CanWest to sell stake in TV3

icdg

On the subject of rebrands, this Monday's revamp of TV3 is paraded on two bilboards at Connolly Station.

The now 1998-vintage "3" logo is staying, but is enclosed in a circle with two further circles to the left of it. Lowercase seems to be in, along with trashy colours...

bk

Elmo wrote:

Setanta are currently on NTL Basic in Dublin, Waterford and Galway. I am only assuming here but I think Setanta could looking to towards being available on Sky and Chorus Basic Packages.

Chorus and NTL are now both owned by UPC Ireland. UPC plan on having only one channel lineup across the whole network, so I expect Eurosport will be replaced by Setanta on Chorus Basic Packages.

Elmo wrote:

Setanta and Channel Six are both lining up for Irish DTT if it ever happens IMO.

Definitely, C6 in particular, it seems that the only reason for it's existence is to get a good spot on DTT.

byte

I'm a bit fed up of the old 3 logo, surprised it's staying.

I wonder will they bother sorting out their woeful website...

Mossy Monk

icdg wrote:

On the subject of rebrands, this Monday's revamp of TV3 is paraded on two bilboards at Connolly Station

saw it today in Waterford. looks cheap and tacky

Elmo

From Unison

By

Ailish O'Hora

SETANTA, the company that owns the sports channel and a number of sporting rights, has confirmed that it lodged an expression of interest in a major stake in TV3 ahead of a deadline yesterday evening.

It is believed that a number of interested parties, including ITV - the 45pc stakeholder in TV3 - and UTV, submitted expressions.

Canadian firm CanWest Global is selling its 45pc stake in the firm. The stake is believed to be worth up to $100m.

A spokesperson for Setanta said yesterday: "We remain interested and stay involved in the process."

However, ITV is believed to be in a strong position because it has pre-emption rights on the CanWest stake.

It is believed that a further deadline of next Friday has been set whereby CanWest will ask parties that it is interested in moving further with to submit further information.

It is understood that Setanta, which is headed up by Niall Cogley, is keen to merge its television operations into one Irish station.

The company owns the rights to Scottish premier league football and is also active in European television markets through its US sports channel, North American Sport Newtwork.

CanWest Global recently announced its intention to sell its 45pc stake in TV3, stating that its involvement in the Dublin-based station was no longer a core interest. However, it is understood that the whole station could be sold if the right price was offered.

One concern for any potential buyer is that a programme agreement that ITV has with TV3 could be withdrawn in the future - the agreement provides TV3 with some of its most popular programmes. Other shareholders in TV3 include Windmill Lane shareholders James Morris and Ossie Kilkenny as well as U2 manager Paul McGuinness.

Mossy Monk

Quted Article wrote:

It is understood that Setanta, which is headed up by Niall Cogley, is keen to merge its television operations into one Irish station.

interesting, so this could mean the end of Setanta Sports Ireland???? stands to reason as it is nearly all shown on Setanta sports 1 and 2 anyway

JohnC.

Mossy Monk wrote:

saw it today in Waterford. looks cheap and tacky

I saw it today in Waterford. It turned out to be even more pointless than I imagined.

flogen

Mossy Monk wrote:

interesting, so this could mean the end of Setanta Sports Ireland???? stands to reason as it is nearly all shown on Setanta sports 1 and 2 anyway

Wierd, so would a setanta owned (or partly owned) tv3 become a sports-heavy channel, or just increase its sports output?

Surely they'd have to be careful because the licence remit would have to be taken into consideration, although I'm sure there's plenty of room for tv3 to expand its sports programming without breaking rules, especially if it was Irish production...
I'd hate to see tv3 become a sports channel though, I want a commercial channel with some good homegrown shows, docs, dramas, etc.

flogen

Here's an interesting what-if for you all;
Setanta have made it clear that they are "keen to merge its television operations into one Irish station" and create a single station (be it Setanta TV or tv3 or whatever)
If ITV make the deal it's not unexpected that they'll create ITV Ireland from tv3, as this will help unify the station identity etc. etc.
Now, if UTV buy out tv3, what will happen? Will they remain as two seperate stations under one manager? I don't see this happening for some reason, it's too awkward for two stations to broadcast most of the same stuff and operate just miles from each other and remain as UTV and TV3. It would also mean that UTV would have to reconsider broadcasting in the Republic (halving the market) and vice versa.
So would it become UTV across Ireland? TV3 with an end of UTV? Or a completely new station? I hate to sound stupid, but I can see any loss of the U in UTV as a politically dodgy move... If it became an overtly all Ireland channel, and lost it's Ulster basis there would be a big uproar amongst some in the North...

Mossy Monk

UTV (Ulster Television) to turn into ITV (Ireland Television)

funny that as UTV have been resisting ITV for a while now

Elmo

I can see any loss of the U in UTV as a politically dodgy move

Sorry to bring politics into this but the U in UTV is politally incorrect since UTV hold the ITV franchise for Northern Ireland.

I'd hate to see tv3 become a sports channel though, I want a commercial channel with some good homegrown shows, docs, dramas,

Yeah! MMM! When is that going to happen?

Unlikely that TV3 would become a whole sports channel. They currently have no live sporting rights. Could World Cup Rugby be the deal breaker.

watty

The Ulster Bank isn't even Irish anymore and is pan Ireland. It could be UTV and pan Ireland.

Elmo

The Ulster Bank isn't even Irish anymore and is pan Ireland. It could be UTV and pan Ireland.

Kind of different. When was Ulster Bank set up? also Tyrone Productions aren't based in Tyrone. What's in a name?

But this just takes us of the topic and I am sure that the mods will tell us to stop. So I think I will stop


NOW

flogen

Elmo wrote:

Sorry to bring politics into this but the U in UTV is politally incorrect since UTV hold the ITV franchise for Northern Ireland.

Fair point; but it does broadcast across ulster and the rest of Ireland, has that not always been the case?

I think UTV getting tv3 will be the most interesting, even if it's the least favourable for Irish viewers; will they rebrand themselves to appeal to all of Ireland (something they've done in part going from Ulster TV to UTV) and will they broadcast news etc. from studios in Dublin or Belfast, or both?

Yeah! MMM! When is that going to happen?

Unlikely that TV3 would become a whole sports channel. They currently have no live sporting rights. Could World Cup Rugby be the deal breaker.

Well I'm seeing the new ownership of tv3 as a new beginning, or at least the chance of one, if Setanta are going to turn it into a sports heavy channel I would be annoyed, and it looks like they intend on doing something along those lines. Maybe they'll just drop Setanta Sports and use tv3 to air all the big soccer/rugby/gaa they have, and have the other full time Setanta channels available for those that want sport all the time.

DMC

Elmo wrote:

But this just takes us of the topic and I am sure that the mods will tell us to stop. So I think I will stop

Well, 3 mods are interested in this topic

Elmo

Fair point; but it does broadcast across ulster and the rest of Ireland, has that not always been the case?

It may over lap into boarder counties, which include counties in Leinster and Connacht but no UTV has no licence to broadcast in the Republic, either on Cable or Terrestial TV. The name change from Ulster Television to UTV came because it see how much revenue it gains from the Republic.

Maybe they'll just drop Setanta Sports and use tv3 to air all the big soccer/rugby/gaa they have, and have the other full time Setanta channels available for those that want sport all the time.

I would say if Sentanta do buy TV3 only some of the sport will be available to TV3 for broadcast. In the same way only some of the ITV productions are only available to TV3. While sport and soap is important TV3 would be mad to not have anything else on their service.

Remember Setanta might only have to buy 45% of the channel. Canwest doesn't have to tell ITV or the Irish Investors to sell up, Canwest could end up with same price for their share with or without a 100% sale.

Elmo

From unison.ie business xtra.

By

Samantha McCaughren

UTV has confirmed that it wants to buy the €100m stake in TV3 which shareholder CanWest has put up for sale and said it would be "logical" for the group's strategy in the Republic.

Executive director and head of UTV's British radio interests Scott Taunton said that owning TV3 and UTV would offer both top-line and bottom-line synergies.

The media group yesterday reported a 12pc jump in pre-tax profits, up to £19.5m (€28.2m), despite flat television profits.

Its Irish radio stations, which include Q102 and LMFM, saw operating profits climb 56pc to £3.8m (€5.8m).

Key programmes

ITV, which owns 45pc of TV3, is still seen as the most likely buyer of the CanWest stake as it has pre-emption rights. But yesterday, Mr Taunton said that owning TV3 would make sense for UTV.

Currently, UTV's and TV3's schedules overlap on key programmes such as 'Coronation Street'.

Mr Taunton said yesterday that UTV would make changes in order to get the best out of both stations.

"Both organisations have done well despite the conditions which exist at the moment. I guess what we'd be looking to do is maximise audience," he said.

Mr Taunton also said that even if UTV submits the highest bid, it does not guarantee that they will succeed in buying the CanWest 45pc stake.

"The process is ongoing and we don't have details of the pre-emption conditions," he said.

UTV bought The Wireless Group in Britain last year and it helped group turnover increase 46pc to £92.7m. Radio revenues in Britain were up 5pc in a market where radio revenues were down 11pc.

Further growth is forecast this year thanks to the football World Cup, with talkSPORT performing particularly well.

UTV will look at growing the radio business with acquisitions and new licence applications in Ireland and Britain.

With regard to a new Irish radio licence up for grabs in the South-West, Mr Taunton said: "We're looking at it at this stage, but expect it to be a tough licence to make profitable."

Operating profits for television were flat at £15.4m and UTV revenues underperformed the ITV network.

Turnover at its new media division was up 54pc to £8.1m but profits were static at £800,000.

Group operating profit before exceptional items was up by 35pc to €24.8m.

The final dividend of 7.75p was recommended, making a total for the year of 12.5p, up 8.7pc.

UK radio station talkSPORT bucked a declining advertising market to help new owner UTV post a 19pc rise in annual profits yesterday.

UTV bought talkSPORT owner The Wireless Group in June for £96.9m, which lifted group pre-tax profits for 2005 from £17.5m a year earlier to £20.8m.

UTV owns 20 radio stations in the UK, including Juice FM in Liverpool and Swansea Sound.

Charles Slane

Currently, UTV's and TV3's schedules overlap on key programmes such as 'Coronation Street'.

Mr Taunton said yesterday that UTV would make changes in order to get the best out of both stations.

That's very interesting. That could mean the dropping of a lot of ITV staples from the TV3 schedule

watty

They might even more overlap, if UTV simply regard TV3 as its ROI terrestrial transmitters

byte

Hmm, the story gets more interesting as time passes. Are Setanta still in the running, or are we looking realistically at it either being ITV or UTV buying it.

I can't see UTV dropping Corrie from TV3, unless ITV Networks revokes Corrie licencse. With Corrie simulcast on both UTV and TV3, regardless which channel a viewer opts for, UTV plc still make the dosh (though I suppose with TV3, only less than half of the total unless they take over 100% of TV3).

channelsurfer

if utv do take it over you might even get utv live news instead of Marting King and the great tv3 news. now theres a thought.life just wouldnt be the same without tv3 news.

BuffyBot

I think a UTV takeover would actually be quite interesting. I'd imagine they'll actually try and ramp up the quality of the output at TV3 a little in comparison to how it is at the moment. I'd speculate that some of the popular simulcasts would stay though.

marksi

BuffyBot wrote:

I think a UTV takeover would actually be quite interesting. I'd imagine they'll actually try and ramp up the quality of the output at TV3 a little in comparison to how it is at the moment. I'd speculate that some of the popular simulcasts would stay though.

Why would you expect UTV to *increase* the amount of local output on TV3 when the amount of local output on UTV has been steadily reduced in the past few years?

BuffyBot

when the amount of local output on UTV has been steadily reduced in the past few years?

That maybe, but not half as much as the other ITV "regions", that's why

Skyuser

I don't understand how TV3 are allowed to sell the station like that? I'm sure if ITV came along when TV3 were buying the license and they said they wanted, they wouldn't have got it.
Does that make sense, I think it does.

Elmo

Skyuser wrote:

I don't understand are allowed to sell the station like that? I'm sure if ITV came along when TV3 were buying the license and they said they wanted, they wouldn't have got it.
Does that make sense, I think it does.

I would assume that the BCI, Dept of Communications and the Department of Enterprise would all have to agree to a 100% sale.

Foreign companies are entitled to own 100% of TV3, since 2003 (2004?).

But in saying that they will prob give the go ahead regardless.

watty

Probably RTE would be blocked from buying it.