Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2006 - new provisions for DTT and broadcasting abroad

icdg

http://www.oireachtas.ie/documents/bills28/bills/2006/7006/b7006s.pdf

I know there's already a thread on RTÉ broadcasting abroad, but people can discuss all the provisions in the bill here.

First things first, this isn't the "big" one - the major broadcasting legislation which was e-consulted about in the Autumn. I doubt that will be here before the election. This is an amendment to the Broadcasting Act 2001, a good chunk of which has **still** not been commenced, five years later.

So the provisions...

Broadcasting Abroad
* RTÉ must provide services abroad which reflect the schedules of RTÉ One, RTÉ Two, and TG4 as much as is practical. Telifis na Gaelige, if established (shouldn't be if they are going for the new proposals for a CLG, but maybe they're hedging their bets there) must provide programmes to RTÉ in order for TG4 to be represented on this. The "as much as practical" is probably there in order for foreign acquisitions to be allowed to be excluded as RTÉ would not have the rights.

DTT
Now the really interesting bits...
* The requirement for a transmission company to be set up is being abolished. Presumably RTENL will now transmit the entire DTT service as a subsidary of RTÉ.
* RTÉ keeps its multiplex, and now can apply to Comreg for a second one if the Minister is agreeable
* TV3 & TG4 are loosing their half multiplex each. Instead TG4 will be transmitted on RTÉ's multiplex(es) and, if Telifis na Gaelige is established, will pay RTÉ for this privelege. The BCI will have for TV3's carrige on a multiplex, an option being given is that the BCI can request RTÉ to transmit TV3, and RTÉ will have to comply with such a request but TV3 will have to pay them to do so.
* The BCI are getting four multiplexes, for which multiplex contractors will have to be appointed. The BCI will have to arrange for the carrige of BBC ONE Northern Ireland, BBC TWO Northern Ireland, UTV, Channel 4, and five as part of this process.

DAB
(first time has been mentioned in Irish law)
* RTÉ are getting one DAB multiplex, and may request a second.
* The BCI is getting at least one multiplex, and can arrange with ComReg for more.

Analogue Switch-Off
(again, first time has been mentioned in Irish law)
* Two years after the start of DTT, RTÉ and the BCI will report to the Minister on the progress of digital switch-over.
* The Minister can issue directions to ComReg to stop issuing analogue licences to RTÉ, TnaG, and the BCI, or can direct that a specific licence include a date for analogue-switch off.

Other
* TnaG, when established can be issued broadcasting licences.

So, despite not being the big one, still an important piece of broadcasting legislation, and appears to have come practically unannounced...

channelsurfer

so is it definite that bbc utv c4 & c5 will be on one multiplex and will it be free if the bci is paying for it?

Mossy Monk

if of course they even want to be on it

icdg

They don't necessarily need to be on the same multiplex. Its possible that the four multiplexes might be awarded to one contractor, but they might use one multiplex for the UK channels or spread them over the four. All the BCI has to do is ensure that between its contractors, the UK terrestrials are beign carried.

Elmo

RE: Analogue Switch Off

* Two years after the start of DTT, RTÉ and the BCI will report to the Minister on the progress of digital switch-over.

This is very wishy washy, when will DTT begin? 2007? 2008? 2009? 2010? 2011? 2012? 2013?

* The BCI are getting four multiplexes, for which multiplex contractors will have to be appointed. The BCI will have to arrange for the carrige of BBC ONE Northern Ireland, BBC TWO Northern Ireland, UTV, Channel 4, and five as part of this process.

I am assuming that we will have to pay for these channels since NTL:Chorus and Sky pay them to be on their service and pass that cost on to us the consumer, at least that's what I assumed happened, can anyone verify this? I cann't see the Government through the BCI paying for 5 UK channels when they are unwilling to support Irish Productions.

* RTÉ keeps its multiplex, and now can apply to Comreg for a second one if the Minister is agreeable
* TV3 & TG4 are loosing their half multiplex each. Instead TG4 will be transmitted on RTÉ's multiplex(es) and, if Telifis na Gaelige is established, will pay RTÉ for this privelege. The BCI will have for TV3's carrige on a multiplex, an option being given is that the BCI can request RTÉ to transmit TV3, and RTÉ will have to comply with such a request but TV3 will have to pay them to do so.

What can be carried on a Multiplex? RTE One, RTE Two and TG4 on one Multiplex anything else.
Does this mean that TV3 must apply for another licence for other TV channels rather then just having that right automatically?
Will Channel 6 and City Channel be available on DTT on the BCI multiplex?
Is TV3 mentioned or can TV3 lose its currently licence when it expires in 2008?
Is Pay-per view mentioned?
And finally I am right in saying that there are 3 multiplexes?

I might just read the document sometime

watty

The UK channels terrestrial channels don't actually cost much to carry.

They could easily be offered free, which given 400K satellite with BBC/ITV free and the wish to colse deflectors and make DTT successful, they haveto be free, or DTT is dead.

watty

There are 3 multiplexes right now on trial. Originally there was to be 6. Six is possible and with MPEG4 is minimum for Pay TV to be viable. After analog switch off you could have 10 muplipex each on a Single Frequency Network and still be able to sell off 750MHz to 850Hz for mobile applications.

L1011

watty wrote:

There are 3 multiplexes right now on trial. Originally there was to be 6. Six is possible and with MPEG4 is minimum for Pay TV to be viable. After analog switch off you could have 10 muplipex each on a Single Frequency Network and still be able to sell off 750MHz to 850Hz for mobile applications.

Except we've no ITU clearance for that. Our post switch off ITU clearance is for 8 UHF, 1 VHF on a regional SFN basis.

Elmo

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITU for those not in the know ITU = International Telecommunications Union

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single-frequency_network and SFN = Single frequence network.

DMC

Elmo wrote:

RE: Analogue Switch Off
This is very wishy washy, when will DTT begin? 2007? 2008? 2009? 2010? 2011? 2012? 2013?

Assuming the trial ends in 2008 and a full service starts, then 2010 would be review time. A tad close to 2012.

icdg

What can be carried on a Multiplex? RTE One, RTE Two and TG4 on one Multiplex anything else.

RTÉ has to carry RTÉ One, RTÉ Two, and TG4 [Section 3 (2) (a)] on its multiplex, but there's nothing to say what else it can carry.

Does this mean that TV3 must apply for another licence for other TV channels rather then just having that right automatically?

Yes, it has no right for anything other than TV3 itself to be carried. Under the 2001 Act (http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/ZZA4Y2001.html) it had a guarenteed 1/2 multiplex. Which brings us to...

Is TV3 mentioned or can TV3 lose its currently licence when it expires in 2008?

First of all, remember that in legalese, TV3 is known as "the television programme services contractor". There is no abolition of the Television Programme Services Contract in this Bill, but in a situation where TV3 has no special rights (other than the #103 slot and guarenteed carrige for 1 channel), might it not hand back the contract and trade it for a digital content contract - with no PSB obligations - instead? Just a thought...

Will Channel 6 and City Channel be available on DTT on the BCI multiplex?

They will need to make commercial arrangements with a multiplex operator. Or become one...

Is Pay-per view mentioned?

No.