RTÉ appoints Head of DSO

Elmo

RTÉ Appoints Director of Digital Switchover (DSO)

New post to lead move to Digital broadcasts by end 2012

RTÉ has appointed Mary Curtis to the new senior executive position of Director of Digital Switchover, with responsibility for an effective transition by audiences in the coming two years to digital television using the new Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) system.

The post consolidates all the existing reporting lines and responsibilities within RTÉ into a single office. Ms Curtis will lead the RTÉ project in the communications, marketing, technical, regulatory, public information and liaison activities. The role aims to ensure that the public are enabled and encouraged to harness the new DTT infrastructure currently being put in place across Ireland by RTÉNL, by:

bringing about effective public uptake of the new television transmission and reception technology; and
doing so in time for the switch-off of traditional Analogue Terrestrial Television (ATT) by the end of 2012.
The Director will also co-ordinate decisions on the key RTÉ content and configuration of channels to be provided in the rollout of DTT services and in the next, wider phase of service expansion.

Under the 2009 Broadcasting Act RTÉ must establish and launch one national DTT multiplex (a section of spectrum) to provide its own and other broadcasters' services to the public at a level of distribution aimed at replicating the level now in place for Irish licensed free-to-air channels. This action is required as part of Irish delivery on the EU policy objective of achieving ASO (Analogue Switch-Off, the closing down of ATT by the end of 2012.

Current distribution of television varies widely in Ireland and includes Free-To-Air ATT, Free-To-View Satellite and Pay TV Subscription Services delivered by Satellite, by Cable, by Fibre and by MMDS. To meet the expressed policy goal RTÉ, through its subsidiary RTÉNL, is in the process of building the necessary national DTT transmission infrastructure. Discussions on the final configuration of the system are continuing between RTÉ and the regulators and key stakeholders including the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland and Comreg.

Director General Cathal Goan said: "RTÉ believes it is necessary to have a key senior manager and team in place to lead the project and to liaise with internal and external stakeholders - so that the Digital Switch Over (DSO) proposition and challenge is clearly understood by all parties and is communicated effectively to all members of the general public. The project leader role is of significant strategic importance for RTÉ."

Ms Curtis is currently Deputy Director of Programmes in RTÉ Television. She will take up the new post in September 2010 and will report to the Director General.

I notice theres no mention in that piece about UK digital terrestrial spill over..

That doesn't exist of course.
1000's of homes in the south east are imagining it..
1000's more Ulster and North Leinster homes and many Dublin homes will be imagining it post NI 2012 dso..

I wonder will this position be based at Mount Leinster,whose digital service is going to be impossible to receive for nigh on half or more of wexford and wicklow households thanks to the use of channel 45?

Sponge Bob

As email addresses in RTE are Name.Surname@ format one could seek to find out what she thinks of the Channel 45 mess in the 5 Southeastern counties including Wicklow. Furthermore the seaboard south of Dublin will prove an interesting test case for demand for Free HD services pre DSO ...and she should have a handle on that too.

marclt

As a public appointment - do we know what her qualifications for this post are?

Sam Russell

Ms Curtis will lead the RTÉ project in the communications, marketing, technical, regulatory, public information and liaison activities.

She is unlikely to be a specialist in all of those elements of the job. She coould just ask someone who knows, if she does not know herself. I'm sure the DG himself has to ask sometimes.

sesswhat

marclt wrote: »

As a public appointment - do we know what her qualifications for this post are?

She was responsible for 'Off the Rails' so sounds perfectly qualified for the DTT project.

Rippy

sesswhat wrote: »

She was responsible for 'Off the Rails' so sounds perfectly qualified for the DTT project.

LOL

Sponge Bob

According to the IMDB she was responsible for nuttin else

scath

I think we need to give Mary Curtis a chance. She's only just been appointed to the job. A few emails of encouragement would be no harm. I think its a good step by RTÉ. Its something that was needed. Presumably she will now take charge of the marketing side of it too, as the press release says. From September i would expect Saorview to start getting some attention in the media now. Its not fair to be cynical even with previous experience to the negative. Each new person deserves a clean slate until otherwise shows it is not deserved. RTÉ NL just do the engineering work, it is RTÉ proper that are the broadcaster and the one leading Saorview. I think she will be a good contact point for the public. The presely channel issue could be brought to her attention. She could do well with giving journos who write on the topic her email/num so that they can get their articles abit more accurate as in the past they have mentioned things like throwing out your aerial, EU directives on ASO which are all incorrect.

Well, good luck to her in the post. Good appointment. Don't know her qualifications. Well that's my two cents lol

I don't admire your optimism scath

dnme

Jesus giver her a chance for god's sakes.

marclt

The issue here: Is this appointment just filling an internal gap in relations between RTENL and RTE? It should be used to ensure that RTE works with external partners so that everyone is fully briefed on what is going to happen.

We've all seen how poorly technology gets reported in the press. Proper marketing is more than a shiney website, a few press releases and the odd function for TDs.

I wish her well... it's a big role, I hope she has the resource of a good team behind her.

Sam Russell

I wonder what decisions her dept will be allowed to make?

1. Who will decide the channel line up?
2. Will they have both Pub muxes on launch?
3. Will they broadcast any channels on HD?
4. Will they simmulcast those channels on HD/SD, if they go HD?
5. Will they phase the switch off of main transmitters and relays?
6. Will they publicise the overspill of DTT and Satelite broadcasts?
7. Will they approve any STB prior to launch?

She takes up her post in September, for launch in October. I hope she hits the ground running.

marclt

Sam Russell wrote: »

I wonder what decisions her dept will be allowed to make?

She takes up her post in September, for launch in October. I hope she hits the ground running.

Yes, because there is a lot you can do in a month!

I'm not convinced about all of this... booking of advertising and design of marketing material should be happening now...

Elmo

IMO this is what will happen regardless of Mary Curtis

1. 31.10.2010 launch of 5 channels on DTT
2. Jan launch of RTÉ 3 or similar
3. Feb launch of RTÉ 2 HD for sport (possibly Summer time for GAA)

Her department will for the consumer market the FTA services. Sin É.

Apogee

Elmo wrote: »

3. Feb launch of RTÉ 2 HD for sport (possibly Summer time for GAA)

Where is either the money or bandwidth going to come from for this?

Elmo

Apogee wrote: »

Where is either the money or bandwidth going to come from for this?

I don't know the full details. I just heard that RTÉ TWO HD will only be for RTÉ Sport all other programmes will be in SD. I should not have said anything.

Apogee

A distinct, separate RTÉ TWO HD channel, or just the one channel which switches to HD for sports?

The timeframe seems hugely optimistic.

Antenna

Sam Russell wrote: »

6. Will they publicise the overspill of DTT and Satelite broadcasts?

Why would you expect them to do that?
Retailers may wish to do so, but RTE?

In the past did RTE publicise the overspill of analogue UK TV ?

Sam Russell

It all sounds very depressing. So that long list of resposibilities might boil down to Press Officer.

Reminds me of the usual announcements on BBC Radio in the thirties (not that I was around to hear them) - 'There will be News at nine o'clock, if there is any.'

So responsibility will be reduced to just passing on the information.

I just hope not.

Sam Russell

Antenna wrote: »

In the past did RTE publicise the overspill of analogue UK TV ?

Of course they did, they ran Cablelink.

Elmo

Apogee wrote: »

A distinct, separate RTÉ TWO HD channel, or just the one channel which switches to HD for sports?

The timeframe seems hugely optimistic.

From what I gather it will be the one channel with HD sports. Are 6 Nations not already broadcast in HD?

Of course they did, they ran Cablelink.

I don't think Cablelink ever advertised Spillover or Satellite services. RTÉ owned part of Cablelink.

slegs

Elmo wrote: »

IMO this is what will happen regardless of Mary Curtis

1. 31.10.2010 launch of 5 channels on DTT
2. Jan launch of RTÉ 3 or similar
3. Feb launch of RTÉ 2 HD for sport (possibly Summer time for GAA)

Her department will for the consumer market the FTA services. Sin É.

Source?

Sam Russell

Elmo wrote: »

I don't think Cablelink ever advertised Spillover or Satellite services. RTÉ owned part of Cablelink.

They sold the overspill. They used off air overspill, and sold it on.

Elmo

slegs wrote: »

Source?

RTÉ TWO HD SPORT/ SD OTHER PROGRAMMING is something I have heard RTÉ are working towards for at the very earliest 6 Nations coverage.

The announcement of a head of DSO clearly suggests the role is in Marketing DTT to the general public and insuring that information is passed to and from each of the stakeholders. I assume that the head of RTÉ NL is to continue to take care of the technical aspects of such services with his team of Engineers.

An RTÉ Three type service has been constantly been referred to by RTÉ, this service may only be an RTÉ 1 +1 which would be unfortunate.

Antenna

Sam Russell wrote: »

6. Will they publicise the overspill of DTT and Satelite broadcasts?

Sam Russell wrote: »

They sold the overspill. They used off air overspill, and sold it on.

yes the cable service which they made an income from.
However I don't think they ever promoted what areas of the country etc could get UK channels by a viewer using their own high-gain aerial installation, nor did they ever promote analogue satellite dish installation for the general public (either for SKY or anything else that was available).

Elmo

Sam Russell wrote: »

They sold the overspill. They used off air overspill, and sold it on.

Only when it was known as RTÉ Relays in the 1970, after that RTÉ was only a shareholder in Cablelink after many mergers of other Dublin cable services. I am sure RTÉ Relays didn't advertise Merlin Cable.

Apogee

slegs wrote: »

Source?

Elmo wrote: »

RTÉ TWO HD SPORT/ SD OTHER PROGRAMMING is something I have heard RTÉ are working towards for at the very earliest 6 Nations coverage.

That's the sort of non-answer a politician would be proud of!

Is the source directly connected with this? Or is this just dúirt bean liom go ndúirt bean leí?

slegs

Apogee wrote: »

That's the sort of non-answer a politician would be proud of!

Is the source directly connected with this? Or is this just dúirt bean liom go ndúirt bean leí?

I have to think Elmo is speculating as I watch this space closely and havent heard any of what he suggests is planned

Elmo

Apogee wrote: »

That's the sort of non-answer a politician would be proud of!

Is the source directly connected with this? Or is this just dúirt bean liom go ndúirt bean leí?

I think it is a fairly straight forward answer. Obviously RTÉ haven't announced their plans so I can only comment on what I have heard. Lets put it this way in the autumn watch out for either TRTÉ or RTÉ Junior because from what I gather The Den is no more.

I have to think Elmo is speculating as I watch this space closely and havent heard any of what he suggests is planned

As do we all. And in fairness to everyone I also have heard nothing about this. Companies in general don't like to announce such moves until they are actually going to happen. RTÉ aren't going to turn around and say we will have HD for the 6 nations because that would make them look stupid when they just aren't ready for what ever reason.

Now if none of this happens I am going to look fairly stupid, but sure its not like boards isn't full of conjecture already.

Elmo

Elmo wrote: »

RTÉ TWO HD SPORT/ SD OTHER PROGRAMMING is something I have heard RTÉ are working towards for at the very earliest 6 Nations coverage.

The announcement of a head of DSO clearly suggests the role is in Marketing DTT to the general public and insuring that information is passed to and from each of the stakeholders. I assume that the head of RTÉ NL is to continue to take care of the technical aspects of such services with his team of Engineers.

An RTÉ Three type service has been constantly been referred to by RTÉ, this service may only be an RTÉ 1 +1 which would be unfortunate.

Let me introduce a little reality to the conversation.

Loss making RTE can barely afford to propagate existing services and is already cutting back goodo never mind start new ones.

Elmo

Anyway I only mention from the point of view of good news. I am going to be optimistic without be overly optimistic and look forward to RTÉ Sports in HD. That being the only thing that they launch in 2010.

I also think that the RTÉ 3 channel is unlikely and that they will go with RTÉ 1 +1 but I amn't holding much hope for either in 2010.

Gerry Wicklow

What we need is another Eurovision win to kick start things.
Eeeekkk Aahhhh OHhhh Nnoooo my tablets are wearing off!!!!!:p

Apogee

Elmo wrote: »

I think it is a fairly straight forward answer.

Who is your source?

Elmo

Apogee wrote: »

Who is your source?

I have been asked not to say. I wasn't going to say anything, obviously I shouldn't have.

scath

Apogee wrote: »

Who is your source?

There abit of a sharp edge I've noticed to some of your posts Apogee. In a small country like Ireland, people may say things quietly but don't want to rise their head above the parapit and get their wings clipped by their bosses. You see how journalists say it as 'sources'. As one of the broadcast executives advised me some time ago, broadcasting is a commercial business and for the psb's their funding could be questioned by the general public with little excuse so I think take on board what Elmo says and leave it at that and just watch and see. Time will tell.

You may tell me to feck off and mind my business. but Elmo has said he's been asked not to say. I think that should be enough. In otherwords its close enough to be taken as fact. And as he said, he's not going to look clever if it doesn't turn out to be. That said plans can change as people in charge change their minds.

I did see in the papers of talk of a Children's channel. Its something I suggested to them 15 months or more as I thought of a possible line-up ago and it does make sense from a branding point of view as compared to RTÉ2 because analogue and digital are different animals. Analogue channels are catch all with scarce spectrum. Digital are genrified with more room for the convenience of the viewer.

I am against the waste of space of +1 channels when PVR's do the same job. Its different after ASO if there is spare space but not now. I'd sooner City Channels was given the slot to share with the Irish Film Channel. I certainly see a place for the Irish Film Channel with TG4 if their children's content goes to the RTÉ Kids channel. Chances are though that perhaps the Irish Film Channel would timeshare with DCTV, CCTV, P5TV and TG4 morning time. TG4 could end up having a childrens channel also. What you could have is 2 childrens channels, TG4 and RTÉ double up their teens programming into 1 channel and their tots programming into a 2nd channel and offer a bi-lingual service as along the lines of BBC. I suspect in that slot, RTÉ2 will take in more foreign programming and archive programming in the day and there'll be no RTE3. Sport will probably be a major part of its evening and weekend while daytime be the place for Desperate Housewives, archive programming etc...

As I said before, the lineup I see for TV is

1)RTÉ News Now,
2)RTÉ1 (as is)
3)RTÉ2 reconfigured US+Archive+evening Sport,

4)(LRTÉ,LTG4) Irish Kidz complete with Den, Cula4 branding in blocks of English then Irish programming) and timeshare with Irish Film Channel
5) Irish Tots (LRTÉ,LTG4) timeshare with DCTV, CCTV, p5TV.

6)TV3,
7)3e,
8)TG4 reconfigured, could timeshare a universities channel/OU

9)Houses of the Oireachtas Channel (necessary for citizen's benefit even if only marginally watched).
10)Channel, 5TV (City Channels).

For radio, all the locals allowed national coverage in addition to digital stations and drop DAB. DTT mobiles can do the radio thing. No need for digital radios.

TV3 can be turned into a news and documentary channel and 3e becomes the entertainment channel. That's 10 channels. none of this +1 ****e (wups sorry for spelling it, thanks mod for * it). Better to have new competition for TV3 and RTE and give a chance to new broadcasters. 5TV could be a good proposition for City Channels as they'd already have the content and be a local channel. DCTV, CCTV will never have enough content. They'd be better off timesharing with TG4 under the TG4 banner. There's abit in that 10 channels for everyone, local TV, Oireachtas, News channel, and you get more sport on RTÉ2. Money isn't there for RTÉ3, RTÉ 2 could do all required, sports, archive and US programming. Would actually make it a match for TV3. They could go down the 3e route with their news then and be distinct from RTÉ1

guybague

An FOI request to RTE should obtain any information you want about this person's appointment.

mike65

Is anyone aware of anyone from RTENL lurking on this board? They probably should if they don't.

Widescreen

Deleted User wrote: »

Let me introduce a little reality to the conversation.

Loss making RTE can barely afford to propagate existing services and is already cutting back goodo never mind start new ones.

They(RTE) are screwing us on the TV Licence price so the least they can do is provide some beefed up channels and HD as has been suggested. Haven't all their so called stars taken pay cuts?

If people see a better service being provided they are likely to take the odd hit on the licence price.

btw I know the licence is to have a telly in your house legally, but we all know where the money goes I think!

Elmo

Widescreen wrote: »

They(RTE) are screwing us on the TV Licence price so the least they can do is provide some beefed up channels and HD as has been suggested. Haven't all their so called stars taken pay cuts?

If people see a better service being provided they are likely to take the odd hit on the licence price.

btw I know the licence is to have a telly in your house legally, but we all know where the money goes I think!

The licence fee doesn't just go towards TV and it doesn't all stay with RTÉ. Many other European countries 200 to 300 EURO for their TV licences. And for many years it was artificially kept down by successive governments.

HD does not equal better services, better quality programming equals better services. HD should equal better quality picture and sound.

Apogee

Elmo wrote: »

3. Feb launch of RTÉ 2 HD for sport (possibly Summer time for GAA)

Credit where credit is due, Elmo, HD Lite service confirmed by C Fahey today.

Still can't figure out where sufficient bandwidth is coming from based on current allocation to SD channels, plus all the new ones they propose?

Mr McBoatface

Apogee wrote: »

Still can't figure out where sufficient bandwidth is coming from based on current allocation to SD channels, plus all the new ones they propose?

From the debate today and in the Rte news release, there are going to use 2 muxes . There is alot of information to get through from all of today's news but I think the 2nd mux will be available in 2012

Apogee

I'm still listening to the recorded debate, but got the impression so far that the HD Lite service was going active soon i.e. on the first mux? In other words, RTÉ2 would switch from SD to HD during a sports event.

watty

Apogee wrote: »

Credit where credit is due, Elmo, HD Lite service confirmed by C Fahey today.

Still can't figure out where sufficient bandwidth is coming from based on current allocation to SD channels, plus all the new ones they propose?

Sharing by time. The HD has to be instead of RTE2 *AND* RTE+1/Children/Euronews etc.

That'll teach people to buy MPEG4 SD only solutions that don't downscale HD. (Picnic?)

Apogee

1:06 in: "content for the first public service mux is what I laid out to you today"

watty wrote: »

Sharing by time. The HD has to be instead of RTE2 *AND* RTE+1/Children/Euronews etc.

So not really sharing, as you're temporarily cannibalising RTE+1. But that still leaves:

RTÉ1
TV3
TG4
RTÉ News Now
3e
and your RTÉ2 HD.

That's still doesn't work based on current channel bandwidth allocation. In fact, it's worse than any of the calculations we've gone through in the past, as 3e is added into the mix.

watty

They must be ditching News Now also to do the part time HD?

HD is equvalent to 3 to 5 SD channels depending how good the HD is or how poor the SD is.

Apogee

Even still it's a squeeze. What I don't understand, if this thing is really on the cards, we've seen no real evidence of it in the engineering trial/test. The HD testcard is no help, and surely they might have tried switching RTÉ2 to 1080i at some point, even with only SD content.

Why are they cutting things so fine despite having ages and ages to do tests? Ní thuigim.

Mr McBoatface

Apogee wrote: »

Even still it's a squeeze. What I don't understand, if this thing is really on the cards, we've seen no real evidence of it in the engineering trial/test. The HD testcard is no help, and surely they might have tried switching RTÉ2 to 1080i at some point, even with only SD content.

Maybe they've been switching the RTEN_L 2 test card to and from SD to HD. Nobody has been watching the test card so it could easily have been missed.

Apogee

jobyrne30 wrote: »

Maybe they've been switching the RTEN_L 2 test card to and from SD to HD. Nobody has been watching the test card so it could easily have been missed.

The testcard is HD, 1440x1088 resolution. But it's only a static testcard, so the bandwidth allocated to it is feck all. You need some sort of motion/action and appropriate bandwidth to test things out.

Mr McBoatface

Apogee wrote: »

The testcard is HD, 1440x1088 resolution. But it's only a static testcard, so the bandwidth allocated to it is feck all. You need some sort of motion/action and appropriate bandwidth to test things out.

I'm aware it's HD @ 1440X1088 but they could have been switching it to an SD resolution and then back again to check the sound sync. From what I understand of todays speculation it would seem until the 2nd mux comes online any HD content will be shared on the same channels as SD so this would be a valid test even if some what limited.

It's possible there have been live pictures that have been missed, unless there is somebody out there who has actually been watching the test card 24,7 to say otherwise.

Apogee

jobyrne30 wrote: »

I'm aware it's HD @ 1440X1088 but they could have been switching it to an SD resolution and then back again to check the sound sync. From what I understand of todays speculation it would seem until the 2nd mux comes online any HD content will be shared on the same channels as SD so this would be a valid test even if some what limited.

It's possible there have been live pictures that have been missed, unless there is somebody out there who has actually been watching the test card 24,7 to say otherwise.

Switching the testcard from 720p to 1440x1088 isn't much of test either imho. And the channel bandwidth has been pretty much the same throughout, certainly not changed substantially enough to accomodate a HD service. They could have done lots on the quiet, but that no one ever spotted it at any time - how likely is that? And flicking something on for an hour and flicking it off again constitutes a proper soak test?

Moreover, any changes they've made in the past (altering DVB flags, bandwidth changes, channel line-up), they left things for a substantial period of time to check how it pans out.