What TV3 need to do

Milktrolley

I've been thinking about this lately. Obviously TV3 need to improve, however it's always being argued that they haven't enough resources, and can't be expected to compete with RTÉ. So what can they do with the resources they have?

Firstly:
Ever since they split up the hour-long Six O'Clock news, the second bulletin has seemed somewhat pointless - even more so since it got moved to 6:30. So why not move the second bulletin to 8:00? It doesn't clash with any of the ITV simulcasts which they have no control over - in fact, it will settle in nicely in between double Coronation Street on Monday nights. Presumably, a significant number of the large audience for Corrie on Mondays would stick around and tune in, thus strengthing the TV3 News brand.
Keep the 5:30 programme as is for the moment, or move to 5:00. News Tonight could be brought forward a bit, to allow Sports Tonight be aired at a more accessible time, and to get a head start on RTÉ News on Two.

Secondly:
Axe expensive, non-performing programmes. Channel the money into sensical, homemade programmes. If it means ending transmission an hour earlier in the evenings, but will ultimately provide a better service, then it's a start.

TG4's tenth anniversary brings with it fond memories of some innovative, clever programming over the years. All you have to do is look through these forums to realise that few people will be raising their glasses when TV3 turns ten in two years time - unless they do something fast.

Elmo

TV3 need to stop complaining and we need to realise that TV3 have plenty of money to produce TV shows.

TV3 earn 50million euro annually on advertising revenue, they do not support 4 radio stations, 2 tv channels (plus give money to TG4) and have to support Concert Ocharstras.

TV3 could easily buy in GAA league and ladies football for that matter they could have even taken on RTEs coverage of GAA.

TV3 could have done everything TG4 had done and have all of the praise plus all of the profits too.

Axe expensive, non-performing programmes. Channel the money into sensical, homemade programmes. If it means ending transmission an hour earlier in the evenings, but will ultimately provide a better service, then it's a start.

TV3 business plan is to have cheep Irish TV i.e. Ireland AM, TV3 News and Sports Tonight so that it can meet its required Irish Programming, Hence Ireland AM getting an extra hour a few years ago so that TV3 could sell more advertsing.

Axe expensive, non-performing programmes.

TV3 only have inexpensive non-performing shows plus ITV output = $$$$$$$€€€€€€£££££ no need for imagination.

All you have to do is look through these forums to realise that few people will be raising their glasses when TV3 turns ten in two years time - unless they do something fast.

Canwest, ITV and some of the Irish investors on the other hand will be very very happy $$$$$$$$$€€€€€€€€€€€££££££££££ chi ching

SoSueMe

Hereis a recent article from the Sunday Business post dteailing how much trouble TV3 facing at the moment.

New TV3 boss faces RTE2 battle
Sunday, October 29, 2006 - By Catherine O’Mahony
David McRedmond, the former eircom executive who is the incoming managing director of TV3, is taking over at a delicate time for the commercial television station.

A ratings battle is underway between TV3 and RTE2 as the channels vie to be Ireland’s second-most-watched TV station, against a backdrop of the potential loss of TV3’s crucial ITV programming.

Recent figures showed that RTE2 - the ratings of which were boosted this summer by a better-than-expected World Cup - has increased its national viewing share to 13.5 per cent in the year to September 2006, compared with 12.3 per cent last year. TV3’s share dropped to 12.1 per cent from 12.7 per cent. The position has, however, already changed. Nielsen ratings through to October 22 show TV3 at 12.7 per cent (for adults) with RTE2 close behind at 12.5 per cent.

Looking only at September and October adult viewing, TV3 is well ahead at 13.6 per cent, while RTE2 is back at 9.7 per cent.

TV3 points also to Nielsen statistics that strip out the impact of the World Cup audiences, which swelled RTE2’s share during the summer.

Using that measure, the commercial station posted a 12.9 per cent adult share in the entire January to September period, against 11.7 per cent for RTE2.

In the category of women aged 15 to 34, TV3 points out it had a large lead with 16.3 per cent against 12.8 per cent for RTE.

Still, with a strong autumn schedule, plenty of home-produced shows, and the prospect of big audience draws such as the US desert island series Lost, RTE2 also has grounds for optimism.

On the basis of all individuals watching television, rather than just adults, RTE2 has gained 1.5 percentage points in share to reach a 13.1 per cent share in the year to date, with imports such as Desperate Housewives, sports coverage and homegrown shows such as Podge and Rodge and Legend all pulling in extra audiences.

And there is more to come. RTE had, for instance, originally planned to show Lost in early 2007, but is now starting this week, after Sky acquired the rights to the show in Britain.

The US show’s audience rose to an average of 350,000 viewers per episode for RTE2 in the second series.

Noel Curran, RTE’s managing director of television, downplayed the importance of the latest ratings changes. ‘‘These things will fluctuate.

“What’s really satisfying for us is more to see that RTE2 is working really well with RTE1, how it’s fitting in with the overall offering.

“That’s what we’ve been working on.”

Curran said he believed mistakes were made when RTE first rebranded Network 2 as RTE2 in 2004. The Dinner Party, for instance, a home produced show on RTE2, did not work, he said.

‘‘I think the mix of things we’re doing now works well for audiences.

“For example, last Monday night, we had a 50 per cent audience share between RTE1 and RTE2. It’s a complementary thing.”

Matthew Salway, TV3’s director of programming, said he wasn’t worried about ratings trends. ‘‘The usual pattern is that we pick up share against RTE2 at the end of the year and we’ve had an excellent October,” he said.

‘‘Movies are doing well for us, we had a great international game and The Box is not doing us any harm.”

TV3’s future audience prospects are less secure.TV3’s recent sale to private-equity firm Doughty Hanson means that it is only guaranteed access to top-rated ITV programming such as Coronation Street, X Factor and Emmerdale until January 2008.

Should those shows end up on the open market, and be picked up by RTE, the impact would be considerable for TV3.

Noel Curran said RTE ‘‘would be crazy’’ not to look at acquiring shows like Coronation Street and Emmerdale if they were offered for sale.

‘‘There are shows that certainly would not fit in with RTE, things like Ant and Dec or Celebrity Love Island that are very much British and have a very ITV identity. But Coronation Street and Emmerdale aren’t in that category.”

Salways aid talks were ongoing with ITV about retaining key programming and that he remained confident that most of it would continue to appear on TV3.

But advertisers may be sceptical.

Martina Stenson, managing director of media buying agency Universal McCann predicted that advertisers would start to become progressively wary of TV3 during 2007.

‘‘What we’re seeing is a concerted effort now to boost RTE2,” she said.

‘‘I think RTE will continue to consolidate its position. It will be all to play for at the end of 2007.

“RTE has a really excellent quality of programming at the moment, with really strong imports and home-produced material, and it’s going to be the backbone of our TV schedules.”

TV3’s failure to come up with quality home-produced programmes is a constant source of criticism and the channel has not managed to help matters significantly with The Box, its reality TV offering fronted by Keith Duffy and filmed in Dublin’s city centre.

Forecast to attract an average audience of 150,000 to 250,000, it averaged 134,000 viewers a night across the first 14 episodes, although it did achieve a peak of 214,000. The show ends this weekend.

‘‘Duffy is very good but I don’t think this show has been ticking many boxes with viewers,” said Stenson. Steve Baker, broadcast director of Initiative Media agreed.

‘‘Personally I definitely don’t think it’s the best thing they’ve ever done,” he said. ‘‘It’s a glorified quiz show.”

But Salway defended the show.

‘‘I’m happy with it,” he said. ‘‘It was never meant to be rocket science.”

Baker defended TV3’s point about the need to strip out the World Cup effect from its ratings calculations for 2006. ‘‘World Cup did far better than anyone expected for RTE and everyone else suffered but it is only once every four years,” he said.

RTE, meanwhile, points out that the World Cup was not the only sports programming to do well for it this year. In fact GAA finals and Six Nations Rugby events both ranked ahead of any of the individual World Cup matches.

Noel Curran conceded that ‘‘it would be satisfying to see RTE2 as the second biggest channel, as it would show how people are responding to what we do. But if RTE2 was way ahead of TV3 on audiences, and we felt it wasn’t working well with RTE1, we’d still change it.”

Elmo

Noel Curran conceded that ‘‘it would be satisfying to see RTE2 as the second biggest channel, as it would show how people are responding to what we do. But if RTE2 was way ahead of TV3 on audiences, and we felt it wasn’t working well with RTE1, we’d still change it.”

Yeah that makes about as much sence as what McRedmond said about TV3 when he was announced as CEO of TV3.
blah blah blah :rolleyes:

TV3 is sure to make gains during their coverage of Irish matches for the Rugby world cup.

J.R.HARTLEY

i still believe the lack of live sport is hurting tv3 they lost champions league and there only sport seems to be is the Sports Tonight program(which doesn't exactly show much sports), you need decent live sport to get us blokes watching, not half hearted attempts to cover the CL.

mickd

They need to loose their license and shut down. Their whole ethos sucks, cheap and nasty programming. Another company/consortium could be awarded the license, one criteria being that it does not become a TV version of Hello or VIP, no wonder the bulk of its audience is 15-34 yr old women. Absolute rubbish from dawn to dusk. Unless you like painting your nails or straighting you hair all day then there is no need to watch TV3.

loyatemu

I can't believe that there is 12% of the population that watches TV3 - I can't remember the last time I watched it (probably when Arrested Development was still on, but its on about 3 other channels now).

Pansy Potter

And its back on TV3 on Thursday nights

kevmy

loyatemu wrote:

I can't believe that there is 12% of the population that watches TV3

It doesn't suprise me at least 10% of the country are idiots and soap heads. The other 2% are probably just flicking through the channels

popebenny16

How come whenever I switch on IrelandAM its always wine tasting or beauty stuff? Horrible nasty programme.

In the evening time TV3 basicly is the ITV francise for the Republic of Ireland. But they have a challenge now with ITV shaggin off they may have to actually think about making some programmes to fill in the gaps.

I mean, a quizshow. The cheapest easist format there is. How hard coud that be? A proper chatshow, on Friday nights, easy.

What about something simple like a cookery show? This is your life? A holiday show?

You know we dont expect them to produce Brideshead Revisited but they could do cheap and cheerful Irish TV.

aidan_walsh

I mean, a quizshow. The cheapest easist format there is. How hard coud that be?

They already tried with The Weakest Link, and got rid of it again.

A proper chatshow, on Friday nights, easy.

Dunphy. Courtney. *shudder*

I see they have what looks like some semi-"My Sweet Sixteenth" thing about Debs girls on sometime this week. First homegrown show I have seen by them outside of the news in a while.

I think what they really need before ITV sod off is someone from there to sit down and show them how to put a show together. Yes, many of ITVs own efforts are bunk IMO, but they do seem to be able to hold an audience, something TV3 haven't quite mastered. Of course, TV3 could also do with people that they can put in front of the cameras without annoying half the viewing public as well.

Elmo

I think The Dunphy Show would have worked if TV3 had given it a chance and put it on a saturday night or perhaps surrounded it with a healthier mixs of shows.

One of TV3's main problems is that it surrounds it home produced stuff with cheap american/canadian imports, rather then placing them around Coro St and Emmers.

Another problem is its over use of ITV shows, if it continues they might as well be TV3. If I was ITV I would sell my shows to RTE and Channel 6 and in 5years time buy back a very very poor TV3

As I said before TV3 with its budget could have supported Eircom League, GAA League and Ladies Football in the same way as TG4 have that would give them a good following for sport. As for other genre's TV3 could have produced a chat show, a quiz show and many other shows instead after 10 years on the air we have

IRELAND AM
TV3 NEWS
SPORTS TONIGHT
EIRCOM LEAGUE WEEKLY
THE POLITICAL PARTY
THE BRENDAN COURTENY SHOW (AXED)
THE DUNPHY SHOW (AXED)
THE WEAKEST LINK (AXED)
THE OVERSEAS PROPERTY SHOW (CANN'T SEE THEM BRING IT BACK)
THE BOX (CANN'T SEE THEM BRING IT BACK)
HAUNTED HOUSE (AXED)
DEBS THINGY (CANN'T SEE THEM BRING IT BACK)
ADGENDA (CANN'T SEE THEM BRING IT BACK, BUT THEY SHOULD)
SPEAKEASY (AXED)
LIVE SPORT (GONE)

That's basically 1 show a year

byte

I agree with you regarding The Dunphy Show. It was never given a chance, and placing it in competition with The Late Late Show was ill-thought out.

Another show that had potential was that soccer show that ran for a few episodes in the evenings. I found by looking in here, otherwise I'd never have known it was on. And again, axed before a full series was made.

Another show that had potential was Pop On 3, but I think the title was offputting and misguided, as the presenter (wierd fella whose name escapes me) seemed to be mainly aimed at more indy music less so than "pop" but anyway, it was axed too.

I'd like to see what they'd do if they lost the rights to Corrie. They'll probably buy the rights to archive Northern Exposure or something instead!

Elmo

I think every Irish channel has shown Northern Exposure.

Sorry forgot the Pepis Chart show.

sioda

We need TV3 for two reasons The Shield which RTE i dont think would show although never know about TG4 and Law and order SVU.

kraggy

Does anyone notice that horrible TV3 voice-pitch change especially amongst their news reporters?

cuts right through me...

limerick_man

I still maintain that the best thing TV3 ever had was The Offside Show, which improved week on week, and ended up with a better audience share at a quarter of the price.... bet they regret that move... Popcorn is also a good show, done well and cheap!

The Box really didnt need a qurater of the cost, seeing as we didnt actually get to see any reality of the show... could just have been a regular quiz set up... them being in a box added nothing but expense...

smashey

TV3 is sh1t. They should call it the repeat channel. I haven't watched it in about 8 months.

Mossy Monk

sioda wrote:

We need TV3 for two reasons The Shield which RTE i dont think would show although never know about TG4 and Law and order SVU.

true and they show them at a set time every week. but its only 2 shows though out of a load of crap

Elmo

Popcorn is also a good show, done well and cheap!

Yeah a show that is an advertisment for movies I wouldn't be surprised if it pays for itself :rolleyes:

byte

limerick_man wrote:

I still maintain that the best thing TV3 ever had was The Offside Show, which improved week on week, and ended up with a better audience share at a quarter of the price.... bet they regret that move... Popcorn is also a good show, done well and cheap!

The Box really didnt need a qurater of the cost, seeing as we didnt actually get to see any reality of the show... could just have been a regular quiz set up... them being in a box added nothing but expense...

Ah yes, The Offside Show was the show I was thinking of. It had great potential I thought

dRNk SAnTA

Elmo wrote:

Yeah a show that is an advertisment for movies I wouldn't be surprised if it pays for itself :rolleyes:

Same situation with The Overseas Property Show. Its a fecking infomercial. What a bloody farce!

Den_M

My suggestions:
1. Stop showing Judge fecking Judy so much!

2. When they do get an international or European game live, don't put Packie Bonner or any of the pundits anywhere near the camera, they're all awful. Commentators too. Start from scratch. Bill and the boys on RTE are top quality entertainment, they need something at least approaching that standard.

3. Axe all those awful American reality tv show. Total garbage.

4. Stop trying to be whatever they're trying to be, the cooler/younger alternative to RTE, it's not working. Get a new angle. Try being genuine.

5. Get a decent music show back on, I remember one that used to be show years ago. Have reviews, gigs, interviews etc - not rocket science.

6. Get some more home grown programming going on. Doesn't need to be big budget to be good. The Den entertained the youth/teens of Ireland for years, and was just a few sock puppets and a presenter or two. The cartoons took second place. I'd still watch Zig, Zag and Ray/Ian if they were on today.

Milktrolley

My replies:
1. Couldn't agree more. A double bill every day FFS - and at 4:30 in the evening! At least RTÉ acknowledge the fact that people are actually watching TV at that time and put something on.

6. It's such a simple concept, but I'd be so worried that they'd feck it up. Does anyone remember 'Gimme 3' which aired in the afternoons back in 1998/1999? Dear God that was awful. They showed two programmes which no channel in the right mind would ever show - an animated, god-awful Conan the Barbarian was one - and it was all intertwined with the worst script from the two presenters (one of them was Sr. Assumpta from Father Ted I think).

I recall one day they had a sketch on historical figures and they took pictures from a book. This involved pointing a camera at the 'Times Past' book they use in primary schools. You could even see some of the writing and someone bending the spine to stop the book from closing in on itself. I tuned in once or twice out of curiosity, that was it.

Elmo

6. It's such a simple concept, but I'd be so worried that they'd feck it up. Does anyone remember 'Gimme 3' which aired in the afternoons back in 1998/1999? Dear God that was awful. They showed two programmes which no channel in the right mind would ever show - an animated, god-awful Conan the Barbarian was one - and it was all intertwined with the worst script from the two presenters (one of them was Sr. Assumpta from Father Ted I think).

Hector started on Gimme 3, TV3's short lived childrens show. While Clodagh is a younger version of Sr. Assumpta who appeared in RTE's Saturday morning show Pajo's Junk Box.

1. Stop showing Judge fecking Judy so much!

Sadly Judge Judy is one TV3's most popular shows averaging 100,000 viewers, Grainne and Joe's biggest competitor.

simu

I've noticed that on Wednesdays, TV3 have Trinny and Susannah from 8-9 while RTE1 has Off the rails from 8:30 to 9 - it would seem TV3 are trying to compete diectly with RTE here for the fashion-following section of the audience but wouldn't it make more sense not to have such direct clashes as that reduces your potential audience? I don't know if they take the same approach for other timeslots but surely it's not just a coincidence?

mickd

Listening to an interview on The Last Word with David MacRedmond the new CEO of TV3. Does anybody remember this man? He was the guy sent out by Eircom to justify exorbitant prices and woeful broadband rollout. Cooper questioned the lack of identity of TV3. Redmond glossed over this and maintained that its more of the same. New deal has been signed with ITV and Fox for first run movies. At least we have a remote.

Elmo

Listening to an interview on The Last Word with David MacRedmond the new CEO of TV3. Does anybody remember this man? He was the guy sent out by Eircom to justify exorbitant prices and woeful broadband rollout. Cooper questioned the lack of identity of TV3. Redmond glossed over this and maintained that its more of the same. New deal has been signed with ITV and Fox for first run movies. At least we have a remote.

What day was he on?

here's the press release

http://www.tv3.ie/media.php?action=news&id=100

mickd

This evening

mickd

The incompetence continues, looking at the tv guide for Saturday Being John Malkovich is on at 23:25 which is the time on would expect this movie to be on. If you go to http://www.tv3.ie/programmes.php?action=movie its on at 4:00 PM it seems that they don't even know what time their own programmes are on at.

Elmo

http://www.radioireland.ie/lastword/lastword.html

The Last Word 5pm hour Friday: 1/12/2006

The interview is at the very end of the hour.

12 new movies from fox, not much but I am sure they will get others.

They will be looking into commission new shows.......

..... with the help of the BCI's Sound and Vision Fund......

.... i.e. TV3 will make Irish prime time shows from the licence fee and earn money from advertisers

TV3 has no identity, as I have said previously TV3 could have start small and grown rather it lies still and hopes to god a new TV station doesn't come along and buy Coronation Street for the Irish Market.

I don't see how Coro St and Emmers are world class shows.

SoSueMe

Jericho starts on TV3 on Wednesday at 9. Will anybody watch it? I don;t think so. Just like every other US TV show they have. They really need a Lost/Desperate Housewives which has done wonders for RTE2

Utopia Parkway

What do TV3 need to do?

Well they could start by sending Colette Fitzpatrick round to my house on a weekly basis.;)

And maybe drop Mark Cagney off the side of a building.

Then maybe I'd consider watching.

Scarlet89

Tv3 is crap.They dont know how to run a station.They're the only station I have ever seen actually advertise the fact they are getting a new anchor.RTE would never do that neither would the British channels.It just show's that regardless of how long a station has been there for its still crap!Its the equivalent of The Late Late show overrated and again just plain crap.

superdudeman007

One question : Name 3 TV3 success stories.

I guess Ireland AM is ok, but if RTÉ start a breakfast show they're finished

Magic Pips

Its amazing how many people dont recognise that TV3 is a business! Yea they don't get everything right, but its keeping 150+ Irish people employed.

I think Ireland AM is great, FOR WHAT ITS AIMED AT!! Not sure many housewives post on boards though, so i dont expect much agreement.

Corrie & Emmerdale are the high performers, therefore integral to the station.

Homemade shows can be ten times more expensive than bought in shows, because of the fact that there are only a limited number of viewers available here. The only work around for this would be to make a show that gets exported, and investing enough money for this to (potentially) happen would represent too big a risk.

Some good points are made in this topic, but some are completely rediculous.

Jimoslimos

Ok, nobody expects TV3 (or RTE for that matter) to produce home-grown programming to the standard of the BBC. We know that a certain amount will have to be bought in - understandable. The problem I have is that they are targeting a gap in the market that has already been filled.

To draw an analogy it would be akin to a small corner shop opening next door to tesco. Small shop buys all their stock from tesco (ITV) and then attempts to compete directly with superquinn (RTE). Given the choice most customers would walk past the little corner shop and into either of the two supermarkets. Now what the little corner shop should do is change its target customer base. Offer different, varied and uncommon produce that supermarkets would reject due to economies of scale.

Result: Sales may fall initially but overall the business is more likely to suceed in the long-term. This approach is not entirely new in TVland, C4 built their reputation on novel and eclectic programming (before turning more mainstream) - ok it mightn't have been to everybodys taste but do we want homogenous, bland TV appealing only to the mass-audience.

sprinkles

TV3 need to buy up the rights to a lot of US shows and axet he sh*t they are currently showing.

If they got, for example,

Heroes
Boston Legal (why is this not on terrestrial tv????)
Battlestar Galactica

You'd have a wide variety a programming there.

aidan_walsh

sprinkles wrote:

Boston Legal

I'm pretty sure RTE had season one on in the dead of night.

mickd

Jimoslimos wrote:

To draw an analogy it would be akin to a small corner shop opening next door to tesco. Small shop buys all their stock from tesco (ITV) and then attempts to compete directly with superquinn (RTE). Given the choice most customers would walk past the little corner shop and into either of the two supermarkets. Now what the little corner shop should do is change its target customer base. Offer different, varied and uncommon produce that supermarkets would reject due to economies of scale.

More analogy
M&S BBC. Superquinn TG4, Dunnes RTE, Aldi TV3

Rollo Tamasi

sprinkles wrote:

Battlestar Galactica

BSG would absolutely clean up on TV3 if they show it twice at week at 10 or even at 11. But i don't think it fits their glossy theme.

They should ditch their coverage of the Champions League. Users are having to go back and forth between both Tv3 and RTE to view the same competetion. RTE out performs it easily and just makes TV3 look unprofessional.

If TV3 exclusively showed Uefa Cup footie on the Thursday they would have a niche market. They should try to get the Eircom league too. Can't belive RTE don't show at least 1 live game a week.

It's a joke.

Elmo

If TV3 exclusively showed Uefa Cup footie on the Thursday they would have a niche market. They should try to get the Eircom league too. Can't belive RTE don't show at least 1 live game a week.

RTE, Setanta and TG4 hold the rights to Eircom League so Eircom League is spread across 3 channels. TV3 did have rights for Eircom League Live game up until they had to pull out with Sky Sports.

BSG would absolutely clean up on TV3 if they show it twice at week at 10 or even at 11. But i don't think it fits their glossy theme.

I could be wrong but I have a feeling that Sky own exclusive rights to BSG, I cann't see RTE, TV3 or TG4 showing it unfortunately.

I also think and I could be wrong that TV3 buy in a set number of shows from Fireworks (A Canwest Company) and avoid bidding for any shows from america that RTE or TG4 get hence TG4 and RTE always seem to get better shows. With the odd exception Arrested Development, Malcome and Everyone hates chris.

Its amazing how many people dont recognise that TV3 is a business! Yea they don't get everything right, but its keeping 150+ Irish people employed

It amasing to think that people let TV3 get away with this excuse. It started in 1998 with around the same number of emploees it had about 3% of the audience at that time, they now have nearly 15% of the audience. They could have an operating budget like that of TG4 they could if they wanted have bought Eircom League, Ladies GAA, GAA League, Celtic League etc etc in the same manner as TG4 but what they have done is avoid anything vaguely Irish.

TV3 are a National Station some small time Digital Channel if they wanted they could produce far more Irish programming and provide far better programming from the states.

Homemade shows can be ten times more expensive than bought in shows, because of the fact that there are only a limited number of viewers available here. The only work around for this would be to make a show that gets exported, and investing enough money for this to (potentially) happen would represent too big a risk.

RTE have had major success with Home Produced Programming, Rodge and Podge isn't that expensive a show to make (well it might be now since it has taken off but then what do you expect when something is successful). Even the panel is cheap enoght to make.

TV3 don't dare aim higher then 15% of the audience they want to make a quick buck and have Corronation St and Emmerdale their to do it for them, even if they didn't have those shows they would only aim for 7% of the audience is that would keep them out of the RED and making a profit. They are just lucky to have Coro St and Emmers.

You also have to remember that Ireland AM (A home produced show) is the No. 1 breakfast show, showing that Home Produced shows get viewers. IMO it will be hard for RTE to get Ireland AM of the top spot in the morning with a News Show.

TV3 has plenty of money and should be able to be to the forefront of Independent production in Ireland instead it sits back and enjoys the fruits of ITV's dull programming.

TV3 earns 50,000,000 euro in advertising revenue the spend 6.8million on their staff. TV3 has plenty and if it wanted could have more.

I am not suggesting that they over invest in Irish TV but they could at least show 1 hour of home produced show (over 20 weeks) outside the news/sport during prime time, any Irish show would be better then Charmed and the other American Muck they show.

But then their arguement would be: -

We're not here to make TV we are here to make a profit.

COP OUT. COP OUT.

Eircom League Rights: -

The key elements of the deal are:

- Agreement is for 5 years through to end of 2009 season
Minimum 29 matches to be broadcast during each season.
- Minimum 24 matches live, with 5 "as live" - RTÉ to screen 8 games live - 5 eircom League and 3 Carlsberg FAI Cup
- Setanta to screen 10 eircom League games, 5 live and 5 "as live"
- TG4 to screen 11 games live - 7 eircom League and 4 Carlsberg FAI Cup
- Record prize fund for eircom League increased by 400%
- Total of €400,000 now on offer to eircom League clubs

This compares with the previous deal which had TV3 showing 5 live Eircom League Games and As Live Irish Matches after Sky had the exclusive rights, however political pressure lead to Sky and TV3 pulling out of the contract since Irish Home Matchs should be shown Live on an FTA channel.

qwertplaywert

god............only time i used to watch tv3 was for about 3 hours at most a month in the case of a good film

but now jerico is on.......what a show &claps&

Bicky

hm.... thats an insult to ALDI.

smashey

They could always change their name to this.

superdudeman007

Elmo wrote:

You also have to remember that Ireland AM (A home produced show) is the No. 1 breakfast show, showing that Home Produced shows get viewers

It's a bit unusual for the only breakfast show to be the #1 breakfast show...

Really - The only reason that Ireland AM can compete with BBC Breakfast, GMTV, Sky News Sunrise and the rest is that it's Irish and all of its content relates to Irish people (and people selling timeshares in Slovenia). If RTÉ launched a Breakfast news show that was slightly more laid back than the main bulletins, they'd beat Ireland AM - How are EuroNews and DenTV meant to beat a breakfast show???

Morgans

Its that kind of trumpet blowing from TV3 that disgusts me. Number 1 breakfast show - sponsored by call lines, tarot card readers, Big Six, a contract worth hundreds to the companies....why dont the high flying marketing execs get in on this most popular of programs. 4 repeats of the best of the program each weekend, helps me get through the 'dark hours' until the gang are back at 7am on a Monday.

I'm not sure if it was in this thread, but the new TV3 DG expressed that it was a commercial channel when interviwed on the last word, but still was commissioning the best quality Irish-based programs. Surprised Cooper didnt ask for examples....the box...i suppose.

At least Newstalk, and Ireland AM, have seen how RTE do things, and tried to beat them - Gift Grub and Dempsey have the morning sewn up, Dunphy's The Last Word also provided a valid alternative at drivetime.

Where are TV3 in any way better than RTE? I dont think it is an unreasonable expectation for them to be better in one aspect. The Dunphy Show failed, Weakest Link bombed. Sports tonight started as a decent concept but has descended into a run down of the headlines on the internet throughout the day. Any quiz show, any nature program, any current affairs program...

I dont really mind them being crap (i try to avoid wathcing anything on the channel) but where are they trying to improve themselves....Its the trumpet blowing that I dont get. Acting as if their news programs arent pitched at the Sun readers, acting as if their news anchorwomen have some sort of special skills outside of being able to follow an autocue (no offence to Collete Fitzpatrick who was the most competent in there for a long time) that their news reporters arent on 20K a year and only wiating to be picked up by someone who vlaues them more, AND that their breakfast program is in any way groundbreaking or even entertaining.

Elmo

Sorry I was not trying to trumpet TV3. LOL. Can you imagine me trumpeting TV3, NO.

What I was trying to point out was that TV3 keep saying that Prime Time Irish TV doesn't work because people don't want it, which is why I am pointing out how "popular" Ireland AM is, lets face they could always rebroadcast GMTV with news headlines from TV3 NEWS.

The Dunphy Show failed, Weakest Link bombed.

The weakest link was bound to fail during prime time, they bought a concept for daytime TV, and we hadn't even changed currancy, but to cut cost TV3 did their version in Euros instead of Punts.

The Dunphy Show didn't fail, it was up against The Late Late Show, If TV3 had sence they would have put it on a Saturday Night, a night that was void of any Irish Chat show for 4 year, instead they went along with Mr. Dunphy. The dunphy show had 200,000 viewers which is very good for TV3 on a Friday Night against RTE's 500,000 Viewers for the Late Late. Give time Dunphy could have built an audience TV3 where unwilling to wait or to try Dunphy on Saturday nights or even suggest a studio would be a better setting then the Helix.

DarkJager

What TV3 need to do is stop fvcking around with the seasons of The Shield. For the last 2 years running they've stopped The Shield mid season to put on the z list celebrity crap "I'm a celebrity" in its timeslot. After that finishes, they show 2 more episodes of it, then it disapears until mid January again. Note to TV3: If you are going to mess around the fans of this show, please release the programme from your schedules and let a broadcaster who can actually run a whole season of it without stopping, take it off you.