm sure BBC NI and its Irish Language Unit will also continue to produce TV programmes in Irish, especially since they ran a huge ad in the Telegraph two weeks ago looking for a new presenter (one of the two girls who presented SRL recently decamped to Raidió na Gaeltachta)

seano · 27-02-2005 8:54pm

Ulsterman 1690 wrote:

Why not ?

There are thousands of native Gaelic speakers in Scotland
In Northern Ireland there are (baring a handful who may have moved here from West Donegal or Scotland) aproximately zero !

There are more then 15,000 people living in NI who have more then a good working knowledge of Irish.This knowledge goes a lot further then a few sentances .

BTW. The term "native speaker" is a load of Bollax .

marksi · 27-02-2005 9:27pm

seano wrote:

There are more then 15,000 people living in NI who have more then a good working knowledge of Irish.This knowledge goes a lot further then a few sentances .

BTW. The term "native speaker" is a load of Bollax .

15,000 is less than 1%, which makes me wonder if the expense of Irish programming can be justified by the BBC (and indeed by the "government" at Stormont). I'm sure more than 1% of the NI population have a "good working knowledge" of French, Spanish or German...

Ulsterman 1690 · 27-02-2005 9:51pm

BTW. The term "native speaker" is a load of Bollax

Why ?
Most people in Ireland and the UK are "native speakers" of English
A few people are "native speaker" of Gaelic because they grew up in areas and/or households where Gaelic is spoken more often than English

I'm sure more than 1% of the NI population have a "good working knowledge" of French, Spanish or German

Chinese is the second language in NI Portuguese is the third

Zaphod · 27-02-2005 9:56pm

seano · 27-02-2005 10:14pm

Maybe they can make Spongebob the head of state in the "Federal Republic of British Isles" that I see advertised by Ulsterman 1690

He does speak Irish and English equally good so he would be a good compromise candidate.

Capt'n Midnight · 27-02-2005 10:47pm

Ulsterman 1690 wrote:

Incidently Manx Radio still have a bilingual top of the hour station ID jingle even though the last native speaker on the island died back in the seventies

maybe it's an old recording ?
Weirdest thing I ever saw was Jabas, Welsh speakers dubed into Irish with english subtitles. The lips and voices and meanings were all over the place.

SRB · 28-02-2005 12:37am

I'm sure BBC NI and its Irish Language Unit will also continue to produce TV programmes in Irish, especially since they ran a huge ad in the Telegraph two weeks ago looking for a new presenter (one of the two girls who presented SRL recently decamped to Raidió na Gaeltachta)

Yes, but I wonder will the TV Programmes be shown on the BBC or produced by the BBC for TG4, as happened in Wales? It would make more sense to show them there, plus it would add to TG4's programming. Then again, I guess it'll depend on just how far TG4 gets out from Divis, I imagine it'll be fairly low down the mast as the thing is pretty full. In fact I thought the reason CH 5 ended up on Black Mountain was because Divis was "full".

Mossy Monk · 28-02-2005 10:53am

cant see that happening with BBC NI tbh

culabula · 28-02-2005 12:55pm

[

I imagine it'll be fairly low down the mast as the thing is pretty full. In fact I thought the reason CH 5 ended up on Black Mountain was because Divis was "full".[/QUOTE]

Take it down from the mast, eh? :-)

culabula · 28-02-2005 12:57pm

There is no reason at all to suppose that the BBC's unit here in Belfast will supply programmes to TG4. I am sure that TG4 will continue to commission from the private sector. BBC NI will show its own programme(s).

That said, you can expect a lot of TG4' s programmes to be made by companies registered in the north for the forseeable future.

SRB · 28-02-2005 12:58pm

Ah, do you mean TG4 are on their own mast on Divis mountain, but not on the Divis mast ? Actually never even thought of that solution !

SRB · 28-02-2005 1:55pm

There is no reason at all to suppose that the BBC's unit here in Belfast will supply programmes to TG4.

Well, given that RTE and BBC NI usually produce at least one co-production a year, I'd say it's very possible that BBCNI could produce output for TG4. It would also make sense to have Gaelic programmes on a Gaelic channel where they will be seen by a wider audience than tucked away on BBC2. If I were a producer I know where I'd rather have my programme aired !

culabula · 28-02-2005 2:33pm

More people have mentioned SRL on BBC 2 here in Belfast than have ever mentioned a TG4 programme to me (esp people not interested in Irish).

Conversely (nota bene Ulsterman 1690) anybody who recognises me from TG4 on the streets of Belfast always addresses me in Irish -this is on a near-daily basis. Not to forget the couple from Andytown who approached me in French in downtown Lyon and switched to Irish when they suddenly recognised me as 'cocaire na teilifise'.

Not a single free stater has ever addressed me in anything other than English.......

SRB · 28-02-2005 4:18pm

"More people have mentioned SRL on BBC 2 here in Belfast than have ever mentioned a TG4 programme to me."

Yes, but everyone in Belfast is able to receive BBC2, that's not true of TG4 at present, if TG4 becomes as widely available then that should change.

"anybody who recognises me from TG4 on the streets of Belfast always addresses me in Irish"

Well if you're on TG4 speaking in Irish, that kinda stands to reason.
To be honest, until you mentioned it I'd never heard of SRL, but then I'm not an Irish speaker nor are any of my family and friends. Obviously, if you are involved in a programme aimed at a specific audience, people in that audience will recognise you.

I would like to make it clear though I don't have any axe to grind with Irish Language programming, I was simply wondering if what happened in Wales would happen here.

What programme (s) are you on by the way ?

Ulsterman 1690 · 28-02-2005 6:51pm

Re space on the masts there was supposedly no room for Channel 5 yet there was no problem subsequently finding the space for aerials for six DTT multiplexes DAB stuff and now TG4

Maybe they have put up a second mast but it doesn't appear to be visible from the city

I daresay when TG4 does start transmitting from Divis they will be using lower power with a null to the south ?

Bit of a waste of money having it on analouge at this stage though with analouge supposedly on the way out plus if they used DTT there would be the possiblity of sticking the other Irish channels on if the rights problems can ever be sorted out

Round Cable · 28-02-2005 7:33pm

Ulsterman 1690 wrote:

Bit of a waste of money having it on analouge at this stage though with analouge supposedly on the way out plus if they used DTT there would be the possiblity of sticking the other Irish channels on if the rights problems can ever be sorted out

How ironic it would be; to be able to receive all Irish channels, without paying a TV licence, and free digitally in Northern Ireland, while in the south pay a TV liecence and a further E30 euro a month sub for digital viewing.

DMC · 28-02-2005 8:11pm

Isn't there room for a low powered RSL like Channel 9, Derry? Would they use that?

seano · 28-02-2005 8:21pm

Round Cable wrote:

How ironic it would be; to be able to receive all Irish channels, without paying a TV licence, .

Just as ironic as receiving all the BBC channels FTA via satellite without pay a cent.

Round Cable · 28-02-2005 8:55pm

seano wrote:

Just as ironic as receiving all the BBC channels FTA via satellite without pay a cent.

Indeed satellite, but not cable.

Ulsterman 1690 · 28-02-2005 10:26pm

Channel 9 and NVTV are hardly going to give up their licences to facilitate TG4 ?

Incidently what happens to these RSL stations when analouge gets switched off ? I dont see any provision being made to get them on freeview

DMC · 28-02-2005 10:30pm

I didn't realise NVTV were on the air!

I was going to say that if NVTV wasnt there, they could use that RSL space in Belfast, if desired.

Same problem with all the other RSLs in England, no provision yet...

Ulsterman 1690 · 01-03-2005 6:31am

I didn't realise NVTV were on the air!

Most people dont. Their coverage in Belfast is so poor(their TX site is in Ballygomartin not Divis or Black mountain) and they are on an out of group channel (compounded by the fact that viewers with RTE aerials are using group diplexers with their Group C/D aerials pointed in the "wrong" direction and "wrong" poloristion (from NVTV's standpoint)

BTW I think I read somewhere that Channel 9 had been given licences for relys in Strabane and someplace else (cant remember) does anyone know if they have done anything with these

Same problem with all the other RSLs in England, no provision yet..

I think thats one of the big flaws in both DTT and DAB having channels arranged in multiplexes may be good for national services but it doesnt cater for small stations like RSL TV or community radio from what I can see. Doesnt seem to be easily resovable either

SRB · 03-03-2005 12:30am

From the TG4 Website :

TG4 accessible in Belfast from Friday
TG4 will be available in Belfast and the surrounding area from next Friday when the TG4 signal will be transmitted from the communications mast on the top of Black mountain outside the city. Transmission trials will begin on Friday. The broadcasting of TG4 in the North was one of the conditions of the Good Friday Agreement. The Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern and the Northern Secretary of State Paul Murphy will sign a memorandum today to formalise the broadcast.

I guess there wasn't enough room on Divis after all !

Scottish paddy · 03-03-2005 10:45am

OK so TG4 is available from Friday...........but what is the channel number?

Ulsterman 1690 · 03-03-2005 8:40pm

Will it be on cable here and if so will it be on digital, analouge or both ?

SRB · 03-03-2005 11:22pm

I sent them an e-mail today asking was it really Black Mountain or Divis (as all the newspaper reports suggested) and asking for a channel number. No reply yet.

Zaphod · 04-03-2005 12:38am

According to the article below, it is expected to be available from Divis on analogue from April on, on digital via Sky from mid April and that "it's not so important that TG4 would be available on cable". Apparently they're miffed that RTÉ went ahead and did a deal with NTL in the North and didn't bother to include them.

There's also an interesting quote from Alan Esslemont, director of television, towards the end in that he says this will hasten the day that the channel is available on the BBC's free satellite service, Freeview, but that won't happen before this year's end.

http://www.nuacht.com/story/?cat_id=1&newsid=8582

Charles Slane · 04-03-2005 2:22am

Zaphod wrote:

According to the article below, it is expected to be available from Divis on analogue from April on, on digital via Sky from mid April and that "it's not so important that TG4 would be available on cable". Apparently they're miffed that RTÉ went ahead and did a deal with NTL in the North and didn't bother to include them.

There's also an interesting quote from Alan Esslemont, director of television, towards the end in that he says this will hasten the day that the channel is available on the BBC's free satellite service, Freeview, but that won't happen before this year's end.

http://www.nuacht.com/story/?cat_id=1&newsid=8582

I really wish I'd paid more attention in Irish classes !!!

But a great link nonetheless, Zaphod (by the way, the answer is "42", isn't it ??) !!

And SRB, they used to be very good at replying to e-mail. During the run-up to RTE, TG4 and TV3 coming onto Sky Digital, they were probably the best at letting us know what the latest situation was. So hopefully you'll get a comprehensive reply from them.

SRB · 04-03-2005 9:39pm

Try ch 59. My In Laws in Co.Down, who use Kippure, have lost TG4, I assume that is because the Belfast Transmitter is now on test. (when I say "lost", from the description of what they are now receiving it sounds like very severe CCI. Their TV3 Kippure is as normal)

Ulsterman 1690 · 06-03-2005 9:45pm

So a transmitter designed to enable more people to recieve TG4 seems to have the exact opposite effect

Zaphod · 08-03-2005 2:52pm

TG4 testing on Sky in NI.

http://www.nuacht.com/story/?cat_id=1&newsid=8615
http://www.nuacht.com/story/?cat_id=1&newsid=8616

digiworld · 13-03-2005 12:33pm

Ulsterman 1690 wrote:

Why not ?

There are thousands of native Gaelic speakers in Scotland
In Northern Ireland there are (baring a handful who may have moved here from West Donegal or Scotland) aproximately zero !

And besides S4C (Wales) are available FTA throughout the British Isles (and beyond) are they not

ulsterman sadly to disapoint you there are many uk and ni sky viewers enjoying the privlige of having rte1 net2 tv3 tg4 in there homes to find out how then either email me or post me this is not a gag i am very serious about this

digiworld · 13-03-2005 12:47pm

fyi there are dozens of ofirish natives in the uk and ni that are enjoying the privlege of been able to view rte1 net2 tv3 tg4 it dosent come without a cost
so it means that you would have got to realy have it to get it
there are a special designated installation crew which travel to the uk providing uk viewers with what they require i think the cost is about 650.00 pound sterling that includes satalite equipment and fitting if you want to know more then post me

13-03-2005 2:01pm

digiworld wrote:

fyi there are dozens of ofirish natives in the uk and ni that are enjoying the privlege of been able to view rte1 net2 tv3 tg4 it dosent come without a cost
so it means that you would have got to realy have it to get it
there are a special designated installation crew which travel to the uk providing uk viewers with what they require i think the cost is about 650.00 pound sterling that includes satalite equipment and fitting if you want to know more then post me

digiworld thats it you have been warned already No advertising
Banned

TG4 in N.I.

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